Marrying A Secret Zillionaire: Happy Ever After Novel

Chapter 144: Linsey gently reassured her. "Dolores, it's alright now. Felix has been sentenced, and I wasn't really in any danger. I didn't tell you because I didn't want you to worry. You're always so busy, and I didn't want this to add to your stress."

"No work is more important than you," Dolores insisted, her voice laced with hurt. "Linsey, you've really upset me this time. How could you keep something like this from me?"

Sensing Dolores's rising anger, Linsey quickly tried to soothe her, saying, "Dolores, I was wrong to keep this from you. I promise it won't happen again."

As they were talking, the sound of a car engine cutting off outside caught their attention. Collin had returned. The moment Collin was about to step inside, Josh, ever the dutiful butler, informed him, "Mr. Riley, Mrs. Riley's friend has arrived."

The living room was thick with tension. Collin's brow furrowed as he surveyed the room. "What's with the grim faces?" he asked.

Dolores' gaze snapped up at the sound of Collin's voice. Her eyes widened in surprise as they met his. Could this impossibly handsome man really be the Riley family's notorious outcast?

Despite being confined to a wheelchair, Collin exuded an air of power and determination. No wonder Linsey, with her well-known attraction to attractive men, had fallen for him.

A flicker of confusion crossed Dolores's face. There was something strangely familiar about Collin. She couldn't shake the feeling that their paths had crossed before, but she quickly brushed the thought aside. "You're Collin, I presume?" she said flatly. "I'm Dolores Davidson, Linsey's close friend."

Before Collin could respond, Dolores's expression hardened. "Linsey chose you, so it's your responsibility to ensure her safety. Felix snatched her away, leaving her battered and bruised-all because you weren't there to protect her," she accused.

Linsey's jaw dropped. She was about to jump to Collin's defense. She was a grown woman, after all. Why would she need constant protection? This whole ordeal was Felix's fault, not Collin's. In fact, Collin had swooped in just in time to rescue her. She shuddered to think what might have happened if he hadn't been there.

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Before Linsey could speak, Collin intervened. "You're absolutely right," he admitted, his voice laced with remorse. "I failed to keep Linsey safe."

Collin's unexpected confession stunned both Linsey and Dolores into silence.

"I promise, I'll do everything in my power to protect Linsey from now on. I won't let anything like this happen again," Collin vowed, his voice resolute.

Linsey felt a surge of warmth course through her, a comforting wave of affection and gratitude.

Dolores, however, held a somewhat different view of Collin. Initially, she had been disappointed by Linsey's choice to marry a man with limited mobility. Yet now, Collin's words caught her off guard, sparking a flicker of surprise. Most men, she thought, would have readily conjured a litany of excuses to evade responsibility. But here was Collin, facing his error head-on, without a hint of evasion. Perhaps, she mused, Linsey's judgment wasn't as flawed as she had initially thought.

Observing the subtle shift in Dolores's expression, a softening of her features, Linsey couldn't help but release a quiet sigh of relief. Years of friendship had taught Linsey just how resolute and unyielding Dolores could be. She recalled countless instances where Dolores and Felix, her former flame, would clash at the slightest hint of discord.

Thus, Linsey couldn't help but worry about the potential friction between Dolores and Collin, fearing she might be caught in the middle.

Dolores paused, her expression hardening as she delivered a stern warning. "Listen, buddy, you might be Linsey's husband, but I hold a special place in her life. We're closer than many biological sisters. If you ever even think about mistreating her, I'll snatch her away from you so fast you won't know what hit you. And trust me, you'll regret it big time if you cross me. So, you'd better watch your step."

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