From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress (Riley and Lucas) novel Chapter 430

More?

Chapter 430 You Sure It’s Not Something More?

Riley watched in silence for a moment.-

+5 Free Co

Then she pulled her eyes off the screen and looked at Audrey, who was practically vibrating with indignation, Something sharp flickered in her gaze.

She didn’t say a word about Colin or the girl. She just tossed the question right back.

“So,” she said, slow and deliberate, “what exactly do you feel for Colin?”

ち

Audrey shot out of her chair like a cat that just got its tail stepped on. “Feel for him? I can’t stand him!

“Don’t forget what Sebastian said. The whole reason he couldn’t go pro back thep was because of me. I’m just worried someone’s going to take advantage of him. That’s all. Do not get the wrong idea and think I like him!”

The words tumbled out in a frantic rush, as if pausing for even a second would, lay bare something she wasn’t ready to confront She tried desperately to appear innocent–wide–eyed, loud in her protests–but it only made her seem all the more guilty.

Riley didn’t buy a word of it. It was almost funny.

She just looked at Audrey, calm and steady, her gaze sharp enough to cut straight through her act. She waited until Audrey’s eyes began to dart away, until all that bluster finally ran out of steam.

Then she spoke–her tone impossibly gentle, her words utterly devastating.

“You sure it’s not something more?”

Riley lifted her lemon water and took a slow sip.

“If this was just guilt, if you only felt responsible, then Colin finding a girl he might actually like should make you happy for him. So why are you sitting here grinding your teeth? Looking like someone just stole something precious out of your hands? If that’s not jealousy, then what is it?”

“I…” Audrey’s mouth opened. The automatic denial was right there, ready to launch. But this time the words jammed in her throat and wouldn’t come out.

Not something more?

Then why does my heart skip every time someone says his name?

Why does it feel like someone shoved a fistful of thorns into my chest every time I see him with another girl?

And why, when Riley just called it what it was, wasn’t my first reaction denial? Why was it panic and shame?

She’d written off all those feelings as annoyance, irritation, just plain dislike for him. But under that one harsh word jealoung they showed their true colors.

Audrey’s face went hot.

“I said no, so no!” She practically shrieked the words.

She couldn’t even look at Riley anymore. Those clear eyes saw straight through everything. Another seched at that chair and she

7t

Chapter 430 You Sure It’s Not Something More?

Chapter 430 You Sure It’s Not Something More?

Riley watched in silence for a moment.

+5 Free Co

Then she pulled her eyes off the screen and looked at Audrey, who was practically vibrating with indignation. Something sharp flickered in her gaze.

She didn’t say a word about Colin or the girl. She just tossed the question right back.

“So,” she said, slow and deliberate, “what exactly do you feel for Colin?”

女

Audrey shot out of her chair like a cat that just got its tail stepped on. “Feel for him? I can’t stand him!

“Don’t forget what Sebastian said. The whole reason he couldn’t go pro back thep was because of me. I’m just worried someone’s going to take advantage of him. That’s all. Do not get the wrong idea and think I like him!”

The words tumbled out in a frantic rush, as if pausing for even a second would lay bare something she wasn’t ready to confront. She tried desperately to appear innocent–wide–eyed, loud in her protests–but it only made her seem all the more guilty.

Riley didn’t buy a word of it. It was almost funny.

She just looked at Audrey, calm and steady, her gaze sharp enough to cut straight through her act. She waited until Audrey’s eyes began to dart away, until all that bluster finally ran out of steam.

Then she spoke–her tone impossibly gentle, her words utterly devastating.

“You sure it’s not something more?”

Riley lifted her lemon water and took a slow sip.

“If this was just guilt, if you only felt responsible, then Colin finding a girl he might actually like should make you happy for him. So why are you sitting here grinding your teeth? Looking like someone just stole something precious out of your hands? If that’s not jealousy, then what is it?”

“…” Audrey’s mouth opened. The automatic denial was right there, ready to launch. But this time the words jammed in her threat and wouldn’t come out.

Not something more?

Then why does my heart skip every time someone says his name?

feel like someone shoved a fistful of thorns into my chest every time I see him with another girl?

ley just called it what it was, wasn’t my first reaction denial? Why was it panic and shame

all those feelings as annoyance, irritation, just plain dislike for him. But under that one harsh word ir true colors.

uce went hot.

aid no, so no!” She practically shrieked the words.

She couldn’t even look at Riley anymore. Those clear eyes saw straight through everything apothun se pad in that chear and she’d

Chapter 430 You Sure It’s Not Something More?

be on full display with nowhere to hide.

+5 Free Coin

Audrey shot to her feet and blurted out something garbled. “… I have stuff to do. I’m leaving.” She yanked the door open and fled.

But when she hit the spiral staircase on the first floor, her feet locked to the ground.

Right there at the bar stood the very person she’d insisted she didn’t care about.

Colin stood there in his usual cool, understated style–a simple black T–shirt, lean and sharp. And beside him was a girl: sweet- faced, cute.

He was turned toward her, saying something. His expression was neutral, but the way his eyes rested of her and the patience in his posture were things Audrey had never seen before,

What froze the blood in her veins was Sebastian and Justin standing right there with them.

Colin seemed to notice the movement on the stairs and looked up. Then, completely casually, he gestured toward the girl and said, “This is Olivia Clark. She was in my program. A year behind me.”

Audrey watched as Olivia ducked her head and flashed Sebastian and Justin a shy little smile. She was sweet, well–mannered, the kind of smile anyone would find charming.

Something sharp and cold stabbed straight through Audrey’s heart. The pain was immediate and physical.

It was a strange, brutal clarity.

She’d chased Sebastian for years. Watched him walk in with Riley on his arm, like she owned the place. What she’d felt back then was mostly the hollow thud of a crumbling obsession–frustration, bruised pride.

But watching Colin stand beside another girl hit her like a tidal wave–irrational, unstoppable.

She was still frozen there when Justin spotted her and waved. “Audrey! Where’d you disappear to? Perfect timing Come sit. We’ll eat in a bit.”

His voice yanked her out of the cold pit she’d fallen into.