Chapter 4: Will Not Taint Your Car
This was one thing he’d never understood. They had been deeply in love. How could she have made such a choice? Raquel’s endless chatter ceased abruptly. She pressed her lips together, avoiding his gaze. “Caleb, I didn’t want to, but if I hadn’t… I would have been dragged down too.”
Caleb let out a short, disbelieving laugh. “Dragged down? Jesse was the one behind the wheel. What did that have to do with you—” He broke off. His expression shifted, becoming unreadable. When he spoke again, his voice was lower, steadier, laced with certainty. “You were in that car too.”
Five years ago, in the courtroom, Raquel had testified with unwavering conviction—she had seen Caleb driving. For five long years, through hardship and sleepless nights, he’d agonized over her betrayal, dissecting every possible motive. Now, the confusion that had haunted him for half a decade finally unraveled. With it, any lingering attachment to the past ended. So even then, she had already begun to change.
Caleb’s expression turned cold, yet he couldn’t bring himself to be cruel. He simply averted his gaze. “I can go back on my own.”
Raquel hesitated, then spoke quickly. “Are you planning to walk? It’ll be dark by the time you get there.”
Caleb’s voice was calm, detached. “That’s none of your business.”
Frustrated by his repeated rejections, Raquel’s voice rose, her brows furrowed. “Do you think I wanted to pick you up? If Jesse hadn’t insisted, I wouldn’t have bothered coming to this wretched place!”
Caleb remained indifferent. “I’ve spent five years in this ill-fated place—I’m practically made of bad luck. Wouldn’t want to stain your car with it.”
Raquel’s face darkened. “What’s with that attitude? Do you think you’re so important that the entire Quixall family should wait around for you? Even if you don’t want to see me, at least think about your parents!”
Caleb remained silent. She wasn’t wrong; he needed to settle things with the Quixall family, and the sooner, the better. The faster he cut ties, the sooner he could find a new place to live. His mind made up, he exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable. Then, without another word, he got in the back.
Irritated, Raquel accelerated, speeding down the road. Caleb watched the scenery blur, then chuckled softly. “Is this how Jesse ended up running someone over back then?”
The screech of tires pierced the air as Raquel slammed on the brakes. “What are you talking about?”
Caleb didn’t answer. He opened the door and stepped out, his gaze landing on the grand estate. Before he reached the entrance, a middle-aged woman in an elegant gown rushed out. Her red-rimmed eyes brimmed with eager anticipation. “Caleb, you’re finally back!”
Deborah’s voice trembled as she lifted her arms to embrace him. Caleb sidestepped her touch, his expression unreadable. “Hello, Mrs. Quixall.”
Silence descended. Deborah’s arms hung midair, her breath catching. She stared at him—shocked, speechless. The rest of the family remained oblivious, but Deborah had personally overseen the change of his name in the civil register. Caleb Quixall had ceased to exist. He was now Caleb Jenkins. Yet she’d told no one. A name was just ink on an ID card. As long as she kept silent, everyone would assume nothing had changed. A lie, even to herself.
Instead of answering, Deborah reached for his hand, gripping it tightly. Her fingers trembled as she took in his gaunt frame, tears welling in her eyes. “You’ve gotten so thin…”
Caleb remained silent. Sensing the awkward tension, the butler, Nolan Ehrhardt, quickly intervened. “Let’s head inside. It’s getting cold out here.”
Deborah blinked, snapping back to reality, and nodded hastily. The group moved toward the house. The moment they stepped inside, Deborah called for the servants to prepare his favorite snacks. She reached out, gently tugging his arm to make him sit, but Caleb didn’t move. “Caleb?”
He said, “I’m dirty. I won’t sit.”