Chapter 166
Chapter 166:
Recently, Colin had been drowning in a mess of problems, each one tied to the whispers that Milly had sabotaged Brinley’s car. For three nights straight, he hadn’t even bothered to step foot in the house he shared with Milly.
One night, Milly lingered before her vanity, fingertips brushing over her small but growing belly, where a four-month-old life stirred within. The mirror reflected a woman with pale, slightly gaunt cheeks, yet beneath her weariness glimmered a faint, secretive satisfaction.
The door swung open, and Colin stumbled into the bedroom. He reeked of liquor, his shoulders tense as if barely containing the anger simmering under his skin. He flung his suit jacket across the sofa and tugged at his tie, his jaw tight with restrained fury.
“My grandfather just called again, chewing me out,” he muttered hoarsely, exhaustion lacing every word. “Milly, why can’t you keep yourself in line? Why do you always stir up trouble p>
Turning around, Milly softened her features into pitiful sorrow, her reddening eyes glistening with tears. “Colin, I promise I didn’t mean to. I just… I’m terrified of losing you p>
She rose from her seat and moved toward him with hesitant steps, her hand trembling as she reached for his arm. But Colin shoved her away with a cold flick of disdain, refusing even the brush of her touch.
His laugh came out low and cutting, his gaze narrowing like a blade as it fixed on her trembling form. “Don’t act innocent now. Did you think about the consequences when you sabotaged Brinley’s car? Do you even understand how dangerous that was? If she’d really died out there, we wouldn’t just be barred from the Palmer family—you and I would be finished p>
The moment Brinley’s name left his lips, Milly’s expression faltered, a flicker of jealousy sparking before she quickly buried it beneath a mask of fragile sorrow. Tears slid down her cheeks as she whispered, her voice heavy with trembling fear.
𝘋𝗂𝘀со𝗏𝗲𝘳 𝘯𝖾𝗐 s𝘁𝗼𝘳𝗶еѕ 𝗈n
“I wasn’t thinking straight. You looked at her with so much admiration when she reappeared… It honestly made me feel so insecure. I can’t shake the terror that she’ll take you from me, and that our baby will be born a bastard p>
Her hand smoothed protectively over her belly, her shoulders curling inward as her voice cracked with desperation. “This is your child, Colin. A…
…son. The very blessing your family has been begging heaven for. How could you even think of abandoning both of us p>
Colin’s features eased, the hard edge in his eyes softening.
The Palmer family’s obsession with a male heir ran deep, and this child stood as his strongest claim to security within the family.
Sensing the shift in him, Milly pressed forward, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist and pressing her damp cheek against his chest.
“Colin. I know I crossed the line. Please… just this once, forgive me,” she whispered, her words breaking apart through tears. “I promise you, I’ll never do that again. Please believe me. I only lost control because I love you too much—so much that I can’t think straight p>
Her trembling confession, delivered in a breathless voice, scraped at Colin’s defenses. The warmth of her body against his, and the haze of alcohol, dulled his anger, loosening the tight coil of tension he’d been holding inside.
He lowered his gaze to Milly, trembling and clinging to him, and finally let out a weary sigh. After all, she was carrying his son. His hand lifted stiffly and landed in an awkward pat on her back.
“I forgive you, Milly. But promise me… never again p>
Milly’s chest fluttered with relief, though she kept her expression carefully sorrowful. “I knew you’d understand. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of myself and the baby. Once he’s here, your family will accept me p>
Rising onto her toes, she brushed a soft kiss against his chin, her eyes glimmering with calculated sweetness. “Please, don’t stay upset with me. I’ve already drawn your bath. Freshen up, and I’ll ease your shoulders with a massage p>
Her tear-reddened eyes and submissive tone blunted the sharp edge of his anger. Colin reminded himself that a son was vital to cement his place in the Palmer family, and Milly still had her uses.
“Fine,” he muttered, turning toward the bathroom as his resistance slipped away.
Milly’s lips curved into the faintest trace of a cold smile once Colin’s back disappeared from sight, but she quickly rearranged her features, softening her expression as she reached for a fresh towel.
For the moment, she had wriggled out of disaster.
Yet deep down, she knew Colin’s affection had already begun to drift beyond her grasp.
If she wanted to tighten her hold on him and marry him, she would have to move with far sharper cunning.
From behind the bathroom door came the steady rush of running water. Milly drifted toward the window, her gaze cutting into the night’s shadows.
“Brinley,” she whispered, narrowing her eyes with quiet venom. “Our little game has only just begun p>
By the time Colin reappeared, steam trailing after him from the bath, Milly had slipped into a silk nightgown. Her hair was gathered loosely at her nape, leaving her slender neck enticingly bare.
She stepped forward with a glass of warm milk, holding it out carefully. “Here. Have some. It’ll settle your nerves and help you sleep p>
Colin accepted it without a word, drained it in a single gulp, and set the empty glass on the bedside table. He climbed into bed and rolled onto his side, turning his back on Milly. His silence made it clear he wanted no more conversation.
Unfazed, she slipped in beside him, easing closer inch by inch until she could loop an arm gently around his waist.
“Colin…” Her voice quivered with soft dependency as she pressed her cheek against his back. “Whatever happens, you’ll still have me and the baby. We’re your family, right p>
Colin didn’t answer. His breathing evened out; it seemed he had drifted off.
Milly, though, remained restless, her eyes tracing the shadows on the ceiling as schemes stirred in her mind.
Striking at Brinley again would be reckless for now, but leaving her completely unchallenged wasn’t an option either.
Austin posed an even greater danger—too sharp, too calculating. Crossing him could undo everything.
A hushed sigh escaped her as she pressed her cheek against Colin’s back, drawing faint comfort from his warmth.
She vowed to hold tightly to everything she possessed—for her own survival, and for the fragile life stirring within her.