Chapter 8
Chapter 8:
Now that Brinley had unwittingly provoked Austin, her lofty status wouldn’t protect her. She would soon be driven out of Bleron.
With that thought, Milly brushed Colin’s sleeve with delicate fingers, her voice soft with feigned weakness. “Colin, my stomach feels a little uneasy p>
Colin’s eyes had been fixed on the stairway, his mind racing for a way to shield Brinley. But Milly’s plea yanked him back, and his expression tightened with worry.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling worn out? Come, I’ll take you to the lounge so you can rest p>
“Mmm… it’s just a little stifling in here,” Milly sighed faintly, leaning into him as though even standing took effort. Yet as she did, her gaze slid toward the stairway—sly, taunting.
𝖥iո𝗱 ո𝘰ve𝗅 𝘗𝗗𝖥s o𝗻 𝗀𝗮𝗹ոov𝖾𝘭ѕ.c𝗈m
A faint smile tugged at her lips. As long as she was here, Brinley could forget about ever getting close to Colin again.
Milly knew well enough that Colin’s heart hadn’t truly let go of Brinley. But it didn’t matter. The child growing inside her was the chain that would bind him to her forever. Over the past few months, Colin had showered her with affection, yet more than once she had overheard him whispering “Brinley” in his sleep. She understood with painful clarity that although Brinley had once been her substitute, now it was Brinley who held Colin’s heart.
Still, it didn’t trouble her. Her triumph lay in one thing only: becoming Colin’s wife.
Colin guided Milly toward the lounge with practiced care, his every gesture brimming with tenderness, as though he hadn’t been the man drowning in heartbreak just minutes ago.
At that same moment, a sharply dressed, middle-aged guest edged closer to Austin, eager to flatter him while twisting the knife toward Brinley. He deliberately raised his voice, ensuring the nearby guests could hear. “Mr. Moore, you probably haven’t been told, but the Knight family has been pouring all their attention on Miss Shaw tonight. The display was so extravagant, one might assume she was some exalted figure p>
Austin’s eyes flicked over him, his tone smooth yet laced with ridicule. “Oh? My wife sure knows how to stir things up, huh p>
The remark made the man’s mouth twitch, his features blanching with shock.
Austin had just called Brinley his wife.
The man looked as though he might try to explain, but Austin’s bodyguards closed in, their faces carved from stone, and motioned him toward the exit.
“Sir, that’s enough. Please come with us p>
The man’s complexion shifted from smug to ashen. “What in the world are you doing? I was trying to let Mr. Moore know p>
“Mr. Moore’s business is not yours to discuss,” one of the bodyguards cut him off, his voice flat and frigid, leaving no room for negotiation.
When the man tried to resist, two bodyguards seized him firmly by the arms and dragged him away. His protests were quickly swallowed by the crowd.
The onlookers stiffened, a collective shudder rippling through them. No one dared make another careless remark. Austin, however, didn’t spare the man a glance. His eyes remained fixed on the second floor, his expression unreadable.
Meanwhile, in the VIP lounge above, Brinley sat opposite Thalia, their conversation flowing with surprising ease, quiet smiles brightening the room.
Just then, a manager knocked lightly on the doorframe and announced, “Mr. Moore has arrived p>
Before the words had even settled, Austin was already striding in behind him, offering Thalia a polite nod.
Brinley lifted her head on instinct.
Across the room, Austin’s gaze locked with hers, and in that instant, the atmosphere seemed to go still—heavy, almost tangible.
It was the first time she had seen him since their marriage.
For the past three months, he had remained overseas, absent even on the day their registration was finalized. Until now, her only impression of him came from glossy magazine covers that flaunted his striking features and ruthless reputation.
Yet here he was, no more than five steps away.
The sheer force of his presence pressed down on her, and without realizing it, she held her breath.