After a long stretch without any reply from Kristine, a shadow passed through Colton's usually calm eyes.
Trying again, he sent another message and immediately realized he had been blocked.
A crease formed between Colton's brows.
She was clearly angry.
Even so, this was not the first time Kristine had cut off contact with him.
"Colton," Brent said as he approached quietly from behind, "Elyse has woken up and is asking to see you."
Pressing his fingers to his temples, Colton answered, "Alright."
He believed that Kristine would eventually remove the block, so he chose not to dwell on it.
That being said, he knew he had neglected her lately.
Once everything was resolved, he would make things up to her properly.
...
Once she settled into her seat on the plane, Kristine pulled down her sleep mask and slept through the entire journey without waking.
When she finally landed in Peudon, the clock had already passed one in the morning.
Standing by the exit were her mother, Monica, whom she had not seen in years, along with Monica's second husband, Steven Palmer, and their daughter, Jemma Palmer.
"So cold. Why would you choose such a late flight?" Jemma complained as she stomped her feet impatiently.
Kristine felt no real closeness toward this half-sister, so she stayed silent and got into the car.
Inside the vehicle, Monica reached out and held Kristine's hand with warmth, though the gesture felt less like a mother welcoming her child and more like a hostess receiving a guest. "Kristy, I am really glad you finally came to your senses," she said. "Colton might seem decent, but how could he ever compare to Asher? Asher will take over Edwards Group. Once you marry him, your life will be secure."
Leaning her head against the window, Kristine kept her eyes closed and spoke in an even, emotionless tone. "During the seven years I did not come home, I still heard that three years ago, Asher broke his leg and became disabled."
A brief silence settled inside the car.
After a pause, Monica replied awkwardly, "Well—"
"I only agreed to return for this arranged marriage because I owe Jemma," Kristine interjected. "After I marry Asher in her place, that debt will be settled."
An even heavier silence filled the car.
Quiet glances passed between Monica and the others, yet no one spoke.
After they reached the house, Kristine pulled her suitcase upstairs to the second floor.
Although Monica tried to stop her, she was already too late.
All she could do was stand there and watch Kristine open the bedroom door, then stop short.
Monica said with hesitation, "Kristy, since you are rarely home, we gave your room to Jemma."
Pink filled Kristine's vision as she looked into the room, and anger surged instantly. "Is there a shortage of bedrooms in this house? Why did it have to be mine?" she asked.
Monica found herself at a loss for words.
What they had done was clearly inappropriate, yet it had already been done.
"Who would have thought you would turn out this worthless? We really believed that after all these years, you would have secured Colton," Jemma said from downstairs, her expression dripping with disdain. "You chased him for seven years, yet you still lost to a woman who only just returned from overseas. Kristine, you are truly pitiful!"
A dark shadow passed through Kristine's eyes.
Without hesitation, she stepped forward, snatched a notebook from the desk, and flung it toward Jemma on the first floor.
Startled out of her wits, Jemma rushed into Steven's arms. "Dad, look at her. She has completely lost her mind!"
"That is enough," Monica said, casting Steven a sharp look and motioning for him to take Jemma away. Once the house finally fell quiet, she turned back to Kristine, guilt heavy in her voice. "Kristine, I have already arranged the guest room for you. You can stay there for tonight."
Before Monica could say more, Kristine pulled her suitcase along and walked straight out of the villa.
She had reserved a room at a luxury hotel.
The service there was flawless, and a car had been arranged to pick her up.
More than an hour later, Kristine arrived at the hotel. After collecting her key card, she headed directly toward the elevator.
At that moment, Bobby, who had just stepped into the hotel, froze when he noticed a familiar figure disappearing into the closing elevator doors.
From behind him, a colleague asked with curiosity, "What is it?"
Shaken from his thoughts, Bobby replied, "Nothing."
For a moment, he wondered if he had really seen Kristine.
That idea made no sense.
Since his boss was still in Gridron, Kristine should have been there as well.
The pressure from the upcoming collaboration with Edwards Group had made him overly tense, and that the lack of sleep was probably causing him to imagine things.
With a shake of his head, he picked up his pace and headed toward the front desk to check in.
The following day, Kristine received a call from a number she did not recognize.
The person on the line introduced herself as the secretary of Asher Edwards, her arranged-marriage partner, and informed her that she needed to arrive at Edwards Group before three in the afternoon to meet Asher, or the appointment would need to be postponed.
The way it was handled felt very much like Colton's approach, yet Kristine did not feel repelled by it.
Maybe that was because this arrangement was nothing more than a transaction, with no emotions attached.
Right at three in the afternoon, Kristine stepped into Edwards Group.
Inside a richly furnished office, Kristine came face-to-face with Asher.
Seated in a wheelchair, he still carried an air of elegance, and his features were undeniably striking.
Where Colton felt like biting winter ice, Asher instead resembled a gentle breeze in midsummer.
"I was told the one arranged to marry me was Jemma Palmer. Why did your mother send you instead?" Asher spoke up. His voice remained steady and composed, without the slightest hint of pressure, sounding more like small talk between familiar faces.
"Because I'm into you, I offered to take Jemma's place," Kristine answered.
A gentle smile appeared on Asher's face. "It is not just people in Gridron who know you love Colton Yates. Even in Peudon, everyone knows."
"That was in the past," Kristine responded calmly. "I have already changed my mind."
Asher studied her unwavering gaze without blinking, and curiosity stirred within him. "You truly do not like Colton anymore?"
Kristine was about to respond when a knock interrupted them. "Mr. Edwards, the partners have arrived earlier than scheduled."
With a slight lift of his brows, Asher gave Kristine a look filled with unspoken meaning. "Stay here for now. I will return soon."
That promise of being quick stretched into more than an hour.
By the time Asher came back, the shift in his demeanor was unmistakable.
"As for the marriage arrangement, I have no objections," he said. "When would it suit you for us to get married?"
Although she was confused by the sudden turn, Kristine still answered, "The sooner it happens, the better."
"Very well," Asher said. "After I sign the partnership this Friday, we will register the marriage." He then summoned his secretary to see Kristine out.
A slight frown appeared on Kristine's face.
She sensed that something about Asher had changed after that meeting, yet she could not identify exactly what it was. In the end, she chose not to dwell on it and followed the secretary out of the office.
Once the door shut behind them, a meaningful smile slowly spread across Asher's face.
The group he had just finished meeting with turned out to be under Bobby, Colton's assistant.
So Colton had no idea that Kristine had already returned to Peudon. He also had no clue that she was about to marry him.
That realization made the situation far more intriguing.
At the same time, downstairs, Bobby caught sight of Kristine as she walked out of Edwards Group. He rubbed his eyes again and again before finally accepting what he was seeing. It really was Kristine.
The fact that she had come back to Peudon left him completely stunned.
For seven whole years, she had remained in Gridron without leaving even once.
Without wasting a second, Bobby sent Colton a message. "Mr. Yates, I just saw Miss Green in Peudon!"
