“Jewell, focus on the road.”
“Of course, sir,” Jewell responded at once.
Linsey bit her lip, sticking out her tongue in embarrassment before quickly turning away, pretending to be completely absorbed in the passing scenery.
Collin wasn’t fooled. He knew exactly what was running through her mind. A quiet chuckle escaped him before he drawled, his voice laced with amusement, “Feeling shy now? You weren’t this reserved last night.”
The next moment, Jewell quietly raised the partition inside the car.
Linsey hesitated, her gaze flicking to Collin, confusion knitting her brows. “Did something happen last night?” Her voice barely rose above a whisper.
She bit her lip, her tone turning more uncertain. “You seemed… off this morning. Did I do something wrong? I swear, I don’t remember anything.”
Collin’s jaw tightened, his expression shadowed by something sharp and unreadable. “You don’t remember trying to undress me?” His voice was low, edged with mockery.
The sarcasm stung. Linsey blinked, stunned, pointing to herself in disbelief.
“Me?” Her voice cracked. “Undress you?” She shook her head furiously, as if trying to physically erase the accusation. “No. No way. I-I’d never do something like that.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Linsey saw Collin’s expression darken, shadows pooling in his eyes.
She hesitated, fingers tugging at the hem of her sleeve. “I mean it. I don’t remember anything,” she murmured, doubt creeping into her voice. “Someone once told me I’m not great with alcohol, so maybe… maybe I lost control last night.”
Collin’s head snapped toward her, his eyes narrowing with a sharp, dangerous glint. “Really? So getting drunk and acting out is something you’ve done before?”
Linsey faltered, realizing she might’ve crossed a line. Her voice softened, almost apologetic. “I used to drink with my roommates sometimes, but after one bad night, they never let me near alcohol again.”
She forced a weak laugh, though it barely scratched the tension. “But I don’t think I ever undressed them.”
Collin’s gaze didn’t waver, his silence pressing down on her like a weight.
She didn’t mention her ex-boyfriend, though the history between them stretched over years. They had likely shared more than just drinks-those reckless, restless years had left room for moments far more intimate.
Collin knew those thoughts were reasonable-maybe even inevitable. But the image of Linsey with someone else clawed at him, jealousy tightening in his chest like a vice.
Beside him, Linsey sensed the shift, tension radiating from him like heat off asphalt.
She didn’t understand why her words had made things worse. Tentatively, she reached out, her voice soft and uncertain. “Collin… what is it? Tell me, is something wrong?”
That nagging question twisted in her gut-had she done something even worse last night?
Collin inhaled slowly, deliberately, before his voice cut through the silence-cold and edged. “From now on, don’t drink with others.” The weight of his disapproval pressed down on her, heavy and suffocating. Instinctively, she nodded. “Okay. I understand.” But the question lingered, thick and unspoken: Why couldn’t she remember what had happened?
The thought that she might have taken advantage of him against his will, even unintentionally, left her hollow and unsettled.
The rest of the ride passed in tense silence, the air thick with words left unsaid.
Soon, they arrived at Vista Villa. Linsey hesitated by the car door, unsure how to help without overstepping. Before she could decide, Jewell was already there, smoothly positioning the wheelchair and assisting Collin into it.
Linsey hurried to follow, stepping in behind him. “Let me push you inside,” she offered.
“There’s no need.” Collin’s tone was flat. His gaze shifted to Jewell, who wordlessly stepped forward and took hold of the wheelchair handles.
Collin cast Linsey a detached glance, his voice cool and distant. “It’s late. You should eat. I have important matters to handle in the study.” He was going to the study again.
She watched him go, the distance between them feeling less like space and more like a wall she couldn’t climb.
She stood there, rooted in uncertainty, until the butler approached with gentle urgency. “Mrs. Riley, are you all right? It’s cold outside. Please, come in.”
His voice cut through her spiraling thoughts. She blinked, as if waking from a trance, then gave a small nod and followed him inside.
As they walked, she hesitated before speaking, her voice barely above a whisper. “Do you know what happened last night? I might’ve done something terrible after drinking too much. That’s why Collin’s upset, isn’t it?”
Guilt laced her words. “He won’t tell me what I did, and now I don’t even know how to apologize.”
The butler hesitated for a moment before letting out a quiet chuckle. “Mrs. Riley, you’re overthinking it. If you’d really done something to upset Mr. Riley, he wouldn’t be acting like this.”
Linsey sensed there was more beneath his words. Her gaze sharpened as she studied the butler, waiting for him to elaborate.
“There was an incident at a party once. A guy had a little too much to drink and decided to test his luck with Mr. Riley.” He paused there, his expression unreadable.
Linsey’s curiosity flared. “What did that guy say?”
The butler met her eyes, his face suddenly serious. “He mocked Mr. Riley for losing his legs… and for being unwanted by the Riley family. These are common whispers among the elite.”
His voice darkened as he continued, “That man even dumped an entire bottle of red wine over Mr. Riley and sneered that he’d only let him off if he got down on his knees and begged.”
Linsey’s chest tightened. She had never imagined that Collin had suffered such blatant humiliation.
“Collin was insulted like that? In front of everyone?” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “What did he do?”
The butler’s tone remained measured. “That man belonged to high society as well, but his status was nowhere near the Riley family’s. Even so, the Rileys did nothing to defend Mr. Riley.”
His eyes darkened as he added, “Later, Mr. Riley made sure that man’s hands and feet would never work properly again. From that day on, he ended up just like Mr. Riley.” Collin had crippled the man.
Linsey’s breath caught as a cold chill crept through her. Her lips parted slightly in shock, and a flicker of unease flashed in her eyes.
“The incident became the talk of the city,” the butler said in an eerily calm voice. “Eventually, the Riley family cut ties with Mr. Riley, and he’s been living here ever since.”
His expression remained neutral, yet Linsey felt an icy weight settle in her chest.
Her thoughts swirled chaotically. It struck her then-she barely knew Collin at all.
The man at the party had certainly gone too far, but Linsey knew she could never have treated Collin that way. She truly respected him. She had never once looked down on him because of his disability.
Collin couldn’t move like others, but that wasn’t his fault-he had been a victim. The Riley family had already cast him aside because of his condition. Retaliating against such public humiliation had been more than justified.
So what had she done last night to put him in a bad mood?
She couldn’t stop herself from turning to the butler for help. “I must’ve upset Collin. How can I make it up to him?”
The butler hesitated before answering frankly, “I’m afraid I don’t know, Mrs. Riley. I’ve worked here for years, and I’ve never seen anyone truly figure out what he’s thinking. But since he hasn’t sent you away, I don’t believe he dislikes you. After all, he personally went to pick you up today.”
His lips curved into a gentle smile as he added, “Maybe you should take the first step, Mrs. Riley. If you show him sincerity, I’m sure he’ll notice.”
Linsey blinked and then glanced down at the shopping bag in her hand. That was right. She hadn’t shown Collin the clothes she had bought for him yet.
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.