Chapter 71
But Trenton didn’t let his emotions show. “Of course, I know you didn’t mean it. I’m not gonna blame you, he said, keeping his cool
Kristina smiled at Elaine and Caroline, but her tone was cold when she turned them down. “If that’s all, don’t waste my time. I’m not going shopping or to the spa with you. Agreeing to have breakfast was already me being polite
Elaine and Caroline had no idea Kristina would be so standoffish. They’d tried so hard to be friendly, thinking she’d at least be civil.
They didn’t expect to be best friends, but they figured they could get along. But Kristina was acting like they were invisible.
“Kristina, now that you’re here, maybe we could” Elaine began, but Kristina cut her off with a sharp look.
First things first. Don’t act like we’re close, Kristina said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. She glanced at Caroline and added, “Unlike you two, I’ve got responsibilities. I run a household and a company. We don’t have anything in common.”
Then, with a lazy flick of her wrist, she pulled out a shiny gold credit card and held it up. “See this? My purchasing power is in a different league from yours. Stop embarrassing yourselves.”
Caroline didn’t understand the card’s true value, but Elaine did.
The gold card from the McClain family was a big deal–something she’d always wanted but never got, even as the young beiress. But Kristina, the new girl, had it, and she was showing it off like it was nothing. It irritated Elaine.
“Trenton, isn’t it a bit much to just hand out such an important card to an outsider?” Elaine asked, her voice tight with irritation.
Kristina, though, seemed genuinely confused. She pulled out a different card from her purse–a global black card–and looked at Elaine like she was missing something. “Huh? What do you mean? A bit too much?”
Elaine’s face turned red with anger as she saw the black card. She felt like she was about to explode, while Caroline looked on, shocked and envious. But neither of them noticed the slightly gloomy look on Trenton’s face.
Trenton was shocked that Kristina had outsmarted him, taking both his gold and black cards. He suspected she was plotting something bigger- maybe even a takeover of the McClain family while he was vulnerable.
He’d never been one for romance, but he’d thought about what kind of woman he’d end up with someday.
Whoever it was, it wouldn’t be someone like Kristina–someone so greedy, shrewd, and manipulative. She was all sharp tongue and no good qualities in his eyes.
Meanwhile, Elaine was fuming, and Caroline was just as sick of Kristina’s attitude. They both wanted to throw the hot juice right in her face.
Caroline, being the more hot–headed of the two, was ready to blow. But Elaine grabbed her hand just in time, giving her a pointed look. They were there to smooth things over, not start a war.
Everyone was on edge, and the air was practically crackling with tension. “Elaine, this isn’t getting us anywhere. Let’s just leave,” Caroline said, gripping Elaine’s hand like she was trying to yank her out of a war zone.
But Kristina wasn’t about to let them go that casily. “Hey, wait a minute. You can’t leave now. Didn’t you say you’d treat me to breakfast? I came here hungry, and I’m not leaving without cating something,” she said.
Turning to the waiter, she added, “Bring out all your best dishes and desserts. This lady here will cover the bill.”
Trenton just sat there, massaging his temple, like he was trying to rub away a migraine. He couldn’t believe how brazen Kristina was.
Elaine wanted to deck Kristina, but she kept her cool and handed over her credit card to the waiter. They might not have won the argument, but they could at least pay up and get out of there with their dignity intact.
Kristina waved her hand at the waitstaff. “Get rid of these plates and bring out something fresh.” She didn’t want the table covered in half–eaten food.
The waiters moved quickly, clearing away the old dishes and replacing them with new desserts and plates.
Kristina set the fanciest–looking dish right in front of Trenton and poured him a glass of juice. “Go ahead, give it a try. Doesn’t it look good?”
But Trenton didn’t even pick up his fork. He just sat there, his brow furrowed, a vein ticking in his forehead. “Why did you do it?” he asked, his voice quiet but intense.
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