Chapter 1212
“I wasn’t trying to,” she answered, trying to sound reasonable. “The first time, I lost my balance. The second, my hands were still wet from the coffee, and I couldn’t hold on tight enough.”
“Really? What a coincidence,” Collin replied, his voice dripping with cold sarcasm as anger flared within him. His expression turned stormy in an instant, clearly refusing to believe a word she said. “Linsey, do you take me for a fool?”
Hearing his harsh tone, Linsey felt her confidence crumble. The composure she had worn moments before began to slip away.
She bit her lip, scrambling to find some excuse for what she had done, but her mind had gone completely blank.
Watching Linsey stand there in stunned silence, Collin took her speechlessness as a clear confession.
His mind immediately jumped to conclusions. She must be acting out because she was upset about his earlier mockery of Felix, leading her to this petty and clumsy attempt at revenge.
The mere possibility that she might have done this for Felix made Collin’s knuckles turn white as he gripped the wheelchair’s armrest. Veins bulged across the back of his hands like they might burst through his skin.
“Get out!” Collin snapped, his temper finally breaking. The words were exactly what Linsey had been secretly hoping to hear.
But before she could feel any sense of victory, Collin added, “From now on, you’re forbidden from entering the study without my permission.”
Linsey stood frozen, completely stunned.
Was she only banned from the study? How could that be possible? She had made one mistake after another right in front of him—actions that should have been utterly unforgivable in his eyes. She had been certain that he would be furious enough to throw her out of the house entirely.
Nothing was going according to Linsey’s plan. She remained rooted to the spot, paralyzed by confusion.
Without allowing her more time to process, Collin curtly ordered her to leave immediately.
Linsey found herself escorted out of the study and trudged back downstairs, slumping onto the couch with a heavy heart.
Just then, her phone buzzed, and a notification lit up the screen.
Picking up her phone, Linsey discovered it was merely a spam advertisement. She deleted it and, with nothing better to do, began mindlessly scrolling through her phone.
By pure chance, she stumbled across a post from Joanna.
It was a photo collage tagged at some upscale boutique, displaying an array of exquisite jewelry. The centerpiece showed someone’s hand intertwined with Joanna’s, both adorned with sparkling pieces.
The caption read, “Had the most wonderful day today. Thank you for the one-of-a-kind birthday surprise!”