Chapter 387
Chapter 387:
Elyse wasn’t prepared for it. She stumbled and fell to the floor.
Even so, she looked up at him from where she sat, refusing to look away. “I’m grieving Kristine too, Colton. But you have to eat. Hate me for saying it if you want — but if you won’t eat, then neither will I p>
He saw the resolve in her face and responded with a hard, joyless frown. His gaze drifted back to the window. When he spoke, his voice carried no feeling at all. “You know I don’t love you p>
Elyse went still. She had always known it. She had known it for a long time. But hearing it said aloud so plainly was something else entirely — like a slow fracture splitting through the center of her chest.
𝗕e 𝗽𝖺𝗿𝘁 o𝖿 𝗼𝗎r 𝘤o𝗺𝗺𝘶nіtу оn
After a moment, she lifted her chin and said simply, “So what p>
“You don’t have to take care of me. You don’t owe me anything p>
Elyse looked down and let out a quiet, broken laugh. “I’ve loved you since the day we met. Telling me to stop now is a little late, don’t you think? Whether you want it or not, I am not going to stand here and watch you p>
Colton’s phone rang.
The screen lit up with Devin’s name.
He hadn’t heard from Devin since sending him away to handle a private matter. Colton looked at the phone and felt no desire to answer it. But Devin was persistent — the phone rang again and again, well past ten times, buzzing relentlessly on the table.
Elyse watched it. “Colton, maybe you should take that p>
He pressed two fingers against his temple, where a dull ache had begun to build. Devin wouldn’t push this hard unless he had something on Patsy. He glanced over at Elyse and gave her a firm look. “It’s time for you to go p>
Something in his tone had softened — just slightly — and Elyse felt the tension leave her in a quiet rush of relief. She gathered herself and slipped out of the room.
Alone, Colton picked up the phone.
Devin launched in before Colton could even speak. “Colton, I did it — your mother finally agreed to have the coffin opened for a DNA test. But there’s a problem. Your father is blocking us p>
“He refused?” Colton muttered, pressing harder against his temple. The news settled on him like dead weight.
“Yeah,” Devin replied with a heavy sigh.
The plan had been straightforward: open the coffin, extract a DNA sample from the ashes — which had been carefully preserved — and use science to settle the truth about Patsy once and for all. The only obstacle standing between them and the answer was Goodwin Yates.
Because of his father’s refusal, the entire investigation had ground to a halt.
Colton’s expression darkened. “Where is he now p>
“He’s here in Raskor. Officially, it’s a vacation p>
“A vacation,” Colton repeated, a cold laugh in his voice. “Is he actually resting, or is that just his excuse to chase after another woman p>