Chapter 61

Chapter 61

Kristin froze for a second, her gaze flickering.

Had Rhett been looking for her all night?

“No, he’s Vincent’s brother,” Kristin dodged eye contact subconsciously.

“He seems different from Vincent and he gives a damn about you. I mean. As a big shot CEO to come looking for you in the middle of the night himself, he could’ve just sent someone if he wanted to grab you,” Harriet shook her head, feeling that Rhett had no bad intentions towards

Kristin.

“Harriet, did I get any packages at home?” Kristin changed the subject.

Harriet could tell Kristin wasn’t up for talking and pulled a small bag out of her purse. “Here, your brother sent it.”

Kristin glanced at it and breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks.”

“Kris, if you’ve decided to start over, don’t let the past cage you in. I thought I’d never move on. but once you do, it’s all good,” Harriet tried to cheer Kristin up.

Kristin nodded, gripping the item in her hand. It was a lock of hair with the follicles from Summer. She needed James to get a paternity test done with Summer as soon as possible.

She had to confirm James‘ identity.

“Your outfit…” Harriet landed her eyes on Kristin’s clothes, instantly recognizing the high–end bespoke brand, way out of the league for most people. It was a single piece costing a small

-fortune.

“Mr. Bryce?” Harriet guessed herself, shocked as she pulled Kristin into the restroom. “Kristin, think this through. James, like Rhett, is out of our league. Do you know how many women James has had over the years? He…”

“He might be the father of my child,” Kristin whispered.

Harriet inhaled sharply, biting her lip in thought. “James has a woman named Linda, a celebrity. She’s not someone you cross lightly. Be careful.”

Harriet was worried Linda might seek revenge on Kristin.

“But, Linda isn’t the real problem. Have you heard that the Bryce family and the Haywood family of Silvergrove City might be tying the knot? The Haywood family had been hyping it up for ages, which seems like a done deal,” Harriet felt sorry for Kristin’s tough fate.

She didn’t believe these rich folks genuinely liked Kristin.

Kristin was a woman who’d been to jail and had a kid. To these big shots, she wasn’t even a plaything on their list of priorities.

11:40

Kade avert a dared look. The Haywood family?

west larut. Kristin almost instinctively started trembling

Maxww was leader who bullied her back in the day. Alter Kristin’s take as wax whethewesman who humiliated and tormented Kristin the most.

Xerox Yard’s voice came through

Kristin commod bec cet and walked out nervously.

QUANTI Nwered her head and made her way to the front desk.

Janes bat arrives at the club and the management statt practically sprinted over to show him

Mt. Sace what brises you. The manager started asking, puzzled by his visit at this hour.

James onored the man, ist glanced at Kristin, and handed over the breakfast he brought. “Make sure you eat.”

Everyone stared at Kristin in shock, including herself.

James was making a statement with his actions.

Everyone was confused, watching James, wondering what the boss was implying by delivering breakfast to a lowly receptionist early in the morning.

With all the gossip swirling around James over the years, the one woman who seemed to stick the longest was the young celebrity Linda. But even so, James had never been known to visit her on set, let alone bring her food.

For Kristin with no education who was just a club’s front desk, shouldn’t she be keeping a low profile and hidden away? So why was James so blatantly open about her?

Harriet looked on with concern at Kristin.

Being thrust into the spotlight was no good news,

“Kris…” After James had handed over breakfast and exited, leaving a trail of astonished gazes behind, Harriet pulled Kristin to one side. “What’s going on in your head?”

Kristin remained silent.

With James exposing her location like that, he was pushing her to the edge of a cliff.

With no way back, her only chance of survival was to cling to James, the reliable shelter.

“He’s forcing my hand,” Kristin could see right through what James wanted.

To drive her to a point of no return, James was making her realize that he was the only one she could lean on and rely upon.

11:41

Chapter 61

Harriet sighed and gave Kristin a hug. “These rich bastards ain’t worth shit…”

“Kris, you and Mr. Bryce… The manager came over with a sycophantic expression.

Even Yara was looking at Kristin with shock.

Kristin didn’t know how to explain and kept her head down, silent.

“Kris and Mr. Bryce knew each other from before.” Harriet blurted out a hasty explanation. “Wonder how long Mr. Bryce’s novelty with her will last.”

The manager nodded. “Still, for Mr Bryce to be momentarily amused by Kris is a stroke of luck for her and for our establishment.”

It was clear the manager wanted Kristin to sweet–talk her way through this.

Kristin didn’t respond, standing there with her head bowed.

Not long after James left, Bill showed up, saying the manager had given her time off to go for a medical check–up.

“Ms. Turner, my bad… it’s just standard procedure, you know?” Bill was feeling awkward about the whole medical check–up thing. It wasn’t a walk in the park for dignity. But hey, Mr. Bryce’s sugar–baby routine always started this way, which wasn’t Bill’s place to rock the boat.

“No worries.” Kristin shook her head, brushing it off.

“The clinic will crank out those results in

time. I’ll take you to the company to meet Mr. Bryce after.” Bill said, sensing that James was on pins and needles, a tad too eager to keep

Kristin close.

“Okay…” Kristin agreed. She was also itching to get that paternity test done between James and Summer.

Once they stepped out of the clinic, Bill handed Kristin a bottle of mineral water.

She took it with a “Thanks.”

“Ms. Turner… I probably shouldn’t say this, but brace yourself, because Mr. Bryce won’t tie the knot with you.”

Bill had been James‘ right–hand man for six years and knew James inside out.

James kept marriage and emotions in separate corners. He wasn’t the type to rush into marriage. If he did, it would be nothing short of a business deal, and Kristin didn’t fit the bill.

Bill’s heads–up was gentle, but clear as day. He wanted Kristin to think twice before getting her heart tangled up in this, or she’d be signing up for a world of hurt.

Kristin nodded, pocketing the medical report before following Bill to Aurora Tech.

“Mr. Bryce, Ms. Turner is here.”

James stood up and gave Kristin the once–over. “Had breakfast?”

Chapter 61

She nodded.

“Take a look at the contract,” James pointed to the document, suggesting Kristin give it a

once–over.

“No need…” she shook her head.

The contract’s fine print was the least of her concerns.

Pulling out Summer’s hair sample from her pocket, Kristin faced James. “I want the paternity test results.”

Then she plopped the medical report on the desk. “Apart from that one night, no man has touched me, so…”

Kristin’s head was down, her face flushed with a fierce red.

But it wasn’t a blush of shyness or the awkwardness of the topic at hand.

“So, if that night was you, let me know the score as soon as possible.” She didn’t need James to play the hero, just needed him to play ball for the health checks. Everything else was off the table.

Summer was an unexpected twist, but he was an innocent party.

James took Summer’s hair and sank into the sofa. “And if I’m not Summer’s biological dad, what’s your next move?”

Kristin looked up at him replying, “Keep searching.”

James darkened his expression for a second. Kristin’s current compromise was all for her kid, .which felt like she was hashing out a deal with him.