Chapter 1416:
A heavy slam shook the room as the door swung shut.
Dustin could only stare at the closed door, confusion etched across his face while a dozen questions raced through his mind.
Why would Collin throw away his careful act, ditching the wheelchair he always used as a disguise?
Then the truth hit him, and his eyes widened in sudden shock.
Was Collin really running out of that private room just because a woman cried out for help?
The idea flickered in Dustin’s mind, but he shot it down almost immediately. Years of friendship had taught him that Collin never got involved in situations that didn’t concern him, nor did he ever act out of pure goodwill.
The only logical reason was that he must have recognized who was behind that voice.
There was no mistaking it belonged to a woman.
Countless women had tried to get close to Collin, yet he had always turned them away without interest.
Only two names ever really meant anything to Collin. Kylee had once held that place, a connection from his childhood. But with her lying in a hospital bed and their history long severed, it was impossible she could be the one outside.
The other was Linsey—the woman who had slept with him.
The more Dustin replayed the cry in his head, the clearer it became. His face shifted as the realization sank in.
Inside another private room, Linsey had been insisting again and again that she was there as a partner in business, not as some escort for entertainment. She told Winslow to treat her with respect.
Her words had barely left her mouth before the table of men erupted into laughter, loud and mocking, as though she had just delivered a comedy act. Things only got worse when Winslow slipped his arm over her shoulders, his breath heavy with alcohol.
His voice dropped as he leaned in closer, saying, “Drop the act. You already saw this coming, didn’t you?”
Other executives jumped in, each comment dragging the situation lower, until Linsey finally realized—she had walked straight into a trap.
It became painfully clear that signing any contract would mean more than impressive paperwork. The real cost was serving Winslow and the men at his table.
This meeting was never about business. It was a setup from the start.
Each word they threw at her sank deep, leaving her trembling. What stung most was the thought that Yana, the one who should have stood on her side, had pushed her into this.
Survival instincts kicked in. Linsey gave up on explanations and, the moment things went too far, bolted for the door.
How could Winslow relinquish the tantalizing prize now within his grasp? At his barked command, the others closed in on Linsey, deaf to her protests as they forced her into a chair.
