Chapter 806

 806:
The group was certain Dustin was in for a severe reprimand.
Dustin trailed behind Collin into the office, his expression distant and unfocused, completely unaware of the thoughts running through everyone else’s minds.
Once the office door shut behind them, Dustin overheard Collin on the phone. “Contact the boxing gym. I’m bringing someone along shortly.” The moment he heard those words, Dustin jolted back to awareness, his voice laced with panic as he asked, “Collin, you’re not actually thinking of dragging me to the boxing gym, are you?”
Collin adjusted his tie and responded coldly, “You need to sharpen up. We can’t afford your lack of focus with the workload we have.” Just then, a knock came at the door. “Boss, the gym is prepared for your arrival. Shall we go now?”
Dustin’s panic surged, and his first thought was escape. “Collin, hold on, I suddenly feel quite ill…”
“Let’s go,” Collin said firmly, grabbing Dustin by the collar and steering him forcefully out of the office.
Three hours later, Dustin lay exhausted and soaked in sweat on the gym mat.
He lay there with his eyes fixed on the ceiling, his mind frozen, too shaken to begin processing everything he had just endured.
Collin, drenched in sweat as well, stood off to the side with a calm that didn’t match the scene.
𝘾𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨: 𝙜Ɐ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⸬𝙘𝙤𝙢
Without a flicker of emotion, he glanced down at Dustin, who was struggling for air, then peeled off his gloves at an unhurried pace. “Get up.”
Fear washed over Dustin’s face, but he couldn’t even lift a hand to protest. “I can’t do it, Collin. I messed up. Just let me off the hook. If this keeps going, it’s going to kill me.”
Collin gave him a distant look, then sat down abruptly on the gym floor, stripping off his gloves and flinging them to the side.
Just then, his assistant arrived with two water bottles, handing them to Collin, who casually threw one to Dustin.
Startled by the unexpected toss, Dustin exclaimed, “Collin, you’re really—”
“What are you trying to say?” Collin asked, a hint of challenge in his tone.
Dustin hesitated, then quietly unscrewed the cap of his water bottle and took a sip.
Moments later, Collin’s voice dropped to a whisper as he said, “I hope this won’t happen again.”
Dustin understood right away that Collin was calling him out for spacing out during the meeting. “Yeah, I know. I’m not myself today. I’m sorry.”
“Is this about Dolores?” Collin said, tossing the question out so easily that Dustin jolted up, like someone had yanked a string tied to his spine.
“How did you know?” Dustin’s shock was evident, his mind racing with paranoia.
Collin sneered, “You disappeared with Dolores after the banquet last night. You think people wouldn’t notice?”
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