Chapter 5
Chapter 5:
“Brinley!” Colin’s voice cut through the commotion as he shoved past the curious onlookers, urgency sharpening his stride until he stood directly in front of her.
For a moment, his chest tightened with dread—afraid she might vanish again, slipping through his fingers the way she had before, leaving him to chase shadows in her absence.
But when their eyes met, her gaze was icy, stripped of any trace of warmth.
His breath caught. The words he’d prepared dissolved on his tongue. The joy that had flared in his chest extinguished in an instant, as if doused by a bucket of cold water. His expression hardened, and his tone turned chilling.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded. “And why did you disappear back then without a single word? Do you have any idea how much time and money I burned trying to find you?” His voice cracked with anger. “Tell me you didn’t actually throw me away for someone else, like all those whispers claim p>
The accusation drew every head toward Brinley, curious eyes cutting into her like blades.
Milly hurried to Colin’s side, clutching his arm with gentle urgency. “Colin, please, calm down and talk it through. Miss Shaw must have had her reasons for vanishing without a word p>
Then she turned to Brinley, her sympathetic tone threaded with soft reproach. “Miss Shaw, I understand if you still have feelings for Colin, but you should move on. Disappearing and then suddenly showing up again like this… surely you know it only makes things harder for everyone p>
𝗣𝘰р𝗎𝗅а𝗿 𝘀𝗍o𝘳𝗂еs o𝗻
Her words, disguised as soothing counsel, painted Brinley as a desperate clinger—a caricature of obsession. The judgment settled heavy in the air, and the whispers around them grew sharper, more merciless.
“Exactly—what is Brinley after, hanging around here like this when Colin has already moved on p>
“Milly is being awfully generous. If it were me, I would’ve snapped by now p>
“This is the Knight family’s event. They don’t just let anyone wander in. Did she slip past security? Where’s the organizer? Someone needs to toss her out p>
“Honestly, just sharing the same room with her drags down the class of this gathering p>
The restlessness spread quickly. Whispers swelled into a low tide of outrage, and before long, someone had already gone to fetch the organizer, demanding Brinley’s removal.
Listening to Milly’s so-called persuasion and the rising chorus of disdain around them, Colin exhaled softly, the sound heavy with weariness. “Brinley, I know you regret leaving me. Why don’t you apologize? Out of respect for our… history, I could even put in a word with Mrs. Knight and help you stay p>
Brinley let out a derisive laugh. Her eyes swept over Colin with cold detachment, a silent warning to keep his distance.
She lifted her glass and took an unhurried sip of wine, her expression serene—untouched by the tension crackling around her.
That effortless dismissal cut deeper than any sharp retort ever could.
A flicker of wounded pride crossed Colin’s face.
Before he could force out another word, a stocky, middle-aged man bustled over—clearly an assistant to the organizer—his tone clipped and unfriendly. “Miss, this is a private event. If you don’t have an invitation, I’ll have to ask you to leave p>
The crowd leaned forward with undisguised anticipation, hungry to see Brinley humiliated and dragged out.
Brinley arched a brow, a low, unreadable laugh slipping past her lips. She offered no reply.
Unsettled by her silence, Colin stepped closer, his voice tight with urgency. “Brinley, you’d really rather be tossed out like this than give me an answer—or even an apology p>
Milly’s fists tightened at her sides, though she quickly plastered on a soft, understanding smile. “Miss Shaw, be sensible. Apologize to Colin. With all these eyes on you, why put yourself through more shame p>
Every gaze in the hall pinned itself to Brinley, waiting for her next move as if she were the evening’s entertainment. The air seemed to press in, heavy with suspense and the promise of mockery.
Brinley finally set her dessert aside. She dabbed her fingertips with a napkin, then lifted her eyes past Colin and Milly to the figure striding toward them.
“Mathew!” A commanding voice rang out, laced with authority.