From His Fake Wife to Billionaire Heiress Chapter 301: Steal You Away

Lucas' tone turned solemn, as if he himself were the victim backed into a corner. "Grandpa, believe me, I never wanted a child of the Ashford family to be out there, unrecognized. That's why I... in a moment of weakness, I agreed to secretly provide for them on the side. It's just recently, with Jeremy needing to start school and requiring proper registration, that I had no choice but to bring them into the fold."

His explanation was a masterful blend of evasion and half-truths.

A prolonged, entangled affair was reduced to a single night's indiscretion.

All his selfish desires were cloaked under the noble pretense of not wanting Ashford blood to be left adrift.

After all, Lucas couldn't possibly tell Caleb the truth: there was never a legal marriage certificate binding him to Riley. From beginning to end, Sophia was the only woman officially listed as his wife on any legal document.

Caleb remained silent for a long while, his eyes closed. His white eyebrows were deeply furrowed, and the lines on his face seemed etched by pain and disappointment.

This calm before the storm felt more terrifying than outright fury.

Finally, he slowly opened his eyes. The earlier agitation was gone, replaced by a weary understanding of how the world worked.

He fixed his gaze on Lucas, his voice hoarse. "So... what's your plan now? Does Riley know about any of this?"

A flicker of relief washed over Lucas, who had been drowning in fear.

If Grandpa is still asking for a plan, there's still room to maneuver.

"No." He shook his head immediately. "Riley knows nothing. Sure, she had her suspicions when Jeremy first showed up. But... after Sophia voluntarily made that statement claiming he was her child from a past relationship, Riley never brought it up again."

*****

In the orthopedics clinic, Riley sat on a long bench, staring down at her bandaged ankle.

The sharp, drilling pain had subsided, but a dull, persistent ache remained, a constant reminder of her recent ordeal. She waited quietly for the ice pack treatment to finish.

Just then, her phone screen lit up—a message from Sebastian. "Did Caleb's illness cause you any trouble?"

Her heart gave a faint flutter.

He always shows up right when I'm at my lowest.

Without much thought, she raised her phone, took a photo of her ankle, and sent it to him, typing a few words, "This is the trouble. Sprained my ankle."

After sending the message, she stared at the chat interface. No immediate reply came from Sebastian.

A self-deprecating smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.

Am I being too needy? Maybe he just sees me as a walking disaster now.

Time passed slowly until the ice pack was finally removed.

The nurse repeated instructions to avoid prolonged standing and get plenty of rest.

Thanking the nurse, Riley pushed herself up, using the wall for support as she limped toward the clinic door.

Each step sent a fresh twinge of pain through her ankle, and she gritted her teeth, refusing to make a sound.

As Riley reached the end of the corridor and was about to turn the corner, her phone vibrated again.

She looked down. A new message from Sebastian. Just two words, "Look back."

Riley instinctively lifted her head. The corridor was empty.

Puzzled, she checked her phone again, confirming it was indeed from him.

Hesitating for a second, she slowly turned around.

Her gaze traveled over the sparse crowd and landed on a tall figure standing not far away. Her eyes widened sharply.

It was Sebastian!

He is actually here!

"W-Why are you here?" Her voice trembled with disbelief. Forgetting her injury in her surprise, Riley took two unsteady steps toward him and nearly stumbled.

Sebastian reacted swiftly. In a few long strides, he was beside her, his hand firmly grasping her arm to steady her.

She quickly scanned their surroundings, lowering her voice to a whisper. "This place is crawling with Ashford people right now. If anyone sees you here—"

Before she could finish, Sebastian bent down, a confident, almost daring smile playing on his lips. His eyes held an unmistakable look of determination.

The next moment, Riley felt weightless as he effortlessly scooped her up into his arms in a bridal carry.

"I'm here to steal you away," he murmured, his voice low, magnetic, and utterly captivating.

Riley was stunned into silence.

The sensation of being lifted, weightless and secure in his arms, was a shock that instantly melted into a profound, disorienting comfort.

She wanted to protest, to struggle, but her body felt stiff and uncooperative. Her hands only tightened their grip on the fabric of his shirt.

Without hesitation, Sebastian carried her straight toward the less-frequented stairwell entrance.

It felt like being swept up by a whirlwind, instantly plucking her from the oppressive quagmire of the Ashford family's drama.

Meanwhile, down in the hospital's main lobby, a very different scene was unfolding. Lucas stood at the entrance, his face stormy, surrounded and besieged by a frenzied mob of reporters. Camera flashes exploded around him, so bright they nearly blinded him.