Chapter 168
168:
“Are you serious?” Linsey asked, incredulous. “It’s so salty, you can barely taste anything else!”
Collin nodded, his gaze so earnest that she couldn’t doubt his sincerity. The staff exchanged bewildered glances, their faces mirroring their disbelief. Collin was known for his picky eating habits. If the kitchen made even a tiny slip-up, he wouldn’t go near the food. And yet, here he was, happily munching away on Linsey’s salty creation without a single complaint.
“You really should eat something else,” she said, reaching for the plate of omelet.
With a perfectly straight face, Collin stopped her hand. “Hey, what are you doing? Trying to steal my food?”
Linsey chuckled. “Okay, okay, I get it. You’re trying to be nice. But seriously, you have to stop. It’s way too salty, and that can’t be good for you. Try some of this salad instead. It’s not gourmet, but at least it’s not going to give you a heart attack.”
Worried about Collin’s well-being, Linsey told the staff to whisk the offending omelet away. Collin sampled the salad and nodded approvingly. “Hmm, anything you make is delicious.”
Linsey’s smile remained. She had never realized Collin had such a playful side.
Noticing the easygoing atmosphere between Linsey and Collin, one of Collin’s subordinates hesitated, as if wanting to say something but thinking better of it.
Linsey saw his hesitation and figured he might be hungry. “Would you like to join us?” she asked. “There’s plenty left.”
The subordinate waved his hands frantically. “Oh no, no, I’m fine, thank you.”
He scratched his head, a picture of awkwardness. “Uh, Mrs. Riley, I was just wondering. You don’t seem worried at all.”
Linsey stopped, a puzzled look creasing her brow. “Worried about what?” she asked, genuinely confused.
ɢ𝔞l𝓷𝓸v𝔢𝓵𝓼.c𝓸m brings fresh updates
Seeing her genuinely puzzled expression, the subordinate figured she must have been swamped with work and completely missed the latest online gossip. He quickly filled her in. “Mrs. Riley, those rumors about you online? They’re exploding. If we don’t do something fast, it’s going to get way out of hand.”
Linsey remained calm, her expression unchanged. “I know about them. But now’s not the time to react. Worrying won’t do any good, so I’d rather focus on enjoying myself for a bit.”
She paused, a faint, almost mischievous smile playing on her lips. “Besides, Marisol and Joanna are the ones who should be freaking out right now,” she added.
The subordinate nodded in confusion, but his respect for her cool-headedness grew. Since she seemed so unconcerned, he decided it was best not to pry.
Just as Linsey had suspected, Marisol and Joanna were in full-blown panic mode.
“What the hell is going on with Linsey?” Marisol fumed. “I’ve paid a fortune to those paparazzi to dig up dirt on her, and she’s acting like nothing’s happening!”
Marisol’s face was a mask of anger. “It’s been two days, and she still hasn’t come crawling back to us. She’s driving me crazy!”
“It is strange, isn’t it?” Joanna remarked, a puzzled tone in her voice. “Logically, Linsey should have been groveling at our feet by now. But it’s been days, and she hasn’t even attempted to contact us.”
She paused briefly, her voice taking on an edge of irritation. “Is it possible that Linsey simply doesn’t care? With countless people online parroting the tabloids, openly attacking and insulting her, how can she remain unaffected? Does she live under a rock? Is there anyone who wouldn’t be terrified by such a torrent of online vitriol?”
Marisol’s eyes narrowed, and she let out a scornful snort. “That woman is clearly just bluffing. If we increase the pressure, she’ll break. I simply don’t believe she can hold out much longer.”
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