Chapter 103

 103:
He drew in a slow breath, pushing down the emotion threatening to surface. Instead, he simply said, “Alright.”
But deep down, he made a silent vow—no matter what it took, no matter the cost, he would shield Linsey from harm. She would never have to fight alone.
After Linsey and Collin left, the once-lively birthday banquet unraveled into an awkward, hasty conclusion. Conversations fizzled out, guests exchanged uneasy glances, and tension hung in the air like an unshakable chill.
Meanwhile, Huntley’s groans and wails echoed through the now-empty hall. Fernanda, however, remained unimpressed.
How much damage could Collin—a man bound by his disability—possibly inflict?
She knew her son well. Huntley had been coddled from the moment he could walk, turning even the smallest discomfort into an earth-shattering ordeal. She figured this was no different, just another dramatic outburst.
But the moment they reached the hospital, and the doctor’s expression darkened mid-examination, Fernanda’s confidence wavered. She had been dead wrong.
“The injury doesn’t look too severe on the surface. But the damage has already reached the bone. If the force had been any stronger, his hand could have been permanently crippled,” the doctor said, his voice measured yet grave.
Fernanda’s breath hitched. Her eyes widened in disbelief. “H-how is that possible?” she stammered, fingers clutching the edge of her coat.
Huntley let out a fresh wail, his face contorted in agony. “That bastard Collin! I swear, I’ll make him bleed for this!”
The doctor, methodically wrapping Huntley’s hand in bandages, fought the uneasy chill creeping up his spine.
Whatever grudge these people had, it had spiraled into something far uglier than he wanted to be caught in.
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“Be gentle, damn it!” Huntley snapped, his face slick with cold sweat.
“Yes, yes, of course,” the doctor stammered, nodding hurriedly as he adjusted his grip, careful not to provoke another outburst.
Fernanda hovered beside her son, dabbing his forehead with a handkerchief, her heart twisting at the sight of his pain. But as she watched him, a flicker of unease crossed her face.
“I really misjudged Collin,” she muttered, barely above a whisper.
Huntley clenched his jaw, rage simmering beneath his humiliation. The thought of being nearly crippled—by Collin of all people—was unbearable.
For as long as he could remember, Collin had been nothing more than a worthless shadow in the Riley family, a burden Huntley had long dismissed. He was the rightful heir. He was the one destined for greatness.
But to be humiliated by someone he had always seen as beneath him? That was a disgrace Huntley couldn’t stomach.
Huntley’s fury simmered just beneath the surface, his teeth clenched so tightly his jaw ached. “Collin won’t get away with this. And that woman—how dare she humiliate me? No one in town has ever spoken to me like that and walked away unscathed. They’ll both regret it.”
Fernanda’s lips pressed into a thin line, her voice measured. “Huntley, control yourself. Ivy is still around. She’s never liked me, and because of that, she’s kept her distance from you too. If she catches wind of this, she’ll take Collin’s side without hesitation.”
The mention of Ivy sent another wave of anger crashing through Huntley. His fists tightened, his expression darkening further.
Huntley’s voice dripped with venom. “She’s the only reason Dad still hasn’t given me the heir position.”
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