Chapter 194
194:
Linsey winced, a sharp pain shooting through her wrist. “Collin, you’re hurting me!”
Collin instantly released her hand, his expression filled with concern. “Shit, Linsey, I’m so sorry! Are you okay?”
He gently examined her wrist, his eyes widening as he saw the angry red marks his grip had left. A wave of regret washed over him. “I’m so sorry,” he repeated, his voice laced with remorse. “I overreacted.”
Seeing the lingering seriousness in Collin’s eyes, Linsey felt a pang of sympathy.
Trying to lighten the mood, she gave him a playful smile. “Wow, Collin,” she teased. “Why so serious? It was just a joke!”
The tension in Collin’s face finally eased a bit. “God, Linsey, I’m so glad it was just a joke…”
He looked up at her, his eyes pleading. “But… can you promise me something?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper. “Please, never say the word ‘divorce’ again. I… I might actually believe you.”
Linsey saw a flicker of vulnerability, even fear, in his eyes, and her heart skipped a beat.
His expression was so… endearing, so unfairly charming.
It struck her that he hadn’t shown this vulnerable side when dealing with Dustin earlier. With Dustin, he had been all sharp edges and cool composure.
“Alright, alright,” she said with a resigned smile. “I won’t bring it up again.”
Internally, she couldn’t help but think, “He can really be like a child sometimes. Maybe it’s because of all those years of neglect he endured in his cold and distant family.”
The thought made her heart ache for him, and she felt a surge of sympathy. She wanted to shower him with love and kindness.
New adventures await at gⱯlnσν𝓮ℓs﹒𝚌o𝓂
Within a short time, the entire situation with the orphanage was resolved smoothly.
Ella, the children, and the teachers all moved into the new facility Dustin had arranged. The generous compensation he provided was safely deposited into the orphanage’s account.
With the matter settled and peace restored, Linsey finally felt at ease. She returned to work, ready to resume her normal routine.
However, as she stepped back into the company building, she couldn’t help but notice the curious glances from her colleagues.
She knew that despite clearing her name online, she couldn’t escape the whispers and gossip that inevitably followed a scandal.
She decided to ignore the stares and focus on her work.
Just then, a voice cut through the air. “Linsey!”
Linsey frowned slightly, a flicker of annoyance crossing her face. She turned to see a vaguely familiar woman approaching her.
It was none other than Pandora Valdez, one of Cynthia’s most devoted followers, who had been practically attached to Cynthia’s hip ever since she joined the company.
“Can I help you?” Linsey inquired coolly.
Pandora halted before Linsey, a hesitant expression on her face. She opened and closed her mouth several times, seemingly struggling to find the right words.
“If you don’t have anything to say, I’ll be going upstairs,” Linsey stated flatly.
“Wait! Please don’t go!” Pandora blurted out, clutching Linsey’s arm with a desperate look. “Linsey, I just wanted to apologize.”
Linsey was momentarily stunned. “Apologize? For what?”
Observing the increasing number of curious onlookers gathering around them, Pandora hesitated briefly before pulling Linsey aside to a more private corner.
“Linsey, I… well, I saw those awful rumors about you online…” Pandora’s face flushed with shame. “I wasn’t thinking clearly at the time and ended up saying some nasty things about you, along with those other people online.”
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