I kept a vignt eye on our surroundings as I pulled Ste closer to me.


    I


    “Is someone there?” Ste whispered, peering into the box with me.


    I shook my head, my gaze fixed on a shadowy figure not far down the alley.


    Sensing our attention, the figure swiftly darted away.


    I nced up at Colin, who still had a fierce gleam in his eyes. Standing in the dim alley, he looked like


    Satan himself, just crawled out from the depths of hell.


    Tentatively, I called out, “Colin?”


    He turned to look at me, and I could practically see the anger in his eyes dissolve into a clear, innocent


    bewilderment. “Phoebe, I feel so lightheaded.”


    Then, suddenly, his nearly six–foot–three frame copsed onto me.


    I had no time to protest; I could only let him lean on me.


    *He looks all skinny, but boy, he’s heavy,” Ste grumbled, helping me support Colin as we dragged


    him toward the curb.


    It seemed like he had passed out, all his weight bearing down on me.


    I muttered under my breath, “Why is he so heavy…”


    Ste hailed a cab, and together, we managed to stuff Colin into the vehicle.


    “Let’s head back to the Langley family estate,” I murmured, deciding Ste shoulde with


    1. me.


    Ste was curious about Colin and nodded in agreement.


    The whole way, Colin leaned on me, his forehead burning up; he seemed to be genuinely ill.


    I touched his forehead and sighed.


    If he wasn’t a murderer or an aplice to some twisted murderer, what was his connection to the


    criminal?


    “Are you and this psy… Colin really married?” Ste asked quietly. “Is he really your husband? Is he


    capable of marriage? Isn’t he… you know…”


    She gestured to her head in a circr motion, suggesting something was off with Colin’s mind.


    “Although he’s quite handsome, can he, you know, perform?” Ste whispered, ever the one to focus


    on such matters.


    Her question almost choked me. That was Ste for you, always one–track–minded.


    “He is indeed my husband, and it’s a long story,” I said, rubbing my forehead. How do I exin


    that I woke up one day, was forced into a shotgun wedding, and now had a kid?


    As for whether he’s ‘capable….


    “He’s quite normal, just has his moments of madness,” I said,


    Ste leaned in, her curiosity piqued. “Really? I thought he was all looks. I was thinking how fair God is,


    giving him that gorgeous face but a dim wit.”


    “He’s brilliant, actually–a prodigy.” I found myself defending Colin. “He was in college by his teens, in


    the gifted program. He’s one of those rare geniuses.”


    Ste’s eyes widened in shock, pointing at Colin. “Him?”


    I nodded, ncing at Colin. He shifted uneasily in my arms, burrowing into me, and I quickly patted his


    back. “We’re almost home, sleep now.”


    But I didn’t catch the slight smile ying at the corners of his mouth.


    Ste swallowed hard, still in disbelief. “You can’t tell by looking at him…


    We arrived at the Langley family mansion, and with some effort, Ste and I dragged Colin out


    of the car.


    It was quite a struggle.


    The Langley estate seemed bustling, teeming with people.


    Supporting Colin, I had just entered the grounds when the butler rushed over.


    Material ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    “Take the young master to rest,” I whispered.


    The butler nodded. “Mr. Brendan’s had a stroke. Something happened with Mr. Samuel. Mr. Brendan


    went abroad, and from what I heard, he got so upset he had a stroke. Not sure if he’ll


    ever recover.”


    The butler sighed; the Langley family was going through a crisis.


    I froze for a second, then noticed Eric approaching from a distance.


    The sudden turmoil within the Langley family meant that the distant rtives were likely getting


    restless.


    It seemed that everyone who hade here today was eyeing the Langley family fortune and the


    shares of the Langley Group.