Chapter 363
Chapter 363:
Then sharp laughter rang out across the factory. “Kristine, I told you already — Colton would give me anything I asked for. You didn’t want to believe it, so you had to see it proven for yourself. Well, now you have your answer. How does that feel? Does it feel like your heart just dropped p>
Kristine turned to find Elyse in the corner, her grin wide and unbothered.
The laughter faded, and Elyse fixed her with a pitying look. “If I were in your shoes, I would have given up ages ago. Your own mother never cared about you, and Colton doesn’t either p>
“Do you really think Colton loves you?” Kristine cut in before she could finish.
Elyse blanched, her confidence flickering. “Of course he does p>
“If you were truly loved by him, why would you need to keep proving it to me over and over again p>
A flicker of uncertainty crossed Elyse’s face.
“If Colton actually cared for you, why is the photo he posted on Facebook so impersonal — just some picture downloaded from the internet p>
Elyse’s eyes went wide. “How — how did you find out p>
𝗕𝗲 𝘁𝗁𝗲 𝖿𝗶r𝘴𝘁 t𝘰 𝘳𝗲𝖺𝖽 𝗼𝘯
The moment she realized what she had let slip, she clamped her mouth shut.
Kristine’s smile twisted with quiet irony, but she let the subject drop. She had been with Colton long enough to know immediately that the hand in the photo wasn’t his. She still couldn’t quite understand his reasoning for choosing it — but the implication was hard to ignore.
She had never grown up seeing healthy relationships firsthand. Monica and Steven seemed close, but she had never cared for Steven, so she hadn’t paid them much attention. Danica’s parents, though, had always felt different. Whenever she visited, she would quietly watch them, absorbing the warmth between them. Those memories had started to blur over the years — until she returned to Danica’s home recently, and the image of a truly loving couple came into focus again.
When two people genuinely loved each other, there was always a steady, quiet sense of security between them. If Colton truly cared for Elyse, she wouldn’t feel the constant need to prove it to others. The downloaded photo likely meant he simply wasn’t in love with her.
Kristine just couldn’t figure out why.
“Colton does love me,” Elyse insisted, her voice barely above a whisper. “Why would he propose if he didn’t?” She avoided Kristine’s eyes and repeated it, as if she needed to hear it herself. “Colton loves me.” The proposal had even been his idea — she was certain of that. And yet the anxiety in her chest refused to go away, her heart pounding in her ears.
Noticing the silence stretching, Jonas moved closer to Kristine and lowered his voice. “Ms. Green, what’s the reason for choosing Dusk Reach Pier p>
Snapped out of her thoughts, Kristine turned to him. “It draws all kinds of people. That works in our favor p>
Jonas accepted the explanation without question. “What time do we head out p>
“No need to rush. Let’s first see if Colton actually shows up alone. Then we’ll make our move p>
“Smart thinking, Ms. Green p>
Kristine gave a small nod, her sharp gaze sweeping over Jonas and Watson with a hint of calculation. “Go keep an eye on Colton p>
“Understood p>