The Coldest Man in the Room Melted Only for Me novel Chapter 50

Noticing the rapidly growing crowd, Pierce forcibly shoved his emotions aside. He grabbed Riley's arm, fully intent on dragging her into the room and slamming the door shut.

Inside, Seraphina stumbled forward, nearly collapsing onto the carpet.

Pierce instantly dropped Riley's arm and lunged forward, catching Seraphina by the waist before she hit the floor.

Seraphina stared weakly at Riley. "Don't misunderstand... my drink was spiked... we didn't do anything..."

As she spoke, she viciously bit down on her own bottom lip, desperately trying to force herself to stay awake. Fresh blood spilled down her chin.

Riley froze. It was only then she realized the flush on Seraphina's skin was entirely unnatural, and she was swaying violently on her feet.

Thanks to Seraphina, Riley had been drugged before. The sickening, suffocating sensation was permanently burned into her memory. The physical torment was absolute, and it liquefied your sanity.

But the fact that Seraphina could still recognize people meant the dosage wasn't entirely lethal yet.

Had she really completely misjudged the situation?

Pierce glared down at Seraphina. "Stop biting. Let go."

"Don't touch me. Riley will get the wrong idea," she whimpered, weakly pushing against his chest.

"Is this really the time to act tough?" Without a second thought, Pierce scooped her into his arms, his icy gaze locking onto Riley. "I'm taking her to the hospital."

He carried her straight through the parted crowd, his long strides eating up the distance toward the main exit.

Riley stared blankly at their retreating figures. His order—'stop biting'—was still echoing in her ears.

So that was what she had heard through the door?

Did she completely ruin everything over a misunderstanding?

The crowd's whispers grew louder.

"Oh my god, someone drugged her drink."

The guests immediately offered a chorus of polite flattery and quickly dispersed.

The second the hallway cleared, the smile vanished from Beatrice's face. She spun around, marched directly up to Riley, and delivered a vicious, ringing slap across her cheek. "You have thoroughly humiliated the Landon family!"

Riley's head snapped to the side, the skin on her cheek burning like fire.

"A woman who loses her mind this easily has no right to be a Landon wife! I never should have let him throw this ridiculous banquet for your daughter. He goes out of his way to honor the two of you, and you publicly humiliate him in return? You are a disgrace!"

The venomous accusations crashed down on her like an avalanche.

Riley's fingers curled into tight fists at her sides, but not a single sound left her lips. The crushing injustice of it all paralyzed her.

Pierce never came back that night.

Enduring the endless whispers and judgmental stares from the elite crowd, Riley forced her exhausted body through the rest of the agonizing banquet. By the time she finally returned to Golden Sands Cove, showered, and collapsed into bed, it was almost ten o'clock.

An overwhelming amount of chaos had occurred that night, yet as she stared at the ceiling, all her mind could replay was the exact moment Pierce carried Seraphina away—and the absolute, bone-chilling coldness in his eyes when he looked at her.