Chapter 143
At the seaside.
Rhett walked ahead, Kristin trailing behind him.
With Rhett there, how could she have any mind to admire the ocean?
Her heartbeat was a bit frantic, Kristin’s mind filled with thoughts of Rhett.
She had thought he would take her straight back to Silvergrove City, but to her surprise, he’d brought her to see the sea.
“Mr. FitzGerald, the matter has been handed over to the police. The housekeeper said that it was Nicola’s assistant who instructed her to do it. The police have detained Nicola’s assistant, but the individual is taking all the blame. For now, we can’t trace it back to Nicola.”
York had called Rhett.
“Leak the story to the press and say that I was the one who drank that water and got hurt.” Rhett said in a deep voice. “Suppress all that online buzz about the merging of the Haywood family and the FitzGerald family. I don’t want to see any more news about a merger, you understand?”
“Of course.”
When Rhett stepped aside to make the call, Kristin walked alone by the sea.
The beach was adorned with floral lanterns, set up especially for tourists.
As one approached, they would light up, and the flowers would bloom to the sound of soft music.
Kristin looked up in amazement at the blossoming lanterns, standing in the light, gently twirling.
She had once been the sole dancer of Silvergrove City’s premier ballet dancer and the Swan Queen who represented the Silvergrove City Ballet at performances.*
But during her years in prison, her spine had been broken, and she had swallowed all the shattered pieces.
Lifting her hand, Kristin assumed a ballet position.
Her body was stiff. With a sense of loss, she lowered her hand. It seemed she could never return to what had once been.
Trying to stand on tiptoe along with the soft music, Kristin attempted to balance several times before giving up.
A swan with broken wings could never fly back to the blue skies again.
Rhett leaned against the car door, his gaze intense as he watched Kristin.
Chapter 143
He had seen Kristin on stage once before. Back then, he had only felt that Vincent wasn’t worthy of that blooming white rose.
But later, the rose was broken, shattered, trampled into the mud.
What was Kristin’s fault? Was it because she was too beautiful or too pure?
“Mr. FitzGerald, what time is our flight?” Concerned about missing their flight, Kristin ran over
to ask.
Rhett snapped back to reality, abruptly pulling Kristin into his arms, embracing her.
Kristin froze for a second, not daring to move.
“Let’s go home.” Rhett’s voice was hoarse and weary.
“Okay.” Kristin nodded.
Following Rhett into the car, Kristin’s heartbeat remained rapid.
This marriage bargain with Rhett, no matter how long it lasted, was her stroke of luck.
This man was beyond reproach.
“Mr. FitzGerald, thank you.” On the plane, Kristin cautiously glanced at Rhett.
“Hmm?” Rhett had Kristin sit inside, asking the flight attendant for a blanket to cover her.
“If it weren’t for you, that water…” Kristin felt a chill run down her spine.
Rhett didn’t respond, his gaze deep.
“Sir, your coffee.” The flight attendant approached with a smile, bringing Rhett his coffee.
Kristin instinctively took the coffee cup, taking a sip herself first. After ensuring it was safe, she relaxed and passed it to Rhett.
The flight attendant froze her professional smile.
Rhett, observing Kristin’s actions, couldn’t help but laugh. “What’s wrong with you?”
“I’m sorry.” Kristin admitted, realizing the extent of her actions when she tested Rhett’s cup for poison.
He wouldn’t drink it now.
“I’m sorry, could you pour another cup?” Kristin asked the attendant, embarrassed.
The attendant kept her professional smile. “Of course.”
“No need,” Rhett said politely, nodding in acknowledgment.
The attendant left, and Rhett, holding the coffee cup, smiled. “Poisoned?”
Kristin’s ears turned red as she shook her head. “No, no poison.”
Chapter 143
Rhett sipped the coffee. “I never thought airplane coffee tasted good before.”
Kristin’s ears turned even redder, the coffee was quite bitter, bitterer than medicine.
