Chapter 373
Chapter 373:
Danica tried to go after him in a rage, but Nathan held her back. “Forget him. We need to get to the hospital now p>
The reminder snapped her back into focus. They had come to the apartment to collect Kristine’s hair and toothbrush for the DNA test. She drew a shaky breath and wiped her face. “Did you find any of her hair p>
Nathan held up a small plastic bag containing a few strands.
The sight of them brought Kristine rushing back to Danica so vividly that her eyes filled again. She looked down at the floor. “Let’s go p>
𝘉e 𝘱а𝗋𝗍 𝘰𝗳 𝗼ur с𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝘯i𝘵𝘺 𝗈𝘯 𝘨𝗮𝘭ո𝗼𝗏е𝘭𝗌.𝗰𝘰𝘮
By the time they arrived at the hospital, Colton was already there waiting.
Asher was there as well, seated in his wheelchair. He looked like a ghost of himself — not even a trace of his usual composure remained on his face.
“Let’s go inside,” he said quietly when he saw them approach.
Only then did Danica register how ragged and broken his voice sounded. She pressed her lips together and followed him down the corridor toward the morgue.
The silence among them was heavy with grief. Only Colton still wore that hollow smile — still convinced this was an elaborate act, a scheme to deceive him.
As his footsteps echoed in the quiet hallway, he found himself thinking of the last time he had seen Kristine. Her eyes had been bright in the moonlight — she hadn’t looked unhinged or jealous. She had looked —
Colton stopped walking.
“Mr. Yates.” Asher’s voice broke the silence. “We’re at the door p>
Colton looked up at the closed door before him and felt a sudden, painful constriction in his chest. He kept seeing her eyes — wide with fear, searching for him, begging him for help.
“Mr. Yates.” Asher’s voice came again, low and heavy. “We have to go in p>
Colton looked down at him, searching his face for any hint that this was a lie.
But Asher’s eyes were drowning in grief. He looked away the instant Colton tried to hold his gaze.
Colton’s eyes went wide. He threw open the door and stepped into the morgue as though moving fast enough could outrun the truth.
He stopped the moment he saw her.
Kristine lay motionless on the metal table. His legs felt like stone, and he couldn’t take another step.
“Is there family present to identify the body?” the coroner asked.
Danica looked around the group, then answered through her tears. “She has no family left. We’re her friends — but we were closer to her than anyone p>
“Then please, take a look p>
Every person in the room turned toward Colton.
Asher kept his head bowed in his wheelchair. When he finally spoke, his voice was barely above a whisper. “Mr. Yates — you knew Kristine for seven years. You knew her best. You should be the one to identify her p>