Chapter 113

 113:
Happiness had once felt like a distant dream. Now, it was his reality—thanks to Linsey.
“Had Grandma not insisted, I might never have met Linsey,” Collin said.
Before, he would have scoffed at the idea of fate. But now, he believed in it. And he hoped it would continue to bless both Linsey and his life with joy and peace.
Following Dustin and Anthea’s advice was crucial—he knew he had to be completely transparent with Linsey. He wondered how she would react when she learned the truth.
Whatever her response, Collin was determined to face it bravely.
Just thinking of Linsey made him smile again, his expression softening into genuine happiness.
On the other side of town, Linsey had just finished a phone call. She inhaled deeply, steadying her nerves before packing her bag.
As she exited her office, she crossed paths with a few colleagues returning from their break.
“Hey, Linsey, leaving so early today?” one teased, noticing her brisk pace.
A blush crept into Linsey’s cheeks as she remembered Collin’s words.
“Yeah, aren’t you guys heading home yet?”
One colleague sighed. “We’ve still got today’s designs to finish. We just took a quick dinner break and walk, now it’s back to work.”
Another caught her flustered expression and grinned.
“Looks like someone’s in a hurry to get home to her husband, huh?”
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Their laughter filled the hallway.
Linsey smiled, nodding softly. “Yeah.”
“Then go on! We’ll see you tomorrow!”
“Alright, see you. Don’t stay too late,” Linsey called back.
As she walked past, one colleague added, “Oh, Linsey—just a heads-up. The streetlights in the park are out tonight. It’s really dark, so be careful, okay?”
“Got it, thanks. I’ll just take a cab home instead of the bus,” she replied.
When Linsey stepped outside, she noticed the park cloaked in darkness. Some people were navigating with the help of their phone flashlights.
Approaching the park’s exit, she pulled out her phone to book a ride. But for some reason, the signal was unusually weak that evening. The app took forever to open.
The usual noise around her faded, and a sudden chill ran up her spine.
Her heart began to race. She turned around quickly—nothing.
She furrowed her brow, trying to shake off the unease, convincing herself she was just being paranoid.
But as she turned back, Linsey gasped.
Someone was standing right in front of her.
She froze, instinctively stepping back in alarm.
Before she could react, the figure lunged forward.
In the darkness, a cloth was pressed against her mouth and nose, cutting off her breath and silencing her scream.
“Help…” she tried to cry out, but the sound was muffled.
Her vision blurred.
And then—everything went black.
The sudden splash of icy water shattered the silence, jolting Linsey awake with its chilling shock.
Disoriented, she couldn’t tell how much time had slipped away, but the sharp sting of cold dragged her from the depths of unconsciousness.
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