What?! That cold-blooded, ruthless man?

Before one executive could finish, the lead bodyguard seized him by the collar, pressing a gun to his temple without hesitation. Mind your words when you speak of Mr. Riley.

The man who had dared call Collin ruthless quaked under the barrel, stammering, I-I m sorry.

The bodyguards courteously guided Linsey to a nearby sofa.

When she recognized Collin, a surge of shock coursed through her, her heart stuttering. Moments later, her eyes widened in disbelief he wasn t in his wheelchair.

Collin seemed to feel her stare and turned, their gazes locking across the room. The sight of her, so visibly mistreated, darkened his striking features like a gathering tempest. Content originally comes from ?ovelFind.net

Linsey opened her mouth to speak, but before words could form, Collin closed the distance in swift strides. In an instant, he slipped off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders, his deep, resonant voice tinged with worry. Are you okay?

His unexpected tenderness caught Linsey off guard, and the emotions she had held back crumbled like a dam giving way.

No, she replied, tears spilling over as she choked out, They all ganged up on me.

Their closeness meant her tears fell onto the back of his hand. Collin glanced down, a sharp pang twisting in his chest.

Linsey, still trembling, continued, her voice heavy with grievance, You can t imagine how cruel they were. They mocked me with vile jokes, grazed my hand on purpose, insulted me, pinned me down so I couldn t escape, and forced me to drink

Her words dissolved into sobs, her vision clouded by tears as she struggled to breathe. The strong liquor she had been coerced into drinking now hit her hard, its effects dizzying her senses.

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Her body swayed, no longer under her control, teetering on the edge of collapse. With swift precision, Collin caught her just before she fell, his strong arm encircling her slender waist and drawing her securely into his embrace. Linsey clung to him, as if he were her lifeline, her tears soaking through his shirt in heavy, relentless drops.

Collin, typically averse to closeness and known for his meticulous nature, didn t recoil. Instead, his hand gently stroked her hair, each touch deliberate and soothing.

Don t be afraid, he murmured, his voice a low, commanding balm. They hurt you I ll make them pay ten times over.

Linsey let out a soft, pained whimper.

As her voice faded, Collin s gaze shifted to the executives, now corralled by the bodyguards. His eyes gleamed with icy ruthlessness.

The executives bravado crumbled, their earlier arrogance toward Linsey replaced by trembling fear.

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