Chapter 68

 68:
But the butler, ever perceptive, had caught the slight shift in her mood. After some thought, he smiled knowingly and wasted no time in reporting the matter to Collin.
To the butler, it was obvious—Linsey was beginning to care. And that was excellent news.
With that in mind, he vowed to keep doing his part to help bring Collin and Linsey closer.
At that moment, Collin was seated in a private box overlooking the grandest charity auction in Grester. The venue buzzed with energy, and from above, he had a clear view of the distinguished guests mingling below.
Dustin, sitting beside him, let out an exaggerated sigh as he watched the elegantly dressed men and women pair up. “Look at them—everyone has a date. Meanwhile, here we are, two miserable bachelors stuck in this box. It’s honestly tragic.”
Collin shot him a cool, uninterested glance. “Correction. You’re the lonely bachelor. I’m married.”
Dustin whipped his head around, gaping at him. For a second, he genuinely wondered if his best friend had been swapped with a lookalike. Collin—the same Collin who was always indifferent, always detached—actually said something like that? It was almost unsettling.
Just then, Collin’s phone vibrated. He checked the screen and frowned instantly. “Dustin, something’s come up. I need to head back. You handle the rest of the auction,” he said. Before Dustin could process what was happening, Collin was already rising from his seat, preparing to leave.
Dustin blinked in confusion. “Wait—what could possibly be so urgent?” Curious, he leaned over and caught a glimpse of the message on Collin’s phone. It wasn’t anything pressing—just a brief update from the butler mentioning that Linsey seemed a little down because she hadn’t seen Collin tonight.
For this? This was why Collin was leaving?
Dustin stared at him in sheer disbelief. “Collin! Are you serious right now?”
𝓜𝓸𝓻𝓮 𝓾𝓹𝓭𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓼 𝓲𝓷 𝓰𝓪𝓵𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵𝓼.𝓬𝓸𝓶
His voice rose with outrage. “You’re actually ditching the auction just to go keep Linsey company? Since when were you two so close? What about the rest of the event? You’re just going to walk out? This ties directly to our upcoming deals!”
Unfazed by Dustin’s exasperation, Collin casually slipped on his coat. “You’re here, aren’t you?”
Dustin’s jaw practically hit the floor. He clutched his chest dramatically, as if personally betrayed. “Unbelievable! You’re ditching me for a woman you’ve barely known for a few days? You’ve really changed!”
Collin shot him a withering look. His thoughts drifted to Linsey waiting at home, disappointed that he hadn’t come back. The idea of sitting here any longer felt unbearable.
“The past is the past. Things are different now. Dustin, I really have to go.”
Just as Collin was about to step away, Dustin suddenly seemed to remember something. He quickly moved to block Collin’s path. “Hold on a second.”
Collin’s brows furrowed, irritation creeping into his expression. “What now?”
Dustin let out a heavy sigh, shaking his head as if Collin were a lost cause. Typical. Collin, the walking definition of emotionally dense, had no clue how romance worked. Moments like these required intervention—and as always, it was up to Dustin, the ever-reliable best friend, to step in and prevent a disaster.
“You’re seriously going back empty-handed?” Dustin shot him a pointed look. “Linsey misses you, man. You just got married—have you even given her a single gift since then?”
The question made Collin pause. His mind flickered to the clothes Linsey had given him not long ago. She had gone out of her way to pick something for him, and yet… he hadn’t given her anything in return.
.
.
.