She had woken up early. How had she not heard anything?
The butler smiled. “He returned late last night and went straight to the study. He hasn’t come out since.”
Linsey frowned, irritation flickering across her face. He had come home so late, yet instead of resting, he had locked himself in the study to work.
Did he have no regard for his health at all?
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became. The lavish breakfast before her suddenly lost all appeal-she had no appetite, no patience. She just wanted to find Collin and confront him directly.
Outside the study, she inhaled deeply, mentally running through everything she wanted to say. Then, raising her hand, she knocked firmly on the door.
“Who is it?” Collin’s deep voice carried from inside.
She pressed her lips together and replied softly, “It’s me.”
And just like that, her irritation wavered. She had intended to sound firm, but the moment she spoke to him, her voice softened without her meaning to.
Ever since learning about the hardships he had endured within his family, she had felt an instinctive urge to be gentler with him-as if, somehow, she could make up for all the coldness and cruelty he had faced. But she knew her efforts were limited. The only thing she could do was try her best to show him that there was still warmth in the world.
“Come in,” Collin said.
For a split second, she thought she heard something different in his tone-less distant, almost gentle.
She pushed the door open and found him seated at his desk. The moment their eyes met, his expression softened, and he reached for the velvet box that had been sitting there all night, ready to hand it to her as she stepped forward.
But Linsey, too focused on her frustration, didn’t notice.
Fixing her gaze on him, she asked, “Collin, have you always been like this-completely indifferent to your own health?”
Collin raised an eyebrow, caught slightly off guard. It was, as far as he could remember, the first time he had ever seen Linsey truly angry. For a split second, he was at a loss for words.
Linsey’s voice broke through his haze of surprise, her tone laced with frustration and concern. “I know the debt is weighing on you, and you push yourself to the limit every day. But you can’t keep this up-working late, skipping meals-it’s taking a toll on you. You were up all night working in the study before, and last night was no different. If you don’t slow down, your body won’t be able to handle it much longer.”
As her words sank in, Collin’s realization dawned slowly. He gently placed the velvet box he was holding on the table and averted his gaze, his voice steady yet distant. “I’m fine, Linsey. I know my limits.”
Her anxiety spiked at his nonchalant dismissal. “Collin, you think you’re fine, but what about those who care about you? Can’t you see the toll it’s taking on them?”
He paused, a flicker of self-mockery shadowing his features. “Who would care about me?”
Linsey blurted out, her tone firm, “I would!”
The room fell silent, charged with the weight of her words.
Collin turned to face her, his expression unreadable, eyes wide with a turbulent mix of shock and a dawning realization of something deeper, perhaps something unspoken until now.
The next second, her senses snapped back into focus, her cheeks blooming a vivid shade of red with sudden shyness.
What the hell was she thinking, saying that out loud? That was downright mortifying!
Yet, deep down, she knew she meant every word. She wouldn’t have ventured all this way just to urge Collin to look after himself if she didn’t care about him.
As the silence stretched, becoming almost palpable between them, she hesitated, her voice a mix of urgency and embarrassment. “I didn’t mean it like that. Just hear me out, please…”
Watching her fumble with her words, Collin felt an unfamiliar warmth blossoming in his chest, a gentle thawing he hadn’t experienced before. Prior to this, concern for him had been a rarity.
Sure, the household staff at Vista Villa expressed worry, but it was always a cautious, distant kind, muted by their apprehension of his icy exterior and imposing status. They never really pushed past their boundaries.
But Linsey was different.
Despite his so-called disability and debt, she didn’t think little of him. Fearless and forthright, she was there, genuinely looking out for his well-being.
A lump formed in his throat, catching him off-guard. It took every ounce of his will to maintain a steady facade as he responded in a subdued tone, “I see. I promise to take better care of myself.” Only he understood the depth of the emotions veiled beneath that seemingly composed statement, his voice nearly faltering at the end.
Seeing the unwavering resolve in Collin’s eyes, Linsey sensed that once he made a promise, he would stand by it without faltering. A wave of relief washed over her, and a smile began to dawn on her face.
“You’ve been at this all night, haven’t you? You must be starving,” she said, her tone light and caring. “What can I get you to eat? I’ll whip something up right away.”
“Wait.” Collin’s voice was firm, halting her in her tracks. He still clutched the necklace in his hand-the very piece that had occupied his thoughts even during the whirlwind of his work. “Come here,” he murmured softly.
Linsey cast a quick glance at his wheelchair, assuming he needed assistance with something minor. She approached without hesitation, positioning herself beside him. “What do you need?”
In an unexpected move, he reached out and clasped her wrist firmly.
A jolt of surprise shot through Linsey, her pupils widening. The contact felt as if a hot ember had touched her skin, causing her to recoil subtly.
Collin’s hand was both large and warm, his hold steadfast, commanding her full attention.
Her heart thumped erratically in her chest, a mixture of alarm and anticipation swirling within her.
“I have something for you,” he stated, his gaze lifting to meet hers.
Caught off guard, Linsey blinked, striving to compose herself. “What is it?”
With deliberate slowness, he placed the velvet box into her hand.
Despite his usual composure during high-stakes business deals, Collin found himself inexplicably nervous. Holding millions in his grasp had never made his heart race like this.
Seeing the box in her hands, Linsey shot Collin a startled look. “A gift?” After lecturing him, she was the one receiving a present? It felt almost unreal.
A warmth spread through her chest, and she hesitated before asking, “Can I open it now?”
Collin’s gaze remained locked on her face as he watched for even the subtlest shift in her expression.
“Yes, you can,” he replied.
With a mixture of excitement and curiosity, Linsey lifted the lid. The moment her eyes fell on the dazzling gemstone necklace inside, she froze. The sheer brilliance of it was overwhelming.
A sharp gasp escaped her lips, and before she could think, she instinctively pushed the box toward him. “This… This is too much. I can’t take it.”
What was Collin thinking? They still had a hundred-million-dollar debt hanging over their heads, and here he was, giving her a necklace? And one that looked outrageously expensive.
It didn’t add up. Wasn’t he supposed to be completely broke? Sure, they lived in a luxurious villa, and there were high-end cars parked in the garage, but she had never once linked those things to Collin’s actual finances.
To her, the villa and those cars were nothing more than a few handouts from the Riley family-perks they had tossed his way to wash their hands of him.
From the moment she learned about his debt, she had believed, without a doubt, that he was struggling financially.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.