Yet, Collin regarded him with icy detachment, devoid of any hint of compassion.
Collin’s piercing gaze prompted one of his men to step forward. The man’s voice was calm but carried an unmistakable edge. “We can release you, but only on one condition-you must answer Mr. Riley’s questions truthfully. If you even think about lying, be ready to face the consequences.”
A spark of hope flickered across Felix’s battered face, and he eagerly responded, “Ask anything! I’ll tell everything I know!”
Without missing a beat, the subordinate pressed. “Who orchestrated the kidnapping of Mrs. Riley?”
As the question hung in the air, Felix’s fleeting smile dissolved into a tense, wary expression. His eyes darted around, betraying his inner turmoil as he recalled the events from a few days earlier. It was Huntley, the ambitious second son of the Riley family, who had approached him with an offer to help him have his way with Linsey.
Huntley had masterminded a vile scheme, concocting rumors designed to tarnish Collin’s and Linsey’s reputations far beyond their town of Grester. Collin’s wife, stuck with a worthless cripple, had eagerly spread her legs for someone else.
The offer was too good to resist. Huntley assured him wealth beyond his wildest dreams, and it didn’t take long for him to take the bait. For years, he had wanted her. Now, not only could he finally claim her, but he would be handsomely rewarded for it. There was no way he was letting this slip through his fingers.
What Felix hadn’t anticipated was Collin’s unexpected arrival to save Linsey. More astonishing still was the revelation that Collin was not, in fact, crippled!
As Felix assessed his precarious situation, he couldn’t shake the thought that despite Collin’s miraculous recovery, the vast Riley family empire would end up falling into Huntley’s scheming hands. Telling the truth now would be a death sentence-Huntley wouldn’t just let him walk away unscathed.
With the weight of this knowledge pressing down on him, Felix straightened his back and stuttered, “It… it was all my idea…”
Collin interrupted him with a scornful chuckle, his voice icy as he dismissed Felix’s lies. “Go ahead, keep up the bullshit. You might as well rot here. You’re worthless to us now.”
Felix’s heart hammered in his chest as panic surged through his veins. He glanced up to find Collin and his men already turning their backs on him, their steps echoing ominously in the empty room. A surge of adrenaline spurred Felix into action, his mind racing. If he didn’t escape now, what bleak future awaited him? It was better to come clean. Once he was free, he could snatch his family and disappear into obscurity.
“I’ll talk! I’ll talk!” Felix’s voice cracked as he yelled after Collin, desperation tingeing his words. “I swear, it was all Huntley’s idea! He forced me into this!”
Collin halted mid-stride, tension crackling in the air. Slowly, he pivoted to face Felix, his expression darkening into a stormy glower. With a menacing calm, he fixed Felix with a steely glare and commanded, “Go on.”
Felix inhaled sharply, his voice quivering as he admitted, “A few days ago, Huntley sought me out. He demanded that I kidnap Linsey. And then… then he insisted I make a video and leak it online. You know how the Internet feeds on the scandals of the elite. With just a nudge, the rumor of Linsey’s infidelity would ignite, spreading uncontrollably.” He paused, his gaze flickering with a mix of fear and regret. “His plan all along was to destroy you and Linsey, leaving your reputations in ruins.”
As Collin absorbed Felix’s words, his expression hardened into a glacial mask of fury. For years, he had weathered the relentless underhanded tactics of Huntley and Fernanda without striking back. But their audacity to ensnare Linsey crossed a line beyond forgiveness. Witnessing the ominous storm brewing in Collin’s eyes, Felix shuddered, his words tumbling out in a desperate rush.
“Collin, please, you have to believe me-it was all Huntley’s manipulation! How could I defy the influence of the Riley family? I was powerless.”
He clasped his hands together, pleading, “If there’s anyone to blame, it’s your ruthless family. I promise, I’ll stay away from Linsey. Just… just let me walk away, and I’ll forget everything that happened.”
At that, Collin’s laughter echoed low and menacingly through the room, sending a chill down Felix’s spine.
“Stay away from her? Trust me, you won’t even have the opportunity to glance her way ever again.”
Felix, frozen in shock, felt a chill creep down his spine before blurting out, “What do you mean by that?”
Collin marched out, each step resolute and unforgiving, his voice cold and commanding as he instructed his subordinates, “Ensure he’s breathing. Then turn him over to the authorities.”
Felix’s eyes burned with rage as he bellowed, “Collin! You lying piece of shit! You broke your fucking promise, you goddamn bastard!” But Collin paid him no mind, his features sculpted into an impassive mask as he exited the basement, leaving Felix’s desperate cries echoing in the damp air.
Outside, the crisp night air whisked away the acrid scent of blood that clung to Collin, as his thoughts shifted to his next problem: Huntley, his pathetic, fuck-up of a younger brother.
