Chapter 464
Chapter 464:
When they were together, Colton had never once brought her to these family gatherings — he had known perfectly well that Bryanna despised her. Yet here he was, openly defying his grandmother’s rules for her sake.
The whole thing felt like some strange, impossible dream.
If this had happened back then, she probably would have been moved to tears by it. Now, she simply wanted to sit back and watch the fireworks when the inevitable confrontation arrived.
“Move,” Colton told the butler, his voice clipped and commanding.
The butler had no room to argue. He turned and led them toward the grand living room.
Inside, Bryanna reclined on the sofa like a queen holding court. Though she was in her seventies, a lifetime of wealth and ease had preserved her remarkably — she might have passed for twenty years younger. Her expression, however, was cold and severe, and the air around her felt thick with the pressure of an oncoming storm.
The younger Yates family members sat with their eyes fixed on their laps, too cautious to even murmur among themselves. Bryanna was in a terrible mood, and they all knew it had nothing to do with them.
Just as the tension reached its peak, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed down the hallway.
𝗥𝖾𝖺d 𝗐𝘪𝘁𝗵𝗈𝘶𝘵 𝗂n𝘵𝖾𝗋𝗋𝘶𝗉𝘵iо𝘯ѕ 𝗈𝗇
The younger relatives looked up, eyes lit with barely concealed anticipation — none more so than Luna. She had only just walked through the door when Victoria relayed the news: Colton was actually bringing Kristine to the estate.
She had trembled with fury when she first heard it. She could not believe a woman like Kristine had the audacity to set foot in the Yates family home.
But then a darker thought had curled into a smile across her lips. Her grandmother loathed Kristine. There was no chance Kristine would make it through the evening without being thoroughly humiliated. Luna had come precisely to watch that happen. After all, when her grandfather was still alive, Bryanna had dealt with more than a few unwanted women in her own way.
Luna turned toward the door — and the color drained from her face the instant she saw Colton carrying Kristine in his arms.
The rest of the room reacted the same way.
Everyone knew that Bryanna despised public displays of affection, considering them vulgar and beneath the family’s dignity. By carrying Kristine in as though she were a bride, Colton was all but daring his grandmother to erupt.
Right on cue, Bryanna broke the silence, her voice as cold as cut glass. “Is there something wrong with that girl’s legs p>
Colton settled Kristine carefully into a chair before answering. “Kristine is injured. She can’t walk very well at the moment p>
Bryanna let out a thin, contemptuous laugh and let her gaze linger on Kristine’s legs. “Is that so? Perhaps I should call a doctor to come and examine her p>
“There’s no need for that,” Colton said, his tone cooling further. “She already has doctors attending to her at my home p>
Bryanna’s brow tightened with displeasure.