Chapter 524
524:
Nodding lightly, Collin returned her smile. “It was.”
With a hint of embarrassment, Jacquetta said, “I hope I wasn’t interrupting.”
Collin waved it off with a chuckle. “Not at all. My wife has a sharp eye for design. I was worried she might recognize your voice, so I ended the call quickly.”
Considering Jacquetta’s reputation in the design community, it was possible that Linsey, as a fashion designer, could recognize her. To protect the secret he had been meticulously preparing, Collin knew caution was key.
When Jacquetta heard this, her interest immediately sparked. “Your wife designs too? How wonderful! I’d love to meet her someday.”
“Absolutely,” Collin replied with genuine warmth. “Her name is Linsey, and she’s an excellent fashion designer.”
Comforted by Dolores’ supportive words, Linsey managed to push her suspicions aside for the next couple of days. She resolved to patiently await Collin’s return before confronting him directly. Only afterward would she finally share the joyful news of her pregnancy.
On a typical workday, Linsey was in her office. A colleague tapped gently on her office door, checking if she wanted anything. “Hey Linsey, we’re ordering coffee. Want your usual?”
Battling fatigue, Linsey almost requested her favorite coffee out of habit. “I think—” She abruptly hesitated, changing course mid-sentence. “Actually, my stomach’s bothering me today. Could you bring me hot milk instead?”
“Linsey, are you not feeling well? I have some antacids if that might help,” her colleague suggested kindly.
Linsey quickly shook her head. “No, thanks.”
“Okay then,” her colleague replied, leaving without further questioning. The door closed, and silence returned to Linsey’s office.
She breathed a sigh of relief in the silence. Lowering her head, she tenderly touched her stomach.
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Exhaustion from the day nearly made her forget she was pregnant. During this period, avoiding coffee and limiting medication was essential. She reminded herself to keep these precautions in mind.
Thirty minutes later, there was another knock. Her colleague reappeared, this time with a cup of hot milk and an envelope in hand.
“Linsey, while I was at the cafe for the coffee, someone was delivering this to you, so I picked it up.”
Taking the envelope with a hint of curiosity, Linsey thanked her. “Thank you.”
Her colleague grinned. “I took a quick look, and it’s an invite to Miss Lawson’s birthday party! She must really value your work to send one your way.”
Linsey pulled the invitation from the envelope. It was indeed for Carol’s twenty-sixth birthday celebration. It seemed Carol meant what she had said recently about sending an invitation.
Linsey pursed her lips. Attending wasn’t something she looked forward to. However, she kept that thought to herself.
“It’s probably just a formality,” Linsey replied casually.
Her colleague disagreed immediately. “I wouldn’t say that. The Lawson family is quite selective about their party guests. They maintain a very exclusive guest list each year, with no details ever made public. It sounds like it will be quite the elaborate affair.”
Linsey let out a light laugh. “You seem pretty excited about this.”
Without dwelling on it, she passed over the invitation. “There’s no name on it anyway. Go ahead. With such a huge crowd, she won’t be able to tell who’s who.”
Her colleague’s eyes widened in alarm as she quickly waved her hands. “Linsey, I wouldn’t dare! If Miss Lawson found out, I’d be finished—and you might get caught up in it too.”
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