Chapter 26:
“How is it?” she asked, her voice tinged with hope.
Collin glanced at her and muttered,
“Not bad.”
Linsey’s heart fluttered with excitement. For someone like Collin, she felt that receiving such a compliment was already a victory.
She watched him take a few more bites before she finally spoke up, her voice soft yet full of anticipation.
“Oh, I got some good news.”
Collin’s fork paused midair, his chewing slowing down as his attention shifted toward her.
Linsey took a deep breath and continued,
“I found a job. I passed the interview today, and I’ll be starting tomorrow. The salary’s decent, and I can finally help ease some of your burden, so you won’t have to carry everything on your shoulders.”
For a brief moment, surprise flickered across Collin’s face.
It never crossed Collin’s mind that the immense debt he had casually fabricated would weigh so heavily on Linsey.
What struck him even more was how genuinely determined she seemed to face it with him.
He fixed his gaze on Linsey, sitting across from him, trying to look past her cheerful smile, searching for any trace of uncertainty beneath the surface.
Perhaps it was all just a front.
How could there possibly be a woman so selfless, willing to help him without expecting anything in return? In the soft glow of the dim lighting, Linsey remained blissfully unaware of the shift in his expression.
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Her spirits were high from the success of her new job at CR Corporation, and she was too excited to notice his internal conflict.
She reached for the red wine on the table, matching Collin’s earlier move, and downed it in one swift motion.
But unlike Collin, who remained composed, she immediately broke into a cough, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as her face turned a shade of pink.
“Why is this wine so strong?” She stuck her tongue out, making a playful face.
“You can’t handle your drink?” Collin asked, his gaze cool as he observed her discomfort.
Linsey shrugged lightly, her laughter escaping in a small, embarrassed breath.
“I don’t usually drink, but tonight’s different. We’re celebrating, right?”
With a mischievous smile, she tried to pour herself another glass.
After a moment’s pause, Collin gently took the bottle from her unsteady grip, his tone calm and composed.
“That’s enough. If you don’t enjoy drinking, you don’t need to force yourself.”
Linsey blinked, stunned by his rare display of concern, then quickly shook her head.
“I’m not forcing myself. I’m just so happy today, I wanted to celebrate with a drink.”
Collin glanced at her briefly, his gaze softening. For a moment, he was entranced.
Her face was radiant, flushed with the warmth of the wine, and her eyes shimmered with the haze of intoxication.
Her lips, full and inviting, reminded him of ripe strawberries, their softness promising the sweetness of a thousand unspoken desires. He couldn’t shake the thought that they would burst with juicy sweetness at the slightest press.
