Chapter 48

 48:
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.
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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.”
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