Chapter 85

 85:
Linsey’s reaction was swift; she caught Dolores’s hand mid-air, her eyes earnest. “Dolores, please, don’t worry about me. I’ve cut ties with that jerk for good,” she assured, squeezing Dolores’s hand gently.
Dolores’s brows knit together in confusion. “What are you talking about? Didn’t you marry Felix?”
A mischievous smile played on Linsey’s lips. “Who told you Felix was the one I married? I ended up with someone else entirely.”
Shock flashed across Dolores’s face, rendering her momentarily speechless.
Linsey, noticing her friend’s astonishment, continued in a serene, composed voice, “I was indeed supposed to marry Felix. But right before our ceremony, he received a call from Joanna. He didn’t hesitate; he just left me standing there, all alone. That was the moment I snapped out of it and saw the truth—Felix was never someone I could trust with my future.”
Her eyes sparkled with a hint of unexpected joy as she shared the twist in her story. “Coincidentally, there was another wedding nearby. The bride there got cold feet and bolted, leaving her groom stranded at the altar. So, in a spur of the moment decision, I married him instead.”
Dolores’s eyes bulged with disbelief. She swiftly reached over and gave Linsey a sharp smack on the arm.
“Linsey, have you lost your mind? Who in their right mind marries a complete stranger?”
Linsey, unfazed, flashed her a mischievous smile. “Well, he’s quite the looker.”
Dolores’s frown softened slightly. “Oh, that does make it a bit better, I guess.”
Her irritation quickly dissolved, replaced by a simmering indignation as she shifted the topic to Felix. “That Felix guy is an absolute scumbag. What the hell took you so long to dump that loser? And Linsey, you better not go getting all sentimental over him again.”
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With a newfound firmness in her eyes, Linsey shook her head decisively. “Absolutely not. I’m married now. There’s no way I’m betraying my husband.”
Dolores cast a curious glance at Linsey, took a demure sip of her coffee, and ventured, “So, who is this dashing husband of yours?”
“Collin Riley.”
The name hit Dolores like a bolt from the blue, causing her to spit out her coffee in a spectacular spray across the table.
Linsey jumped up, a mix of concern and amusement on her face, as she hurried to dab at the mess with napkins. “Did you just choke? Take it easy and drink slower.”
Dolores had been stunned by Linsey’s revelations so often today that she had lost count. Each new shock felt like a blow to her chest, and now she braced herself as another wave of disbelief hit her hard.
“Linsey, you can’t mean that Collin Riley—the one ousted from the Riley family, the one confined to a wheelchair?” Dolores’s eyes widened in shock, her voice tinged with a mix of disbelief and concern.
Linsey met her gaze steadily, her nod resolute. “Indeed, that’s him. He’s never been romantically involved with anyone before, and despite what you might think, he’s definitely healthy.”
“You’re out of your mind!” Dolores’s voice rose, her face reddening with anger. “You finally free yourself from Felix, and now you’ve tied yourself to a man who can’t even walk? And you dare claim Collin is healthy? Are you blind to the fact he’s in a wheelchair?”
Linsey flinched, taken aback for a moment, but her voice was calm when she replied, “I am well aware of his condition.”
Dolores was seething. She took a deep, steadying breath, her tone becoming grave. “Listen, once you come to your senses and divorce him, I’m taking you straight to a psychiatrist. You need professional help.”
Linsey stood there, dumbstruck by Dolores’s harsh words.
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