She Took The House The Car And My Heart

Chapter 178

hapter 178 She Prefers Me Like This

Kristian pulled a crisp hundred-dollar bill from his wallet and passed it over with a casual flourish, saying coolly, "Keep the change."

"Damn you," Felipe snapped as he slipped the bill into his pocket.

Free money from Kristian? He wasn't about to say no.

The rest of the ride passed in complete silence, both men swallowed by their thoughts, burdened by whatever weighed on their minds.

Half an hour later, Felipe dropped Kristian off at the Shaw estate.

As Kristian stepped out of the car, the memory of what he'd witnessed at the hospital resurfaced. He paused, then said, "You might want to double-check what Farrah said about Jocelyn Watson."

"Wait a second," Felipe frowned, catching the odd note in Kristian's voice.

But Kristian kept that distant, unreadable air about him and responded coolly, "Is there something else?"

"What exactly did you mean by that?" Felipe asked.

"Nothing major. Just a word to the wise," Kristian said, his eyes unreadable. "Not everyone deserves your trust."

Something about that struck a nerve, and Felipe let out a sharp laugh.

Kristian arched a brow, confused by the reaction.

"So, let me guess. Because you misjudged Freya thanks to your first love, you think I'm misjudging Farrah because of Jocelyn?" Felipe said with a mischievous smirk.

Kristian's frown deepened slightly, clearly irritated by the jab.

But Felipe, hands resting easily on the steering wheel, seemed relaxed now. "Your problem was personal. Mine's professional. Whole different ball game."

"Is it really?" Kristian challenged.

"Of course."

"Then why did Farrah bring up Jocelyn right outside the hospital and look at you like you didn't have a clue?" Kristian pressed.

That wiped the smirk off Felipe's face.

Kristian really couldn't help himself-he always knew how to push just the right button.

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but after a brief pause, he added, "If you can trust other women but not Farrah, she won't forgive you for

shot back, a flicker

eyes darkened, distant, cold. "Maybe I've

secretly rolled his

conversation, he didn't bother

a moment. He tamped down the emotions stirring inside him and headed toward

a few steps when he spotted his

in his tracks, whatever emotion had lingered in his eyes vanishing

with a face full of relief, as though her son

gaze twinkled

his sides as he paused briefly before

"Failing once isn't the end of the world. What

Kristian couldn't find the right

said simply, "I

it," Melinda

learning to keep a

gave his shoulder a firm pat. "Owning up to your past

something to take care of. I'll head inside," Kristian said,

of his father's words. "You

and made his

possibly have to do this late? Isn't

struck a nerve, and now he needs an excuse to duck out,” Isaac replied, serious but with a chuckle in

nodded knowingly. "Makes

grown man now. We should give him

"True."

overhearing it, felt a mix

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of regret slipped in as he thought about how

showered, slipped into his

at the family home always brought him a kind of peace he never found in the

noise and rush,

that thought, he

the impulse to text her-ask where she was, what she was doing-but every single

day came

the evening banquet, then left

was headed to the

the trip or show

time.

grabbed her gift