Chapter 37
Chapter 37:
Once she ended the call, Kristine checked the date on her phone. Friday. The storage site would remain closed until Monday, which meant any plans to move the collection would have to wait. A sliver of doubt lingered, but she reminded herself that trust had to begin somewhere. If Victor trusted this man, then she would as well.
She took a long, hot shower and settled under the covers. Exhaustion took over almost immediately, and she drifted into a deep, uninterrupted sleep.
At the same time, Colton’s villa had descended into turmoil.
Every available hand had been enlisted to search for Kristine, yet she seemed to have vanished without a trace — as though she had been spirited entirely out of Gridron.
“She needs to be found tonight,” Colton told the servants and guards, his voice brooking no argument. “If she isn’t, none of you are resting.” With that, he turned and went straight to his study.
Inside, Devin was already seated, waiting. The moment Colton walked in, Devin spun the laptop to face him.
“This is the last footage we managed to get of Kristine,” Devin said.
A crease formed between Colton’s brows as his fingers worked the mouse, zooming in on the image.
The video cut off right after Kristine exited the restaurant. Colton stared at the screen, scanning every detail — and then his eyes fixed on the woman trailing closely behind her.
The security camera’s recording captured the scene with striking precision. The image held steady and clear even after being zoomed in several times. Colton could easily identify the woman lurking in the background — her gaze burned with open hostility, and Kristine stood positioned directly before her.
O𝗿𝗀𝖺𝗻i𝘇e 𝘆o𝘶𝗿 𝗅𝗂𝗯𝗿𝘢𝗿y 𝗼𝘯
A cold chill crept through him. Only now did he realize that someone in Gridron carried such deep-seated anger toward Kristine. He issued a firm instruction. “Look into this woman immediately.” She was most likely connected to Kristine’s disappearance.
Devin glanced at the monitor and replied in a casual tone, “You can stop searching. That’s Mackenzie Reed p>
“How are you so sure p>
A small laugh escaped Devin at Colton’s confusion. “She’s Elyse’s best friend. You’re so devoted to Elyse, yet you can’t even recognize her closest companion? That’s surprising p>
Colton’s features shifted several times in response, but he stayed focused on finding Kristine and saw no reason to justify himself about Elyse to Devin.
“What could cause her to resent Kristine this deeply?” he asked, his frown tightening.
Devin ran a hand through his hair. When it came to matters of the heart, Colton seemed utterly clueless.
“Think about it from her perspective,” Devin replied. “Her best friend lost her boyfriend to another woman. Wouldn’t you hold a grudge too p>
“That wouldn’t bother me,” Colton said.
For a brief moment, Devin was at a loss for words. He soon realized he had chosen the wrong example.
“When I pulled this footage from the restaurant,” Devin said, moving to the sofa and settling in, “I heard that Mackenzie and Kristine got into a heated confrontation in public. Want to see it p>
A deep furrow formed between Colton’s brows. “Put it on p>
Without hiding his reluctance at Colton’s bluntness, Devin opened the footage of their exchange.