In Collin’s mind, no woman in her right mind would willingly marry a man like him unless she was after money. He wasn’t just disabled-he was the neglected son of the Riley family.
He fully expected Linsey to be disappointed.
He was prepared to see regret or bitterness shadow her face.
To his shock, however, she looked at him not with pity or disdain, but with a deep, unspoken understanding-as if she saw him for what he truly was-another soul abandoned by those who should have loved him.
Reaching out, she took his hand with gentle strength. “I’ve already told you. Once I’ve made my decision, I won’t regret it. Now that we’re married, I’ll make sure you have a real home-one that’s warm and full of care.”
“Is that so?” Collin’s voice was laced with doubt, his skepticism clear. “Let’s see then.”
He didn’t believe her.
Curious, he wondered how long she could maintain this facade once she realized there was nothing to gain from him.
A car pulled up in front of them, interrupting his thoughts.
“Let’s go,” Collin said, his tone commanding.
Linsey paused, uncertainty flickering in her eyes. “Where are you taking me?”
“Home, of course,” he replied with quiet certainty. “We’re married now, so naturally, we’ll live together.”
Home?
The word made Linsey’s heart skip a beat.
It reminded her of the home she had lived in with Felix-the one she had worked so hard to build for their future together.
But now that she was married to Collin, she knew she had to sever the ties to her past.
With a deep breath, she turned to him and said, “I have a few things to take care of first. Could you share your contact info and address with me? I’ll move in as soon as I’m finished.”
Collin raised an eyebrow, his gaze piercing. “You don’t want me to give you a ride?”
“No, it’s fine,” she replied, her voice firm but gentle. “I can manage on my own. I don’t want to trouble you.”
He didn’t argue. After exchanging their contact details, he got into the car and drove off.
Half an hour later, Linsey stood before the apartment she had once shared with Felix. The key turned in the lock, and the door creaked open to reveal a space filled with memories.
She stepped inside, taking in every familiar detail-the tablecloth, the potted plants-each piece had been carefully selected by her, making it feel like home.
But now, it all felt like a prison. Without a second thought, she moved toward the decorations, ripping them down, discarding the plants, and throwing everything into the trash.
She had chosen to start fresh, and that meant leaving the past behind, no matter how much it hurt.
Once she had cleared out the remnants of her old life, she began packing her belongings. Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t hear the sound of footsteps approaching.
Felix, unable to stay away, stood at the door, his face a mixture of shock and disbelief. He couldn’t hold it in any longer. “Linsey, what the hell are you doing?”
The apartment, once cozy and filled with warmth, now stood in disarray, its charm completely stripped away, leaving only chaos in its wake.
Linsey continued packing the remaining items into her suitcase, her movements deliberate, as if determined to erase every trace of the life she had once built here.
Felix stood frozen for a moment, his eyes sweeping over the wreckage, disbelief etching his features before he stormed toward her.
“Linsey, are you out of your mind?” he demanded, his voice rising with frustration. “I was gone for only a little while, and you’re acting like this?”
He inhaled sharply, trying to reign in his temper, and snapped, “I’m giving you one hour. Put everything back where it was!”
Linsey, unfazed, finished packing the item in her hands and slowly turned to face him. Her expression was cool, detached-almost as if he were a stranger.
A faint, mocking smile tugged at her lips as she replied, “Felix, haven’t you figured it out? Sometimes, once something is lost, it’s gone forever. It can never be the same again.”
Felix’s frown deepened, impatience growing in his eyes. “What the hell are you trying to say?”
Linsey couldn’t help but feel the audacity in his words. Did he truly not understand? Perhaps men like him never saw themselves as in the wrong.
No. It wasn’t that. His tenderness had always been reserved for one person-Joanna, the woman he had truly loved.
Linsey’s gaze was unwavering as she stared him down, her voice steady, yet every word seemed to carry the weight of everything she had been through.
“On our wedding day, you abandoned me at the ceremony, ignoring both my dignity and my pleas. Do you have any idea how that felt? Felix, did you ever once stop to think about me? I was humiliated beyond measure, and yet you think I’m just throwing a tantrum?”
She didn’t blink, her eyes locked onto his, the pain she had buried deep inside flooding to the surface, her vision blurring as tears welled up. She didn’t look away, her resolve as firm as steel.
Seeing her like this, Felix felt a fleeting pang of guilt, but it disappeared as quickly as it came. He dismissed it entirely, just as he had done countless times before.
Over the years, he had hurt her time and time again, and she had always forgiven him. He didn’t see why this time should be any different.
He was sure that with a little charm, she would cave, just like she always had. After all, that was how things had always worked between them.
With that thought, his anger dissipated, replaced by a composed, almost smug smile.
“Linsey, alright, I get it. You’re upset,” he began, his voice smooth and patronizing. “But you shouldn’t act out like this. Look at what you’ve done to our home.”
His smile softened, and he reached out to place his hands gently on her shoulders, his touch feigning tenderness as he tried to calm her down.
“Come on, be good. You’ve vented your anger. Let’s not make a scene anymore, okay? How about this? We’ll pick another day, a better day, and I promise I’ll give you an even grander, more luxurious wedding. What do you say?”
Linsey’s eyes locked onto the smile playing on Felix’s lips. His words were sweet, but his eyes-those eyes-betrayed a chilling indifference. He seemed so certain that she would fall for his act.
Of course, why wouldn’t he think that? This was the way things had always gone in the past.
Linsey let out a quiet, bitter scoff. She had given him far too many chances, and now he was convinced that he didn’t need to treat her with any real respect.
Her expression hardened into something cold and detached, and without a word, she shrugged off his hands as though they were nothing more than a bothersome weight.
“Don’t touch me. You make my skin crawl,” she said indifferently.
Felix froze, his eyes widening in shock. He had never heard her speak to him like that before.
Her voice was ice, cutting through the tension in the room as she continued,
“Felix, that wedding is over. I have no intention of having another one. I came here today to move out.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.