Meanwhile, in the dimly lit confines of a bar’s private room, the air was thick with the intoxicating aromas of liquor and perfume. Huntley lounged casually, a cunning grin playing on his lips, as he nudged the woman nestled in his arms to drink more. She choked slightly, the alcohol searing her throat.
“Is that all you can handle?” Huntley teased, his chuckle resonant as he set down his glass and tenderly wiped the dribble of wine from her lips with a flirtatious touch. “Just a couple of drinks and you’re already fading? Have you gone soft in just a few days?”
“You’re so bad!” The woman retorted playfully, her gaze flirtatious. Her voice, sugary and teasing, carried a hint of reprimand. “Mr. Riley, you’re pushing too hard.”
As he caught her charming, delicate expression, Huntley’s spirits lifted. He playfully conceded, “Alright, alright, my mistake. To make it up, I’ll down three glasses.”
She covered his hand with hers, her voice warm and tender. “There’s no need, Mr. Riley. It would break my heart to see you uncomfortable from too much drink.”
Huntley, clearly entertained by her playful compliments, drew her in closer, their banter growing more spirited by the moment.
“Mr. Riley, judging by that look, I’d say you’re in a pretty damn good mood today,” she remarked, her voice laced with a teasing tone and her smile taking on a seductive curve.
Huntley, his mind racing with the intricate details of his scheme, couldn’t help but burst into a fit of laughter. “Absolutely! Watching an idiot who dared to mess with me finally get what’s coming? Now that’s something to smile about,” he replied, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
His excitement soared as he held her tightly. The plan he had so meticulously crafted seemed perfect in his eyes.
Before he made a move against Linsey and Collin, he did his research-every weakness, every flaw, all ready to be exploited. Discovering that Linsey had recently ended things with her ex-boyfriend, Felix, who was still obsessed with her, was a golden opportunity.
This tangled web of emotions was just what he needed. He covertly had someone contact Felix, cunningly persuading him to act against Linsey. Once Felix took the bait and stirred up drama, rumors would inevitably fly, suggesting a rekindled romance between him and Linsey. In a town like Grester, no woman of good standing would ever marry a man perceived as disabled and worthless like Collin.
If Linsey screwed around on him, no one would blame her-he was hardly worth staying faithful to. Such a scandal would devastate Collin’s reputation, rendering him unfit to challenge Huntley for the reins of the Riley family.
Huntley glanced at his watch, his impatience palpable. At this point, the scandal had likely spread like wildfire, thanks to the gossip blogs he hired. The sheer thought of Collin, his rival, becoming the laughingstock of the Internet sent a wicked thrill spiraling through him.
“Let’s see the chaos unfold,” he murmured, pushing away from the conversation, his fingers itching to unlock his phone.
As he scrolled, his anticipation built, but his smile soon faded into a perplexed frown. None of the accounts he had paid off had posted a damn thing. Irritation knitted his brows tightly as he tapped out messages to the blogs, demanding an immediate explanation.
He wasted good money on this, and these brain-dead assholes still couldn’t deliver.
His phone buzzed with a response, snapping him back to the screen.
“Mr. Riley, it’s not like we’re refusing to post it-the problem is, we never got the photos. Without visual proof, the story lacks the spark to capture attention.”
Huntley’s face darkened with a scowl. So, Felix was the one who fucked this up, huh?
With a growl of frustration, he dialed Felix’s number, his mind racing with accusations. That fool Felix was probably too entangled in his lustful escapades with Linsey to remember his duties.
As the phone rang unanswered, a sinking feeling coiled in Huntley’s stomach. Could Felix have messed this whole thing up? Each unanswered ring echoed like a foreboding drum, amplifying his dread of the plan falling apart.
The thought jolted Huntley upright, surprising the woman who was close to him.
“Mr. Riley, what is it?” she asked, momentarily taken aback, instinctively reaching out to take his hand.
Huntley was overwhelmed by panic, his mind going blank. He impatiently pulled his hand away from hers and prepared to leave quickly.
Just as he was about to leave, the door to the private room was suddenly kicked open. A group of police officers rushed in.
The people inside the room screamed in terror, huddling into the corners, too frightened to utter a word.
Huntley’s face paled as he stood frozen, watching the officers come towards him.
“Huntley Riley, you are suspected of being involved in a kidnapping. Please come with us,” one of the officers said.
Huntley’s face immediately turned grim. He understood that Felix had not only ruined the plan but had also turned on him.
“On what grounds are you arresting me? I’m from the Riley family! You have no right to arrest me!” he shouted arrogantly, his voice booming through the room. “If you even touch me, my family will ensure you pay for it!”
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.