?Chapter 468:


    Dn was jealous, and the more he dwelled on it, the more it burned, sharper than a shot of vinegar.


    Christina, unaware of the storm she’d stirred, looked at him with wide, unknowing eyes. “Come on, take a load off,” she said, tapping the ornate chair at her side.


    Dn’s bitterness and jealousy ebbed away in an instant, and a tentative smile touched his face before he could stop it. But the moment he sat and allowed himself a flicker of optimism, her nextment washed over him like cold water, reigniting the ache and jealousy he’d tried to bury.


    Christina teased Dn with a grin, “If you keep standing there, folks might assume the Millers are neglecting you.”


    That remark struck a nerve in Dn. Was Christina still looking out for Robin? Did that mean she harbored feelings for Robin? The thought gnawed at him, irritation ring.


    Dn’s gaze cut toward Robin, icy and piercing. Robin was immature, impulsive—practically a boy. What did Christina see in someone like that? Was it Brendon’s betrayal that pushed her toward someone carefree and naive? Damn Brendon!


    Dn’s mind spiraled, his forehead creasing under the weight of it. For the first time, he had begun to feel uneasy about the age gap. Age wasn’t something he could outpace. He and Christina were close in years, while both Elliott and Robin trailed behind them in age—Robin even more so, barely more than a teenager. And yet, Robin carried an easy, radiant charm he could never mimic.


    These thoughts only deepened Dn’s disquiet, his expression darkening with each passing second. Nothing had ever fazed him like this before, yet now he felt totally at a loss.


    “That’s nice,” Christinamented on the coffee, oblivious to the storm inside Dn. She turned to him with a soft smile. “Mr. Scott, you should try it before it gets cold.”


    Dn stared at the coffee nkly, not in the mood to savor it. He replied tly, “Sure.”


    He took a sip—only to find bitterness spreading across his tongue. His face tightened.


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    “Is it that bad?” Christina asked, taken aback by his reaction.


    Dn lowered the cup, his tone t. “Not really to my taste. It’s overly bitter.”


    “Bitter?” Christina repeated, puzzled. She took another taste. To her, it was silky, subtly sweet, rich in aroma—everything good coffee should be.


    Kurt let out a knowing chuckle. “The vor of coffee often reflects your mood. Seems like Mr. Scott’s got something weighing on him.”


    Kurt understood perfectly well what was bothering Dn, but he wasn’t about toy it bare. Winning a woman’s affection was a personal challenge—a contest of appeal and finesse. Helping Dn would be no different from undermining Robin. Robin already had fewer cards to y. Robin’s youth was his strongest asset, but


    That would only matter if Christina had a taste for younger men. If not, Robin had nothing topete with. Given all that, there was no reason for Kurt to help Dn.


    Christina understood Kurt’s meaning right away and seemed to pick up on what was bothering Dn. “Ah,” she said, casting a nce toward Dn.


    Kurt’s pulse skipped. He hadn’t spelled it out—how did she figure it out so fast? Had he known she was this sharp, he would have kept quiet. He silently cursed himself for not holding his tongue. Why did he have to say anything at all?


    Dn, meanwhile, thought she had finally figured out what was troubling him. His typically unreadable eyes lit up with a quiet hope as he studied her.


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