From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress Chapter 235: The Bite

Riley listened in silence. The confusion and vulnerability that had clouded her eyes earlier were gone, replaced now by a sharp, icy anger.

That bastard Devin was truly vicious.

The drug he'd given her even contained substances designed to blur her memory of the events.

That way, even if she woke up the next morning suspecting something had happened and decided to go to the police or make a scene, she'd have no solid evidence and only foggy recollections. Devin and his crew could easily twist the story—claim she'd been willing, that she'd do anything to close the deal, no matter what it took.

In the end, she'd be the one left unable to defend herself.

What a cruel, dirty move.

But it didn't take long for Riley to realize that someone like Devin—with his limited smarts and resources—could never get his hands on a drug like that on his own, much less cook up such a detailed, malicious plan.

There had to be someone else pulling the strings behind him.

A quiet rage spread through her. Without thinking, her fingers curled into the fabric of Sebastian's shirt, gripping it tightly.

Time passed in that heavy silence—calm on the surface, but turbulent beneath.

After a while, Riley finally pulled herself out of her thoughts.

It took her a moment to realize she'd been in this man's arms for a long time.

The closeness between them now felt... uncomfortable.

This wasn't right.

Her cheeks warmed. She gave him a gentle push.

This time, Sebastian didn't hold on. He released her and stepped back, giving her space.

Free again, Riley adjusted the oversized men's shirt she was wearing, trying to mask her unease. She glanced down at the white cotton and asked softly, "So... did the doctor change me into this?"

"Yes," Sebastian replied, his tone even. "It was an emergency last night, and it was late. There weren't any women's clothes around that would fit. Your own clothes were soaked through with sweat, and sleeping in them wouldn't have been good for you. So I had her put one of my shirts on you instead."

His answer was straightforward, careful to place any potentially awkward details on the female doctor, neatly removing himself from any situation that might raise questions.

Riley's doubts eased.

Just then, her eyes caught sight of his left hand.

His strong, long-fingered hand was bandaged neatly near the thumb. Even through the clean wrappings, she could tell the injury beneath was fairly severe.

Her chest tightened. The words slipped out before she could stop them. "Your hand... What happened? Did you get hurt fighting Devin and his guys when you were getting me out?"

Something unreadable flickered in Sebastian's eyes.

He glanced down at the bandage, and his lips curved into a faint, ironic smile.

He didn't try to hide it. In a light, almost casual tone, he said, "No. You bit me."

"Me?" Riley's face filled with disbelief.

Sebastian met her gaze calmly. "When the drug was at its peak, you weren't conscious, but your survival instincts were strong. You kept fighting it—using your own will to stay aware. You were hurting yourself to stay awake... you even bit your own lip until it bled."

He paused there.

"I was worried you'd seriously injure yourself, so I put my hand in the way..."

Guilt began to stir inside Riley.

"Was I... really that difficult last night?"

Even though she remembered nothing, she was an adult. She had a basic idea of how people might act under the influence of a drug like that.

The air seemed to grow heavier, tinged with awkwardness.

The moment she asked, she regretted it.

Without meaning to, her eyes skimmed over Sebastian's frame, as if searching for some sign.

But that one glance—curious, involuntary—seemed to darken Sebastian's already deep, unreadable gaze.

Her heart skipped. Her cheeks grew warmer.

She was annoyed at herself for asking, and even more annoyed for looking at him like that without thinking.

She wanted to glance away, but that would feel like admitting to something.

Just as Riley was struggling with what to do, Sebastian finally spoke.

"Don't worry. Nothing happened," he said, his voice steady.

His eyes rested briefly on her slightly flustered face.

"When I brought you into the room, you were agitated and struggling constantly. To keep you from moving around and hurting yourself—and to make sure no one could get close until you were fully awake—I wrapped you up in the comforter."

He didn't elaborate on how she'd clung to him while he was trying to bundle her up. There was no need to make her feel worse.

Riley still sensed there was something being left unsaid, some detail he was purposely omitting. But she was exhausted—mentally and physically—and didn't have the energy to press further.