Chapter 467
Chapter 467:
A sharp scream pierced the air before she could finish, followed by the unmistakable sound of something shattering. Then a voice, shrill with panic: “Kristine, are you crazy p>
Luna’s voice.
Bryanna rose to her feet and strode out of the study with Colton close behind her.
From the upper landing, she looked down to find Kristine methodically hurling cups at Luna, one after another, without the slightest pause.
Bryanna had once had two granddaughters. Since the other was gone, Luna had become the most precious thing in the world to her. The sight below sent a wave of fury through her. She struck the wooden railing with her palm. “Stop that this instant! Are you trying to destroy this house p>
Kristine did not stop. She threw the last cup, watched it shatter, and only then looked up at Bryanna on the floor above.
Rо𝗺𝖺𝗻𝘤𝗲 aո𝗱 𝗉a𝘀ѕіоn 𝗈𝘯
Her eyes were sharp, bold, and utterly fearless.
Even Bryanna, a woman who had faced down far greater storms in her long life, felt something falter under that gaze. For the first time she could recall, she felt as though she were the one losing ground.
She turned to Colton, her voice low and clipped. “Colton, is this truly the kind of woman you intend to marry p>
Colton’s face had already creased into a deep, troubled frown. After a brief silence, he turned to Luna.
“What did you do to her?” he demanded.
Luna was already weeping, her skin mottled with bruises from where the cups had struck her. “I — I didn’t do anything! I swear it p>
Colton swept his gaze across the others gathered there.
They rushed to agree. “That’s right! Luna did nothing. Kristine simply lost her mind and started throwing things at her without any reason p>
Colton’s frown deepened as he listened.
He turned back to Kristine. “Is what they’re saying true p>
Kristine tilted her head, a faint, cutting smile on her lips. “If you want it to be true, then it is. If you don’t, it isn’t. You’ve always been the judge and jury here, haven’t you p>
The words landed like a blow.
The moment they did, a rush of memories came back to him — memories he had spent a long time not thinking about. This scene had played out before, more times than he could count. The only difference was that back then, Kristine had always been the one on the receiving end. Occasionally he had asked for her side of the story, but he had never truly listened. And as the incidents mounted, he had eventually stopped asking altogether.
One memory surfaced above the rest: Kristine locked in a bathroom, and him standing on the other side of the door saying, “Why are you always the one these things happen to? Can’t you just try harder to get along with Luna and the others p>
The shame of it settled in his chest like a stone, and it was suddenly hard to breathe.
He gripped the railing and forced himself to speak. “Luna. Apologize to her p>