Chapter 185
185:
“Ella, please,” Linsey insisted. “Don’t thank us. It’s the least we could do.”
Collin nodded in agreement. “Ella, you took Linsey in when she had nowhere else to go. You gave her a second chance at life. You’re family to her. It’s only right that we look out for family.” He paused, his voice softening. “Please, trust us.”
With their goodbyes said, Linsey and Collin left the orphanage and climbed back into the car.
As they drove away, Linsey’s thoughts drifted back to the events of the day. A pang of guilt hit her. She turned to Collin, her expression apologetic. “I’m so sorry, Collin. I promised you a date today, and instead, we ended up dealing with all this drama. I not only ruined our plans, but I dragged you into this whole mess.”
Collin reached over and gently took her hand, his thumb stroking her knuckles reassuringly. “Hey, if we want to go on a date, we’ll have plenty of opportunities in the future. I’m just glad you brought me here. What happened today wasn’t your fault. Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of everything.”
Linsey listened to the calm assurance in Collin’s voice and nodded, the tension and worry slowly melting away.
She didn’t press him for details about how he planned to resolve the situation. She had chosen to trust him, and she intended to do just that—trust him completely.
Upon returning to Vista Villa, Collin immediately retreated to the study. The instant the door clicked shut behind him, his expression hardened. Taking out his phone, he dialed Dustin’s number.
Dustin’s jovial voice greeted him as soon as the call connected. “Collin, to what do I owe the pleasure? What can I do for you, my friend?”
Collin’s voice was somber as he inquired, “What’s happening with that plot of land on the outskirts of town?”
After a brief pause, Dustin responded, “It’s already in the process of being developed.”
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A short silence followed before Dustin chuckled. “Why the sudden interest? Don’t tell me you’ve had a change of heart and want to reclaim it?”
Collin’s voice grew heavy with suppressed irritation. “Are you aware that there’s an orphanage that’s been operating there for years?”
Dustin dismissed it casually. “Yeah, I know about it. I sent someone to take care of the situation a while back. It’s nothing to be concerned about.”
Collin’s frown deepened, his voice sharpening. “So you actually sent people to threaten the orphanage?”
Dustin sounded genuinely surprised. “What? Threaten them? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Hearing the genuine confusion in Dustin’s voice, Collin relaxed slightly, sensing there was more to the story.
Having known Dustin for years, Collin understood his character implicitly. While Dustin could be impulsive at times, he wasn’t the type to intimidate the vulnerable or abuse his power.
Initially, when Collin heard about Dustin’s involvement in the incident at the orphanage, he was dubious. Now, it was clear there was more to the situation than met the eye.
Collin concisely relayed the information he had gathered.
“What the hell!?” Dustin exclaimed in shock. “I did send someone to resolve the issue with the orphanage, but my intention was to offer them financial assistance for relocation, not to resort to intimidation!”
Collin let out a cold snort. “It seems you’ve been too lax with your subordinates. They’ve clearly pocketed your money and exploited your name to cause trouble.”
Dustin seethed with rage. “Un-fucking-believable!” he roared. “Which goddamn idiot disobeyed a direct order?”
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