Chapter 432

 432:
“What happened? What was all that noise outside?” he asked, his concern evident.
Linsey walked over to his bedside and set the thermos down on the table. She quickly brushed off his question, saying, “It’s nothing.”
She didn’t want to trouble him with the minor confrontation that had just taken place.
With practiced ease, she unscrewed the thermos and prepared to serve him a bowl of homemade chicken soup. But before she could pour it, Collin’s expression shifted. He reached out and gently grasped her hand, his eyes immediately locking onto the burn mark on her arm.
“How did you get hurt?” he asked, his voice filled with concern.
Caught off guard, Linsey hesitated. In her rush to handle the situation with Flavia, she had forgotten to conceal her injury. She instinctively tried to pull her hand back, hoping to hide the burn, but Collin was quicker.
Without touching the wound directly, he secured her wrist and studied her with a concerned gaze. “Tell me the truth. When and how did this happen? Your hand was fine last night, and nothing seemed wrong when you left for Vista Villa this morning.”
Faced with Collin’s earnest gaze, Linsey sighed and gave him a small, rueful smile. “I burned myself while making the soup. It’s really not a big deal. I’ve already applied ointment.”
Trying to lighten the mood, Linsey gave her hand a small shake, subtly hinting for him to let go. “I need to serve you some soup.”
But Collin didn’t release her. His grip remained firm, his expression still filled with concern. “You really don’t have to do this. The staff can handle it. There’s no need for you to strain yourself.”
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Collin had initially thought Linsey was simply going back to pack a few things for him. But to his surprise, she had gone out of her way to make him chicken soup.
The thought of Linsey hurting herself because of him made him feel uneasy. She had only just recovered from the effects of some harmful medication, and her palm had been cut. Her body was still in the process of healing. And now this.
Linsey steadied herself and spoke softly. “You can’t look at it that way. When you care about someone, you want to do things for them. I care about you, so I wanted to help however I could. I couldn’t just sit here and do nothing, could I?”
Collin couldn’t help but smile at her words. “You don’t get it. I actually wish you’d be a little lazier and just do nothing for once. After all, even if you couldn’t do anything, I’m more than capable of taking care of you.”
“No way, I’m not having that!” Linsey huffed, pulling her hand away and starting to ladle the soup into the bowl. “Let me tell you, I’m aiming to become a world-renowned designer. I’m definitely not someone who sits around doing nothing. Who knows, maybe I’ll end up taking care of you one day.”
As Linsey poured the delicious chicken soup, the room quickly filled with its savory aroma.
“Enjoy it while it’s hot,” she said with a smile.
Collin reached for the bowl but didn’t drink from it immediately. Instead, he set it down on the table next to him.
“It’s too hot. I’ll wait for it to cool a bit,” he said.
Then, he gently pulled her down beside him, his gaze falling on the burn on her hand.
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.
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