Chapter 842
842:
Collin understood more than anyone that it would be both selfish and unjust to ask Linsey to forgive him for all the wrong things he had done.
Still, he was prepared to wait. Even if it took a lifetime, he would hold on to the hope that one day, she might find it in her heart to give him another chance.
That quiet promise to himself reignited a firm resolve in Collin’s chest. He made up his mind to uncover the truth about the little girl who looked so much like Linsey when the timing was right.
Collin lingered by Linsey’s side, reluctant to tear himself away from her peaceful world.
At last, he rose and stepped out of the room, pulling the door shut behind him with a soft click. The moment he turned around, he found himself facing someone he hadn’t expected: Gorman.
“Hey! You’re the man who sent me to the police station!” Zenia exclaimed with a wide smile, her face lighting up the instant she spotted him. She grabbed onto Gorman’s hand excitedly.
Collin didn’t say a word at first. His eyes moved slowly from Gorman to Zenia, and after a few moments, the hard lines on his face softened. He gave Zenia a gentle smile and said, “Hey there, kid.”
Chuckling softly, Gorman reached out and tousled Zenia’s fluffy hair. Pretending not to know, he teased, “Zenia, when did you meet this gentleman? Why didn’t you ever tell me about him?”
Lifting her head with a bright grin, Zenia answered sweetly, “Oh, Daddy, totally forgot! I’ll tell you everything later tonight, okay?” Although Collin had already heard her call Gorman “Daddy” before, hearing it spoken so clearly, so naturally, from just a few feet away hit him harder than he expected.
𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝘆: 𝗀ⱥ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝗍𝖊𝗅𝗌﹒ⅽ𝗈𝗺
Still, he tried to convince himself that just because Zenia looked strikingly like Linsey didn’t automatically mean she was her daughter.
“Alright then,” Gorman said with a soft chuckle. He cast a quick glance toward the hospital room before bending down slightly to Zenia’s level. “Mommy’s resting inside. Go on and see her, but be sure to stay quiet, alright?”
Zenia gave an eager nod. “Got it! I’ll be super quiet.”
Without wasting another second, she tiptoed toward the hospital door, carefully eased it open, and slipped inside like a tiny whisper of wind. The door clicked shut behind her, leaving nothing but silence between the two men standing in the hallway.
Collin’s whole expression shifted. A heavy coldness settled around him as he stared Gorman down, the earlier conversation replaying itself in his mind like a cruel reminder.
Pain twisted in his chest, a deep ache spreading as he finally accepted what he had tried so hard to deny. Zenia really was Linsey’s child.
Gorman stayed relaxed, slipping his hands casually into his pockets. He met Collin’s icy glare with an almost playful smirk. After a short pause, Gorman tilted his head and spoke lightly. “Isn’t Zenia a sweet girl?”
Collin felt the words hit him like a blow. His breath caught in his throat, and before he could stop himself, his fists clenched at his sides, his body going rigid as he struggled to keep it all in.
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