Chapter 86
Chapter 86:
A light smile crossed Kristine’s face, though she did not take his words seriously. “If that is all, Mr. Edwards —” Her focus remained fixed on leaving for Peudon.
Keeping his composed expression, Asher spoke again. “So you are truly set on leaving tonight p>
“Yes p>
“Then you have made your decision.” With a slight movement, he rolled his wheelchair aside to give her space. “Still, before you go, there is one small thing worth keeping in mind p>
“And what would that be p>
“Your shoes p>
She looked down at her heels, a frown forming. “What is wrong with them p>
“You will not be able to drive in high heels. Did you bring a pair of flats p>
A subtle movement tugged at her lips. His attention to detail was unsettling in its precision.
і𝗻st𝖺n𝘁 𝖺𝖼𝗰𝘦𝘀𝘀 о𝗇
“If you didn’t bring any, I have a pair ready.” Reaching behind his wheelchair, Asher produced a plain set of sneakers with quiet ease.
A faint crease formed between Kristine’s brows.
“I will help you change.” He leaned closer as he spoke. His fingers skimmed the top of her foot, then worked carefully at the strap until it loosened and slipped free.
Lowering her gaze, Kristine caught sight of the firm lines beneath his dark suit as he bent toward her. Her balance shifted instinctively, and her foot lifted from the ground. Without thinking, her hand landed on his shoulder to steady herself.
A moment later, the elegant heels were fully removed and replaced with simple, comfortable sneakers.
Her eyes lingered on the shoes, and an unfamiliar sensation stirred quietly in her chest.
Only when she looked up did she realize her hand was still resting on Asher’s shoulder.
A flicker crossed her face. She instinctively began to step back.
“What exactly are the two of you doing p>
Cold and sharp, the voice cut through the air. As if stung, Kristine yanked her hand away and spun toward the sound.
Colton stood there. For a brief moment, she went still.
Clarity followed almost immediately, and she recognized how incriminating her reaction must have appeared. Irritation sparked inside her. Nothing inappropriate had been happening between her and Asher. And even if there had been, Colton would have had no right to question it — their relationship had ended a long time ago. At this hour, he should have been at Elyse’s side. Why had he come back?
After escorting Elyse to the hospital, Colton had returned to the hotel without delay. What he had not anticipated was finding Asher personally helping Kristine with her shoes — or seeing her leaning against another man with an unguarded softness in her posture. The darkness in his expression deepened.
Without warning, he crossed the distance and closed his hand around Kristine’s wrist. “Mr. Edwards, this area is not particularly secure. You are no longer in Peudon, and wandering alone is inadvisable p>
Rather than react to the edge in Colton’s voice, Asher appeared entirely unfazed and offered a mild smile. “After you left, I found myself bored and went for a short roll around. I did not expect to cross paths with Kristine p>
At that, Kristine stopped resisting.