Chapter 88. In Disguise

Back in the dining room.

Nearly twenty minutes had passed, yet Serena still hadn’t returned. The ticking of the clock felt louder by the second, each moment stretching Christan’s patience thinner.

He shifted in his seat, irritation creeping into his expression.

Lounging back in his chair with one leg crossed over the other, he let out a soft scoff. “Grandpa, your esteemed guest has been in there forever. Maybe she got embarrassed and slipped away.”

Grandpa Bryan’s brows snapped together. He shot Christan a sharp glare, the kind that carried decades of authority. “What did I just tell you? Did you forget already?”

Christan lifted a brow, unfazed. “I didn’t forget,” he drawled lazily. “Be polite to Miss Knowles. Respect her. And if I can’t manage that, keep my mouth shut.”

He leaned forward slightly, eyes flicking toward the direction of the restroom, impatience clear in the tight line of his jaw. “I can behave, but let’s be honest here. She’s the one keep