manager shouted when he saw

in motion. He rushed straight to her, lifted her in

slowly spread acro

was left with no option exc

xi near the dealership prov

ne walked for an entire hour b

down at her sore, blistered feet a

in her feet, because her

.

ip, several days passed without Kr

for her to reach o

herself to deliver

n sat with me and spoon-fed

just for me. It looks perfect. Do you want a bi

e attached a photo of t

lton is lying beside

n resting on the bed next to Elyse, his arm

e messages before dropping

e's constant updates about Colton now felt no

he stepped out and headed str

nce been built by her a

ng so was simple: she wanted somethi

y together would make it harder for Colt

it would eventually become the

ailey, the VP, looked at Kristine with open di

red, "I haven't told him yet. I ne

ed on his face. "Weren't you completely devoted to Colto

on's side. She had handed over the most precious

l hand over the remaining work related to the company's equity

nt look of satisfaction passed through his eyes. "We graduated from the same scho

ciation rose in Kristi

under her name, the burden of keeping it

hing together, the business would

hrough the office space, Krist

himself and stood there until her car disappeared from

.

d marked off the second-to-last note on her list

final task waiting beneath it, which was

ed, there would be nothing

ued without a si

air slowly became

s villa, Kristine went strai

aff behaved as though she did not exist, and n

e was aware that Col

oved in, he had rar

ne went straight to the guest room, because she

rom well-known luxury brands. Every sing

ne of it carrie

and dragged her suitcase

s inside, a sharp car horn sou

Yat

ted upward from th

had com

ved the suitcase back

tting him find out that sh

e raised her head and found him standing at t

t glow of the hallway lights sharpened his

Kristine forgo

fixing her with a penetrating look

r body, Kristine answered, "I

rther, Colton stepp

. "I spoke with Bobby earlier. I'm free on th

he were delivering a decision r

Kristine responded, "The ninet

e crossed his eyes b

lans for that day

celebrate your birth

ver marked the o

unspoken, yet it kept ci

After saying that, Colton adjusted hi

he stepped back out, the warmth o

pped loosely ar

ow path from his chest dow

something fierce in Kristine,

d her sit with her head lowered whi

appeared betw

s physique would make Kristine hurry

hat, Colton reached over

Kristine rose to her fee

face as he watched the doo

led the room

e forced it down and convinced himself th

.

Kristine did not catch

Colton had likely left t

ged to get in touch wit

efore, the news would

er, it felt like

had the opportunity to visit his vi

ere actually b

for Colton, including matching watches, cloth

ure, so he had shoved everything into

hose items out and placed the

could hold no more, she walked o

r departure but assumed she was leaving fo

ed it, the ninete

eady settled everything t

ait for the twentieth and fi

the city. She carried the small cake to a nearby park

s lingered o

eed to worry about Colton

toward the darkened sky, and a f

n sounded above her as fireworks

ky as fireworks bloomed in d

that her neck began to ache before

ation broke t

istine pulled out her pho

eared. "Did you like the

Kristine's vision, because she had never r

st one would arrive on what was

barely finished typing the word "thanks"

rned out to be a ph

ne opened it and saw an

r birthday, so I deliberately asked him to make one just for me. I get

e tears that had filled Krist

at, she typed out a short reply.