Chapter 65: Old Riley

The way Lewis spoke made my heart stumble.He wasn’t distant anymore. Not careful. It felt like he was closing the space between us on purpose, step by slow step, like he expected me to feel it too.

"Lewis, you..." I stopped, biting my lip.

What if I was wrong? What if this closeness existed only in my head?

People whispered that Lewis already had someone. Someone important. If that was true, then I was about to embarrass myself in the worst way.

As if he sensed the doubt curling inside me, his voice softened.

"Riley," he said, steady and low. "We’re married. You don’t have to hide yourself from me. If you want something, say it."

"Okay," I whispered, even though I didn’t know what I wanted yet.

I glanced down.

I was still sitting on his lap.

I’d asked for help. I’d stepped into this moment on my own. But now it felt heavier. Real in a way that made my chest tight.

His arm was still around my waist.

Then he asked, without warning, "Are you planning to leave me?"

My heart jumped. "No," I answered too fast.

Trust didn’t come easily anymore. I didn’t believe in perfect love or fairy tales. But Lewis was solid. Steady. He didn’t lie. He didn’t play games. If I had to stand beside someone and build a future, he was the safest choice I’d ever had.

"If that’s true," he said quietly, "then stop holding back. Let go of the past. Start from now. With me."

Those words stayed with me as I stood up and slipped into my heels.

I turned to the mirror.

The gown fit me like it was made for my body. Tight at the waist. Flowing at the hem. It showed my legs, my pale skin, the soft color in my cheeks.

I barely recognized myself.

Riley had always hidden. Dark clothes. Heavy makeup. Walls built to keep everyone out.

But the woman in the mirror didn’t look broken.

She looked... chosen.

Grounded.

Like she belonged somewhere.

Tonight, Lincy and Camilla would be here too.

And for the first time, I wasn’t afraid.

As night fell, the estate glowed under warm golden lights. Engines hummed as expensive cars rolled up the long driveway, one after another.

Guests arrived in waves.

The Morrigans were among the first.

Camilla looked fully recovered. Straight posture. Perfect makeup. Her eyes were sharp and distant when they landed on me.

They greeted me with stiff words and moved on like I wasn’t worth their time.

I didn’t take it to heart. After everything I’d exposed, I didn’t expect kindness from them.

Soon after, the Ashbournes arrived.

Grant looked calmer than usual, likely because of where he was standing and whose territory he’d entered. Notably, his usual companion was missing. Maybe he was trying to look respectable tonight.

When the car door opened, Lena stepped out.

I walked toward her and smiled. "Mom. I’m glad you came."

Grant stared at me, blinking like he wasn’t sure I was real.

He was used to a quiet daughter wrapped in black. This version clearly caught him off guard.

"You should’ve dressed like this years ago," he muttered. "Girls should look presentable."

Before I could respond, Lena cut him off with a sharp look.

"My daughter looks beautiful no matter what she wears."

Grant scoffed lightly. "Just don’t cause trouble tonight."

Lena’s voice was calm, but cold. "For my daughter’s sake, I’ll behave."

There was no warmth in her tone. No softness. Whatever feelings she once had for him were long gone.

To outsiders, their marriage still looked whole.

But I could see the truth.

It was empty.

And Grant had no idea that Lena’s heart no longer stood beside him.

As the guests moved around us, I saw Lena speaking with a few familiar faces. Then a middle-aged man joined her. His eyes stayed on her longer than polite. The way he smiled told me enough.

He admired her.

They began talking easily, like they’d known each other for years. I saw something light up in her eyes. Something I hadn’t seen in a long time.

I stood nearby and watched quietly.

If my mother ever found the strength to walk away from Grant, to stand beside someone who truly saw her, respected her, cherished her... that would be freedom. Real freedom.

She deserved that.

Life had already taken so much from her. It was time someone gave something back.

If there was one thing both my lives had taught me, it was this people live too much

As if answering that thought, Grant noticed my mother smiling with another man.

His face tightened.

Without even looking at me, he rushed over and wrapped his arm around her waist, gripping her like she might disappear.

It was almost funny.

He didn’t love her. He barely respected her. But the moment someone else looked her way, his possessiveness flared.

He didn’t want her.

He just didn’t want anyone else to have her.

Pathetic.

That was when Lincy and Yenik arrived.

I half-expected Lincy to wear the jewelry she overpaid for at the auction. But maybe she thought better of it. Instead, she wore a deep red gown covered in glittering stones. Loud. Heavy. Desperate.

The kind of outfit that begged to be noticed.

It felt outdated, like she was dressing up for a throne that never existed.

I had chosen something simpler. Clean lines. Soft fabric. Nothing forced. My hair was neatly styled, and I wore the pale, translucent gems Jeffrey gifted me. Against my skin, they glowed quietly.

Effortless.

Yenik saw me from across the room.

His steps slowed. His eyes widened just a little.

He looked more impressed now than he ever had before.

And I saw it just for a second the sharp flash of jealousy on Lincy’s face.

She tried so hard.

And still came second.

We exchanged stiff greetings. I turned to head back inside.

That was when I smelled smoke.

"Riley."

His voice stopped me cold.

I turned and found Yenik leaning against the hallway wall, cigarette between his fingers, eyes dark and unreadable.

"What is it, Mr. Hudson?" I asked calmly.

He frowned, like my distance bothered him. "Do you really have to talk to me like that? I know you’re angry. I made a mistake. I betrayed you. But don’t let bitterness ruin your future."

I almost laughed.

The audacity was unreal.

He humiliated her. Destroyed her trust. And now he stood here, acting like he was offering wisdom.

"You betrayed me," I said coolly. "And now you want to advise me on moving forward?"

He looked startled by my tone.

"I just want what’s best for you."

I stepped closer, studying him like something I’d already outgrown. "And who decided you get to define that?"

My smile made him nervous. His gaze dropped to my lips before he looked away.

"Riley," he said quietly, "have you... done anything with that man?"

I didn’t flinch.

"What do you mean?"

"You know," he said, stepping closer, "have you shared a bed?"

I sighed lightly. "No. Lewis and I aren’t like that. He has someone else in his heart. He’s never touched me."

His eyes lit up, sharp and hungry. Like he thought he saw an opening.

"Riley," he murmured, "the truth is, I always liked you. Lincy pushed me. Your father favored her. When my family needed help, she was the only option. I had no choice."

I tilted my head. "Really? Then why didn’t you say that sooner?"

He moved closer again. "I’m sorry."

I stepped back at once. "I’m married now. Don’t cross that line."

"The one I love is you," he insisted. "Do you really want to waste your life tied to a man who can’t even stand?"

I stared at him.

Then I let my expression soften just enough to bait him.

"What did you just say?"

"Be with me," he whispered. "Tonight. Just once."

I finally understood.

Yenik Hudson still thought I was something he could claim when it suited him.

But he was wrong.

This Riley was no longer prey.

And he would never touch me again.