“Get some sleep. I’ll watch over you,” Rhett whispered, suggesting Kristin take a rest.
Kristin looked at Rhett blankly, then quickly averted her gaze, nervously clasping her fingers, turning her head and closing her eyes, pretending to sleep.
Jesus, she was truly bewitched.
In prison, Kristin had read a book stating that when faced with a fatal temptation, no one could resist its allure, but when one was deeply ensnared, death would quietly descend.
Kristin knew Rhett was a dangerous man, perfect and attractive.
A single misstep could mean utter ruin. Yet her heart was still stirred.
Perhaps she was too unaware of her vulnerability.
Unsure of how long she slept, Kristin was gently awakened. “Kristin, we’re home.”
Slowly opening her eyes, Kristin realized that at some point she had ended up resting on Rhett’s shoulder.
She sat up abruptly, nervously unbuckling her seatbelt, and stood, following Rhett.
As soon as they disembarked, Holcomb called Rhett.
Clearly. York had been efficient. The news of Nicola’s assistant’s criminal offense and the injury to Rhett was already trending.
“Yes, just arrived,” Rhett spoke gravely.
“Come home.” Holcomb told Rhett to return home, his tone indifferent, revealing no emotion.
If he were a normal father, at this time he should be concerned about his son’s well–being, but all Holcomb did was tell Rhett to come home.
Besides, Rhett could already guess that next, Holcomb would want the trending news to be pulled down.
Rhett hung up the phone on Holcomb without much of an explanation. “I’m not feeling great. I’m going to head home and rest. We can talk about this tomorrow.”
Tomorrow was the day Nicola would be back.
Settling scores always required a full house for the drama to unfold properly.
Glancing over at Kristin, Rhett cracked a smile. “Knock off work early tomorrow and come with me to my house.”
Kristin felt a shiver run down her spine at the mention of the FitzGerald family. It was the place that held dark memories for her.
Chapter
“Don’t worry, I’ll be there with you,” Rhett reassured her after a brief silence. “I’ll take you to a show.”
Kristin bit her lip and nodded, feeling an odd sense of sympathy for Rhett.
She wondered how he had managed to navigate the treacherous waters of that household alone.
The journey from the airport to Rhett’s place filled Kristin’s chest with emotion.
They went back home together.
The marriage certificate they had signed was fueling unrealistic fantasies in Kristin’s mind.
She had once told Harriet that she would never get married and she had lost all hope in men.
But now, what was she doing?
Was she fantasizing about a normal romance with Rhett, or even a married life?
“Kristin, I’m starving.” Rhett said as soon as they walked through the door, pulling her into his embrace with his chin resting on her head, his voice weary and husky.
“I’ll… I’ll go make us some dinner. How about a nice green salad?” she asked nervously.
He hummed in response, rolling up his sleeves to help in the kitchen. “I’ll wash the veggies.”
Kristin blushed and nodded.
But her regret was instant.
Rhett wasn’t so much washing the veggies as he was massacring them.
He seemed to think every single leaf wasn’t to his taste, which went into the trash they went.
Kristin quickly rescued what was left, fighting back tears. “Mr. FitzGerald, those vegetables cost a pretty penny.”
Rhett stepped back with a chuckle, ceasing his ‘help‘.
As Kristin began to wash the rescued greens, her phone rang.
“Kris! Are you still at Harborside Haven?” It was Garner on the other end, his voice laced with panic. “Adrienne’s been around… You can’t let her find you!”
Her hand froze on the phone. In the background, she could hear Summer’s crying.
He was calling out for his mother.
“Garner… what happened to Summer?” Kristin trembled her voice.
“Summer’s hurt. We’re at the hospital, but you don’t need to worry about us. Don’t come back here, Adrienne’s people are watching us. They’re just trying to force you out!” Garner seemed to realize they were discovered, and he quickly hung up.
Chapter 144
