Chapter 4 Will Not Taint Your Car

This was the one thing he had never been able to understand. They had been deeply in love. How could she have made such a choice? Raquel's endless chatter came to an abrupt stop. She pressed her lips together, avoiding his eyes. “Cale, I didn't want to, but if I hadn't... I would've 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 mid-sentence. His expression shifted, his features settling into something unreadable. When he spoke again, his voice was lower, steadier, and 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 the car. For five long years, through endless nights of cold and hardship, he had agonized over her betrayal, dissecting every possible motive. Now, the confusion that had haunted him for half a decade finally unraveled. And with it, any lingering attachment to the past came to an end. So even back then, she had already started to change. Caleb's expression turned cold, yet when he opened his mouth, he found he couldn't bring himself to be cruel to the woman he had once loved. Instead, he simply averted his gaze. “I can go back on my own.” Raquel hesitated before speaking 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 Caleb's repeated rejections, Raquel raised her voice her brows furrowed in irritation. “Do you think I wanted to come pick you up? If Jesse hadn't insisted, I wouldn't have bothered coming to this wretched place!” Caleb's expression 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 did need to settle things with the Quixall family, and the sooner, the better. The faster he cut ties, the sooner he could check out new places to live that evening. His mind made up, he exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable. Then, without another word, he pulled open the back door and got in. Irritated, Raquel pressed down on the accelerator, sending the car speeding down the road. Caleb watched the scenery blur past, then let out a soft chuckle. “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 bother answering. He simply opened the door and stepped out, his gaze landing on the grand estate before him. Before he could reach the entrance, a middle-aged woman in an elegant gown rushed out. Her eyes, rimmed red from crying, brimmed with eager anticipation. “Caleb, you're finally back!” Deborah's voice trembled with emotion as she lifted her arms, intending to embrace him. Caleb sidestepped her touch, his expression unreadable. “Hello, Mrs. Quixall.” Silence descended. Deborah's arms hung midair, her breath hitching. 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 long ceased to exist. On paper, he was now Caleb Jenkins. Yet she never told anyone. A name was just ink on an ID card, after all. As long as she kept silent, everyone would assume nothing had changed. A lie, even to herself. Instead of answering, Deborah reached for Caleb's 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 stepped in. “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 down, but Caleb didn't move. “Caleb?” He said, “I'm dirty. I won't sit.”