Chapter 56

 56:
Her sleepiness vanished in an instant. Annoyance flared in her voice. “Felix? What the hell do you want? Didn’t I spell it out for you yesterday? You really want to get put in your place again?”
Linsey’s shift in tone was so unmistakable that Felix couldn’t help but pause, a hint of frustration creeping into his voice. He spoke seriously. “Come on, Linsey, I didn’t call to argue. I just want us to meet and talk things through.”
A mocking laugh escaped Linsey. “What is there to talk about? Wasting my time with these calls!” She was about to hang up, but Felix quickly interjected, his voice urgent. “Linsey! Tell me—did you really get married? Or is this just some twisted way to get back at me?”
Linsey couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of his question. Her tone dripped with sarcasm as she responded, “Felix, what makes you think I still care about you? People like you never know what humility is.”
She then added, “And as for my marriage, I was pretty clear about it yesterday. I bet after you and Joanna got kicked out by security, you stuck around the mall, hoping to bump into me, right? Well, if that’s the case, you probably saw my husband—he was the one who picked me up yesterday.”
Felix’s eyes widened in disbelief as the scene from the day before replayed in his mind. He could hardly believe what he was hearing. A rush of anger surged through him, clouding his judgment.
“Linsey, that so-called husband of yours—he’s just a cripple, isn’t he?” Felix spat, each word laced with venom.
The moment the insult left his lips, Linsey’s expression darkened. Her eyes flared with fury, and she snapped, “Felix, I’m warning you—watch your mouth when you’re talking about my husband!”
Her anger was palpable, but to Felix’s surprise, the tension in his chest began to ease. A low chuckle escaped his lips as he leaned back, unfazed. “You’re right, I saw you get into his car yesterday. And I’ve already looked into his background.”
Felix paused, letting the silence hang for a moment, before he slowly and mockingly said Collin’s name. “Collin Riley—the neglected eldest son of the Riley family. Years ago, he was in a car accident that left him paralyzed. And to top it off, his father and stepmother don’t even care about him. Linsey, how could you waste your time on someone so… useless?”
𝕸𝖔𝖗𝖊 𝖚𝖕𝖉𝖆𝖙𝖊𝖘 𝖎𝖓 𝖌𝖆𝖑𝖓𝖔𝖛𝖊𝖑𝖘.𝖈𝖔𝖒
His voice dripped with derision as he added, “You really went all out just to make me jealous, huh?”
The words struck Linsey like a slap. She sat up sharply in bed, her anger sparking with a fierce intensity. “Felix, shut your damn mouth! My husband is far better than a scumbag like you!”
Without waiting for his response, she continued, “Collin is kind, thoughtful, and he takes care of me—something you clearly know nothing about. Since I married him, my life has been nothing but comfortable! He’s far superior to someone who abandoned his bride on their wedding day!”
Felix’s temper flared again, his voice rising as he gritted his teeth. “Linsey, you—” He was about to retort, fury clouding his judgment.
But before Felix could speak, Linsey cut him off, her voice sharp and fierce. “Felix! Do yourself a favor and stay the hell away from me, or I might just slap you!”
With a snap, she ended the call, the sound of the phone clicking shut punctuating the anger that still burned in her chest. She stormed out of bed, her steps heavy as she marched toward the door.
However, the moment her hand gripped the door handle, she froze. There, standing on the other side, was Collin—just about to knock.
For a split second, Linsey was caught off guard. Her pulse quickened, and her frustration wavered. She quickly pushed it aside, schooling her face into calmness. “Collin, what are you doing here?” she asked, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside.
Collin dropped his hand, his expression calm as he spoke in a neutral tone. “I didn’t see you come downstairs. I thought maybe you’d slipped away, so I came to check.”
.
.
.