Chapter 831

 831:
Linsey, however, stayed quiet. She hadn’t looked at Collin once.
Then Haven spoke, her voice soft but laced with meaning. “I haven’t had the pleasure of hearing this lady’s name yet. She’s been quiet since the beginning. As Ms. Davidson’s capable assistant, shouldn’t she speak up a little more?”
Dolores looked over and smiled faintly. “Why don’t you introduce yourself first? After all, you’re the one Mr. Riley brought along.” Hearing that, Dustin sighed and rubbed his face, his eyes closing briefly.
He wasn’t surprised. Dolores never missed a chance to poke at Collin.
Collin quietly set down his utensils, his tone still polite. “This is Haven Walton. She recently returned from abroad.”
Dolores gave a knowing smile. “Mr. Riley and Ms. Walton seem quite close.”
Haven’s lips curled into a sweet smile. She was ready to agree, but Collin cut in before she could speak. “My grandmother is close with the Waltons. She asked me to help show Haven around.”
His tone was even, but there was no mistaking the message. Then he glanced at Linsey.
Her face remained steady and unreadable—as if none of it concerned her.
That flicker of indifference hit Collin hard. A shadow passed through his eyes, and there was a trace of bitterness in his smile.
He wanted to explain more, but Haven’s presence held him back.
𝙉𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙤𝙥𝙮 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨 — 𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙞𝙣: 𝔤𝓪𝗅ⲛ𝓞ⱱ𝖊𝗅𝓈﹒𝖼𝗈𝗆
If she caught on, she might lash out later—when he wasn’t there to protect Linsey.
After everything that happened four years ago, Collin couldn’t afford to take that risk.
So he didn’t reveal Linsey’s identity as Aurora. He didn’t even say her name.
Haven fell silent. Her smile stiffened as she realized what had just happened—Collin was distancing himself from her right in front of everyone.
The sting of it was sharp and humiliating.
Just earlier, even Dolores had assumed she was Collin’s girlfriend.
Dolores raised a brow, her voice laced with sarcasm. “Oh? I thought you two were a couple.”
Haven, eager to keep Collin from saying more, quickly answered, “We’re just friends.”
A quiet voice broke through the moment. “How can that be true?” Linsey cut in. “Didn’t Mr. Riley spend 2.7 billion at a charity auction to buy the Star of the Desert for Haven? That doesn’t sound like just friends to me.”
Dolores froze. She was stunned—not just by the insane price of the necklace, but by the fact that Linsey, who had been silent, chose to speak up now.
She wasn’t the only one surprised. Dustin’s eyes widened too. He turned to Collin and asked in a hushed voice, “You bought a necklace for Haven? For 2.7 billion? Why didn’t you tell me?” Linsey’s words left Collin momentarily speechless.
Haven, on the other hand, blushed deeply. “Collin only bought the Star of the Desert for my birthday. It’s the most touching gift I’ve ever received,” she said with a bashful smile.
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