Chapter 75
75:
Linsey let out a quiet sigh and spoke gently. “Collin, don’t be like this. I know you mean well, and I appreciate it. Once the debt is paid off, you can buy me something like this. I’d be happy to accept it then.” Her expression grew resolute. “But right now, I just can’t. I have to think about us—and our future.”
A dull ache settled in Collin’s head. For the first time in years, he truly understood what it meant to shoot himself in the foot. His voice tensed. “You really don’t want it?”
“That’s right! I mean it. I really don’t want it! Just take it back to wherever you bought it.” Linsey folded her arms. “You should still be able to return it.”
Collin didn’t answer. A few seconds passed in silence before, without a word, he tossed the box into the nearby trash can, his face unreadable.
“Hey! What are you doing?” Linsey gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief.
He met her stunned gaze, his voice calm but unwavering. “If you don’t want this necklace, then it’s nothing but trash. I’m not returning it.”
A jolt of panic shot through her. She quickly retrieved the box from the bin, relieved to see it had only landed on discarded documents and wasn’t ruined.
“Collin, you—” She stopped herself before blurting out the words circling her mind. He was being ridiculous.
She swallowed back her frustration and tried again. “This necklace is expensive! How could you just throw it away?”
Collin’s expression didn’t waver. “If it’s something you don’t like, then it’s worthless. No different from garbage.”
Linsey clenched her jaw, resisting the urge to flick his forehead just to see if he was thinking straight. She inhaled deeply, forcing herself to stay calm.
She couldn’t scold him; he had put in the effort to pick out a gift for her, and she had rejected it outright.
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If their roles were reversed, she would probably feel hurt, too. After a moment of contemplation, she finally relented. “Collin, since this necklace is a gift from you… shouldn’t you help me put it on?”
Collin gazed at the warmth in Linsey’s tender smile, and an unexpected stir tugged at his heartstrings. For reasons beyond his grasp, a flicker of unease danced through him at that moment.
Nothing ever seemed to faze him; he remained indifferent to everything and everyone. Life had always been peaceful and predictable for him, stretching back to the earliest days. Yet, Linsey’s presence was like a burst of sunlight, illuminating his gray, monochrome existence.
“Sure, let me help you with that,” he responded, his voice softening—a rare deviation from his usual frosty tone. He fought to quell the unfamiliar flutter within him as he spoke.
Linsey’s smile widened, and she gracefully handed him the necklace box before turning and lowering herself in front of him. Collin had been looking up at her from his seated position in the wheelchair since she entered the room. Now, at eye level, he could see the delicate swirl of hair at her crown and the way her lustrous locks cascaded gracefully down her back.
His breath caught in a silent gasp. His eyes traced the line of her spine, veiled by her flowing hair, before he reluctantly set the box down on the desk with a soft click. Unseen by Linsey, the slight sound caused her eyelashes to flutter, a subtle testament to the quiet tension between them.
The next thing she knew, the dazzling gemstone necklace was right before her. The radiant jewel rested elegantly against her collarbone, its brilliance enchanting as it caught the light.
Collin’s large, skilled hands cradled the ends of the necklace, his movements precise as he secured it behind her neck. Even with her hair acting as a soft barrier, Linsey could feel the comforting warmth of his palms against her skin.
As the clasp clicked securely into place, the weight of the necklace settled gently, almost caressingly, around her neck.
.
.
.