Chapter 63

"It had nothing to do with Austin," Colin cut Milly off, his voice edged with impatience. "Every step of the review was documented-there's no way he could've meddled. Brinley's work speaks for itself. Her grasp of racetrack design is remarkable, and even the judge admitted she has a natural gift."

He lifted the tablet, sliding it open to Brinley's designs. His fingertips skimmed across the parameters,each one calculated down to the hundredth.

"Take a look at this..." The sharpness in his voice eased as he spoke, and though he didn't realize it, a flicker of genuine admiration lit his gaze.

Milly's hand trembled so violently the hot soup sloshed over, scalding her tender skin-yet she didn't even flinch.

A sharp, crushing ache clenched her chest, stealing the air from her lungs.

Still, she curved her lips into a soft smile and reached up to smooth the crumpled collar of Colin's shirt."get it. I was mistaken about Brinley." Her voice carried a fragile steadiness. "Well, we may have lost this round, but we'll take it back the next. You'll always have me."

Her fingers lingered, brushing deliberately against the line of his throat with a feather-light touch. "Even if I can't do much right now-being pregnant and all-I'm still here, whenever you need me."

Colin finally lifted his eyes to her, his gaze falling on the gentle swell of her belly, softening the sharp lines of his expression. "Milly, you've really carried the weight of all this."

"For you, it's nothing I'd ever regret." She melted against his chest, pressing her ear to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat, though inside it felt as though thorned vines wound tight around her heart.

She knew Colin's nature too well-his calm exterior masked a relentless urge to dominate those he admired.

Once, that fire had been directed at her brilliance. Now, his reverence had drifted to Brinley. And how could she ever bear that? Milly steadied her breath, her voice trembling with wounded longing. "I really do want to help you. Just a few days ago, I even tried sketching a design for a business district, but after sitting for a short while,I got so dizzy I couldn't keep going..."

Colin's frown deepened exactly as she had anticipated, and he reached out, his hand firm on her shoulder as he eased her upright. "I told you not to push yourself. What matters now is your health and the baby's,not the company."

Her gaze lifted to him, shimmering with unshed tears, long lashes trembling. "But I want to be more than just someone you protect. I want to be useful to you." Her voice caught, colored with both yearning and defiance. "I don't want to always weigh you down. I want people to see that your wife is more than a homemaker-she's someone who can stand beside you."

Colin's weak spot had been struck cleanly.

That quiet defiance touched him more than any dramatic plea, echoing the Brinley who once stood at his side-only now it was Milly, carrying his child.

His hand drifted to her hair, stroking with uncharacteristictenderness as his voice softened. "We'll revisit this once the baby's here. For now, your only task is to take care of yourself."

Milly lowered her head with a dutiful nod, though inwardly she sneered.

She had to marry him to secure her place-before Colin's heart slipped further toward Brinley.

Her hand drifted over her belly, and she spoke in a voice softer than a sigh. "You know, I'm already four months along, yet I still haven't met your parents. My mom called the other day, asking when we'd come home for dinner, and I didn't know what to tell her."

Colin froze mid-motion.

Milly tilted her face up, her eyes shimmering with a mix of hope and unease. "Colin, shouldn't we...plan the wedding? If my belly grows much bigger, I'll look terrible in a wedding dress."

Those words struck Colin like icy water, snapping him back to reality. A wedding? Tying his life to Milly's?

Half a year ago, he would have calledit his greatest wish.

Yet everything had shifted the moment Brinley reappeared-standing on stage, voice steady, eyes alight with passion. That brilliance had stirred the still pond of his heart, sending ripples he could no longer ignore.

He often drifted into memories, replaying every moment they had once shared.

Details he had buried deep came surging back like an unstoppable tide, forcing him to face the truth-he had never really let her go.

Marrying Milly felt like severing the final thread to his past, a silent admission that Brinley was lost to him forever.

The thought left him with a resistance he couIdn't explain.

"There's too much happening at the company right now. Let's put off the wedding for a while." Colin lowered his eyes, lifted the cup, and took a slow sip before continuing, "I'll speak with your mother.You don't need to worry."

The brightness that had been shining in Milly's gaze vanished in an instant.

She quickly forced a smile, slipping her arm through his and leaning close. Her voice softened into a tender whisper. "Alright, I'Il do as you say. I know how busy you are, but... if the baby arrives out of wedlock, people will gossip."

Her fingers gave his arm a gentle shake, her tone light and almost playful, though each word pressed down with the weight of duty. "Still, it doesn't matter. As long as I'm with you, I don't care about what others say."

Watching her put on such fragile bravado, Colin's chest tightened with a heavy pang of guilt.

He turned her hand over gently, his voice softening. "Don't worry. Once this project is wrapped up, we'll go choose your wedding dress together,alright?"

Her eyes brightened instantly. "For real?" "Yes." Colin gave a firm nod, though a heavy ache pressed against his chest.

Milly rested her head on his shoulder, a smug smile tugging at her lips.

She recognized his delay for what it was, but it didn't bother her. With a man like Colin, whose heart softened easily, coaxing him gently would always succeed more than pressing him outright.

Her patience was her weapon-this baby, this hasty wedding-each step a careful tether binding him closer.

When her thoughts drifted to Brinley, her gaze fell, palm smoothing over the curve of her belly, a steely light sharpening in her eyes.

No matter how brilliant Brinley might be, in the end she was still a woman leaning on a man. How far could she really go on her own?