Chapter 237
237:
Suppressing the reluctance gnawing at her, Kylee bit her lip and quickly transformed her expression into one of pitiful distress. “Collin, I can’t stand… I think I twisted my ankle. It hurts so much.”
At the sound of her voice, Collin paused, his eyes flickering with realization. In the heat of the moment, he had pushed Kylee down.
He took a deep breath, steadying himself, then turned to his subordinate. In a calm but firm tone, he instructed, “Help Kylee up and take her to the hospital. Be discreet—don’t let the media catch wind of this.”
“Yes, Mr. Riley,” the subordinate replied, moving quickly to assist Kylee.
Reluctantly, Kylee watched, helpless, as Collin wheeled away, leaving her behind.
She fumed inwardly. “Damn you, Linsey! How dare you play the victim in front of Collin? What a shameless bitch!”
“Miss Russell, are you okay?” Collin’s subordinate asked, his voice full of concern as he noticed the sour expression on her face.
She shot him a brief glance, then carefully masked her irritation with a calm smile. “Yes, thank you.”
After all, he was Collin’s subordinate, and she had to maintain a certain image. The last thing she needed was for Collin’s people to start badmouthing her. That would ruin everything.
Meanwhile, Linsey hadn’t gotten far. She had only distanced herself enough to escape the painful sight of Collin with another woman. At that moment, Linsey was hidden away in the back garden of the villa, crouched in a secluded corner, tears falling freely.
After being betrayed by Felix and Joanna, she had closed herself off from love, from trusting men.
Then Collin had come into her life, offering warmth and care. Gradually, she had let herself trust him again.
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But never, in her worst imaginings, had she thought she would witness Collin holding Kylee in his arms right before her eyes.
What had happened when she wasn’t there?
Collin and Kylee had shared a long history, tied by childhood memories. She, on the other hand, had only known Collin for a short time. How could she ever hope to compete for a real place in his heart? For a moment, an overwhelming wave of dejection washed over her, and her confidence crumbled.
Then, a familiar voice broke through the silence.
“Linsey, are you there?”
Her body tensed at the sound, and without thinking, she jumped to her feet, ready to flee.
She couldn’t face Collin right now.
Seeing Linsey about to walk away, Collin instinctively moved toward her.
But he stopped short, his eyes falling on his wheelchair. A deep breath escaped him, helplessness washing over him.
If only he didn’t have to fake his disability in front of Linsey. Things would be so much simpler.
But to keep her safe, he had no other option.
The fear of losing her drove him to act. As Linsey was about to walk away, he noticed a step in front of him and, without thinking, propelled himself forward. He landed heavily on the grass with a thud. Sure enough, the noise reached Linsey’s ears. She spun around, her eyes widening in shock as she saw Collin lying on the ground.
“Collin!”
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