Chapter 92:
He squinted thoughtfully, rubbing his chin. “Maybe Linsey is just playing hard-to-get, you think?”
“No, that’s not it,” Collin replied, pressing his lips into a thin line. “She’s genuinely concerned about me squandering money and not being able to clear my debt.”
This revelation left Dustin utterly dumbfounded. “Debt? What kind of debt are you talking about?”
As Collin laid out the outrageous 100-million-dollar debt he had made up, Dustin burst into hearty laughter, clutching his stomach. “I can’t believe it, Collin… Who would have thought you’d be the one to mess things up like that?”
Regaining his composure, Dustin leaned in, a playful smirk playing on his lips. “You know, if Linsey ever uncovers your lie, you’re going to be in deep trouble. From what I’ve seen, the more innocent they are, the harder they fall when they discover a betrayal. And Linsey? With her personality…”
Collin’s expression darkened at Dustin’s words. A frown creased his brow as he mulled over the implications. “She won’t find out,” he declared with a hint of defiance.
After a brief pause, he added more quietly, “And even if she does, she won’t really care.”
“You’re playing with fire, man,” Dustin warned, shaking his head disapprovingly. “You’re still a beginner in matters like these. Take my advice—come clean to her at your first opportunity, or you might end up regretting it.”
Collin’s frown deepened, his gaze dropping to the floor as he contemplated Dustin’s advice. After a moment of heavy silence, he murmured, “I see your point. I’ll think about it.”
Meanwhile, at the office, Linsey sneezed out of nowhere, catching herself off guard.
She scrunched her face in displeasure, hastily reaching for a tissue to dab at her nose. A niggling suspicion that someone might be slandering her wormed its way into her thoughts.
Little did she know, her instincts weren’t far off—Collin and Dustin were indeed talking about her.
Almost reflexively, her eyes flicked towards Cynthia.
Linsey caught her seemingly disengaged from her work, huddled with a few colleagues. They were chatting with enthusiasm, sneaking glances at her every so often.
Linsey’s brows knitted together in irritation. It seemed some people never learned their lesson, continuing to fuel the gossip about her.
Deciding to rise above the petty office politics, Linsey submerged herself back into her workload.
However, her attempt at focus was abruptly interrupted when Coen approached her desk, his face etched with gravity. “Linsey, come to my office,” he stated firmly.
As she rose from her chair, Linsey’s eyes inadvertently met Cynthia’s across the room. The sight of Cynthia’s self-satisfied smirk sent a shiver of anxiety through her. What on earth could be going on?
Linsey churned through a whirlwind of thoughts, but still followed Coen into the seclusion of his office with a tentative step. As he closed the door with a soft click, he reached for a file sprawled across the desk and extended it toward her.
“This is a major client’s order, and it’s now in your hands. I trust you’ll uphold the standards of our department,” Coen stated, his voice carrying a mix of command and expectation.
The assignment took Linsey by surprise, her eyes widening slightly. Her heart thudded with a sudden rush of excitement mixed with a pinch of anxiety.
“Really? Even though I’m still within my probation period?” she queried, her voice tinged with disbelief as she accepted the file, her fingers brushing lightly against the paper.
