Chapter 919

 919:
Collin smiled at her reaction, then tucked her hair behind her ear. “You really don’t have anything to worry about now.”
Linsey looked away from him, the issues between her and Collin unresolved, leaving her unsure of how to face him.
“I’m sorry, Linsey,” Collin suddenly said.
Linsey was taken aback by his apology. Unsure if she had heard him correctly, she asked, “What did you just say?”
Collin met her eyes, his expression softening. “I didn’t know you were pregnant four years ago. I left you to give birth abroad and raise the children alone. I owe you big time, Linsey. I’m sorry I failed to fulfill my role as a father. You suffered because of me. Dolores told me about how difficult childbirth was for you, how you almost…”
“Alright, you’ve made your point,” Linsey interrupted awkwardly. “You shouldn’t listen to Dolores. She’s just being dramatic. Childbirth is tough for every woman, and I was no exception.”
There was a brief pause before she added, “Your first sentence sounded a bit like a complaint. What, are you blaming me for hiding my pregnancy?”
“That’s not what I meant. I just think you’ve been through a lot,” Collin said earnestly.
Linsey stared at him, unsure whether to believe him.
𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝘁 gⱯ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⫽𝖼𝗈𝗺
Finally, she sighed and said, “I admit I was being vengeful when I decided not to tell you about the pregnancy. I had already made up my mind to divorce you, and I knew if I told you I was pregnant, you wouldn’t have…”
“You thought I wouldn’t have agreed to the divorce,” Collin finished softly.
“Yes.”
Collin smiled, then took Linsey’s hand in his. “Even if I had known about your pregnancy, I would never have forced you to stay in our broken marriage. I would have tried to persuade you to reconsider the divorce, but I would never have forced you to stay. That would be tantamount to imprisonment.”
After several weighted moments of silence, Collin spoke again. “Had I known your heartbreak would drive you from Grester, I would have moved heaven and earth to support you. You shouldn’t have faced childbirth’s perils alone. After all, I am the father.”
Linsey released a soft, noncommittal hum, feigning indifference. “Since you understood you couldn’t force me to stay, surely you realized I would have rejected any assistance from you in those days.” She lifted her gaze then, meeting his eyes with newfound serenity. “Departing on my own terms was the only viable path forward.”
Collin’s expression remained carefully controlled, though vulnerability flickered briefly across his features. “I was wrong, Linsey—wrong not to be forthright with you then. The fault lies entirely with me.”
“Four years provides ample time for anger to cool,” Linsey murmured, dropping her gaze once more. “Otherwise, I wouldn’t have felt that sting when you showed Haven such consideration.”
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