Chapter 1122:
She took a few slow sips, draining half the glass before lowering it thoughtfully. Something occurred to her, and she turned her gaze toward him. “Why were you late tonight?” she asked, her voice quiet but curious.
Collin answered with composure, “I was wrapping up the mess Dustin left behind.”
Linsey shot him a look, her voice lowering to a playful whisper. “You do realize that’s just the story we’ve been feeding everyone, right?”
The truth, of course, was that Dustin had never really left CR Corporation. His supposed fallout with Collin had been a carefully choreographed illusion, all designed to deceive Joanne and Hester.
Collin reached out and gently wiped the droplets clinging to the corner of her lips. “There were still a few issues at the company that needed attention. I was delayed. That’s all,” he said reassuringly.
Linsey accepted the explanation without protest. She trusted him.
They had promised to keep no secrets from one another. Over such a minor matter, she saw no reason to doubt him.
With a subtle change of subject, she leaned closer, whispering quietly about other things.
Collin, meanwhile, watched her closely. Her glowing smile, her relaxed posture—it all stirred a deep tenderness in him.
In truth, he had kept one secret from her. But it would be the last.
After all, if he revealed his proposal plans and the wedding he had meticulously been preparing, it would ruin the surprise.
He felt he owed her more than words could express.
Nearly five years had passed since their first meeting in that church.
Their initial wedding had been swift and unadorned—born more of necessity than romance. To protect his identity, he had offered her no grand gesture, no fanfare. Then came the quarrels. After the divorce, she left the country, pregnant and alone.
Even their remarriage, later, had been handled discreetly—no wedding. From the moment they reunited, Collin had vowed to give her a ceremony worthy of her. But before that, he wanted to give her a proposal she would never forget.
Yes, they were already husband and wife by law, but he wanted to go through it all properly.
As they exchanged quiet banter on the sofa, the rest of the world faded. Neither of them noticed Dustin a short distance away, tense and restless, locked in a conversation that carried far more weight.
“Mom,” Dustin said, his voice steady but intense, “everything I’ve said is the truth.”
He drew a deep breath, meeting Hester’s gaze head-on. “Dolores and I love each other. She built Davidson Group from the ground up—on her own. Isn’t that just like what you did when you saved Wade Group on your own?” He spoke earnestly, every word weighed with meaning.
For months now, Hester had walked a careful line: criticizing Dolores while praising Linsey and Collin. Dustin had long since seen through it.
She didn’t necessarily hate Dolores—she just didn’t want him drifting further from Wade Group. She wanted him back, steering the family’s legacy. But he had no intention of turning away from CR Corporation.
So she elevated others. Compared him. Pressured him.
And now, hearing his sincerity, Hester sighed deeply. “You’re right,” she said at last. “Dolores is exceptional. Building Davidson Group without a powerful name behind her—it’s impressive. When I said she relied on you for investment, it was only to provoke you.”
