Chapter 988

 988:
Collin looked as though he might start to boil over. Linsey could see just how much it stung him to be left out.
Linsey suspected that if Gorman weren’t in the room, Collin might actually break down in tears.
Not wanting things to go further, Linsey gently cupped his face with her hand and offered a quiet comfort. “I get that you’re worried about me being here alone with Gorman. That’s why I want you to stay with me.”
The mask of calm that Gorman always wore began to crack all over again.
Turning away, he squeezed his eyes shut, clearly trying to rein in his frustration.
Collin lifted his hand to cover Linsey’s and pressed on, his voice low but resolute. “Let’s just hire a care team.”
Linsey shook her head with gentle insistence. “That’s not going to work. Gorman didn’t just save my life. Back when I was overseas for those four years, he helped me out more times than I can count. If not for him, I might not have managed to raise Zenia and Zander by myself.”
Her lips pressed into a pout, a trace of hurt flickering in her eyes. “At the time, I wasn’t sure how you really felt about me. I didn’t have the courage to come back. What else was I supposed to do?”
Pointing an accusing finger at Gorman, Collin shot back, “If this scheming guy hadn’t kept your location from me, I would’ve found you long before! There’s no way I would’ve let you struggle all alone in a foreign country!”
Gorman gave a lazy shrug, a slow grin forming. “Who would have guessed that even the legendary founder of CR Corporation could be tripped up by my little tricks?”
A tempest of conflicting emotions churned within Collin’s chest.
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Linsey watched the transformation ripple across his features as tension melted into fury before surrendering to an unexpected serenity that settled over him like still water.
“Alright, I’ll listen to you.” Collin’s words emerged measured and deliberate. “I’ll stay with you to take care of Gorman.”
Joy bloomed across Linsey’s face, her eyes catching the light like dewdrops in the morning sun.
Her fingers found his, intertwining as she tilted her face upward, her expression a mix of gentleness and gratitude. “Collin, thank you.”
She possessed no power to compel him. If his heart had truly hardened against staying, nothing could anchor him here, least of all for Gorman’s sake, toward whom Collin had always harbored an instinctive distaste.
But for her sake, Collin agreed.
Though reluctance still lingered in his heart, Collin couldn’t help but soften when he looked at Linsey.
A gentle smile played at his lips as his free hand rose to ruffle her hair with familiar affection. “You know we don’t need fancy words between us.”
Gorman watched their quick reconciliation with growing fury, the sight making his wounds throb with fresh pain.
“So after all that back and forth, nobody thought to ask what I think about this?” Anger tightened Gorman’s jaw as he fought the urge to strike out at Collin’s calm assurance.
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