Chapter 766
766:
“Ms. Bright.”
The low voice caught Linsey off guard, making her heart skip a beat. She turned calmly toward Collin, meeting his gaze without flinching.
“What is it?”
This time, she didn’t bother disguising her voice. It was unmistakably Linsey speaking.
Collin’s eyes flickered. His gaze locked onto hers; he was unwilling to look away.
She had changed over the past four years—he could feel it.
Her makeup was slightly different, maybe her demeanor too.
But the real difference was harder to define.
Maybe it was the time they lost—the years they should have spent together—that made her feel so unfamiliar now.
A quiet trace of sorrow crossed his face.
After a moment, he said with composure, “Tonight’s auction has quite a few valuable pieces. If anything catches your eye, I’ll have it sent to you.”
Gorman, sitting beside Linsey, frowned slightly at Collin’s uncharacteristic boldness.
Linsey, too, was momentarily thrown off.
𝘽𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝖌ⲁ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀．𝖼𝗈𝗺
Just as she was about to respond, she noticed a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye.
“Collin, do you mind if I sit next to you? I don’t know many people here, and Ivy suggested I stay close to you,” Haven said sweetly.
Linsey’s expression instantly cooled. She turned her gaze forward, ignoring the scene unfolding beside her.
Collin hesitated—he had intended to decline—but thinking of Ivy and the fact it was just a seat, he nodded politely.
“Sure.”
Haven lit up at his reply.
Even though he had been so blunt with her earlier, she felt he still cared in some small way.
Once seated, she noticed Collin glancing off to the side.
Curious, she followed his gaze—and was stunned to find it fixed on the masked woman beside him.
Linsey’s graceful presence and distinct aura made Haven’s eyes widen. She didn’t overthink it. With a soft smile, she leaned toward Collin and asked, “Is it okay to wear a mask to tonight’s event? I haven’t seen anyone else doing it—only this lady here.”
She didn’t bother to lower her voice, so Linsey heard her clearly. Her lips pressed into a thin line as she silently listened to their exchange, trying not to react.
At the same time, she recalled the conversation she had eavesdropped on earlier in the courtyard—the voices and the words still fresh in her mind.
Collin pulled his gaze away from Linsey and answered evenly, “It’s her choice.”
Haven, still watching Collin closely, sensed the shift in his demeanor. This wasn’t the usual cold and distant Collin. He seemed conflicted, like he was holding back something—emotions he didn’t want to show.
.
.
.