Chapter 982

 982:
“I can see why you’re upset. You believe Gorman has been treated unfairly.”
Her words were measured and even, carrying no hint of irritation. “Your loyalty to him is admirable. Of course, you’d stand by his side no matter what. That’s natural, and I don’t blame you for it.”
With a brief pause, she met his eyes, her tone unwavering. “Still, I have the right to explain my side. When I lived abroad, I made it clear to Gorman more than once that I saw him only as a friend. I often thanked him for everything he’d done. You were usually right there with him, so you must have heard it too. Everything I told Gorman was honest—never once did I try to lead him on.”
Her words landed heavily, and the bravado in Danny faded. Unable to challenge her honesty, he fell silent. Despite hearing the truth, he, like Gorman, struggled to accept why Linsey never reciprocated those feelings.
After a moment of silence, Linsey continued, “If things had stayed as they were, and Gorman hadn’t made those decisions that frightened me, I would still consider him a valuable friend.”
Her lips pressed into a thin line, her brows knitting as old wounds resurfaced. “I’m not someone who forgets kindness. Four years of his support meant a great deal to me. But when he ignored my wishes and kept both Zenia and me trapped, everything changed. He knew how much my children meant to me, yet he hurt Zenia without a second thought. Worse, he used Zenia to force me into marriage. All of that left scars I still carry.”
At Linsey’s side, Collin’s eyes darkened, her words casting a long ache over his features. A steady, sorrowful gaze settled on her, betraying a storm of regret and heartbreak that he couldn’t quite mask.
Regret gnawed at him for all the pain Linsey had carried. If only he had acted sooner, maybe Zenia and Linsey would have been spared so much.
Across the room, Danny clenched his jaw, his hand hovering near his pocket, itching to end the call. Gorman’s orders flashed through his mind, and discipline won out over impulse. Gorman was on the other end of the line, listening to their exchange.
Linsey spoke, “Earlier, he stepped in and shielded me when Kylee tried to hurt me. That moment left me reeling with emotion. I felt grateful, stunned, and heartbroken all at once. Until then, I had convinced myself that he died because of my actions, and that guilt stayed with me for ages. I found solace only in keeping busy. Chasing after Kylee, I tried to dig up the real truth and collect evidence.”
She pressed her lips together before continuing, “People can claim I was just fighting to clear my own name, but my real motive was to seek justice for Gorman.”
She let out a shaky breath. “Now that I know he survived, I feel lighter, even a bit joyful. Still, I can’t wrap my head around why, at such a crucial time, he would try to trap me into having a child through IVF. The whole thing is hard to grasp. I can hardly believe this truly was his idea.”
A heavy silence hung over the group, Linsey’s words sinking in as everyone struggled to process the tangled truth she had revealed.
Linsey looked exhausted as she turned slightly and sank back into her seat. She hadn’t slept well the night before, and by noon, she’d only managed a few bites before enduring a tense, drawn-out meeting with Alissa and Bart. Now, she was completely drained.
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