Chapter 82
Chapter 82:
She would be out of his life soon enough. There was no sense stirring up trouble now.
Inside the ballroom, it did not take Kristine long to locate Asher.
He sat in a wheelchair, dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit that only added to his air of quiet authority. There was an easy warmth in his smile — the kind that put everyone at ease and almost made them forget how much power his last name carried. Anyone taken in by that gentleness was in for a surprise.
Asher had been raising glasses and exchanging pleasantries with the guests when he turned and caught Kristine’s eye with a calm, familiar look.
She looked away immediately.
Colton caught the silent exchange. His jaw tightened, and he forced down the surge of irritation before steering Kristine directly toward Asher.
“Mr. Edwards, you’re earlier than I expected p>
𝘞e 𝗎p𝗱𝘢𝘁𝗲 𝘦𝗏е𝗿y 𝗐𝗲е𝗸 𝗼n
Asher’s gaze landed briefly on their linked hands, then he offered a pleasant smile. “Since this is my first visit to Gridron, I wanted to make sure I arrived on time. That’s why I left early.” He shifted his attention. “Good to see you again, Kristine p>
He extended his hand in greeting and waited.
Kristine moved to accept it — but Colton stepped forward and intercepted, clasping Asher’s hand in a firm grip. His expression gave nothing away, though every vein along the back of his hand was visible, the tension unmistakable beneath his composed tone. “You’re being generous as always, Mr. Edwards p>
Despite the pressure, Asher kept his composure and his smile. A pulse jumped along his own forearm, matching the force being applied. “I hardly deserve such praise, Mr. Yates,” he replied, his voice easy and light.
Neither showed any interest in releasing first.
Nearby, Kristine sensed the thickening tension, though the reason behind their sudden contest entirely escaped her. Were these two not supposed to be business partners?
People around them had begun to notice, curiosity mounting with every passing second.
Not wanting to draw more attention, Kristine leaned slightly forward and spoke quietly. “Shouldn’t we begin the dinner p>
Her words seemed to snap both men back to the moment, and they released each other at once.
The tension did not lift.
Tripp Potter, Asher’s assistant, wheeled him toward the table and murmured low enough for only him to hear. “What’s gotten into Mr. Yates? That handshake was something else p>
Asher let his gaze drift to Kristine, now taking her seat beside Colton. A hint of quiet amusement danced in his eyes. He leaned fractionally closer to Tripp and silenced him with a single look.
Realizing his slip, Tripp dropped his gaze immediately.
Asher turned his attention back to the two of them.
Had Colton known that he and Kristine were already legally married, the confrontation would have been immediate — and their alliance would have shattered.
Meanwhile, Kristine, forced into the seat beside Colton, took a quiet moment to steady herself and resist the pull to simply stand up and leave. Everything depended on how tonight unfolded. She could not afford to provoke Colton now.