Chapter 761:
Linsey stared at Gorman, caught off guard.
For a moment, she saw a different side of him—assertive and deeply perceptive.
Taking a moment to steady her breathing, Linsey composed herself.
“Gorman, my feelings toward Collin are my own business. I’ll manage them myself—I don’t need anyone interfering,” Linsey said with remarkable calm and composure. “I appreciate your help, but if you intend to use that as leverage to pressure me, we might need to redefine our relationship strictly as business. Any debt I owe you can be settled with money.”
Gorman’s eyes flickered, his voice trembling as he responded, “Linsey, are you serious?”
Linsey’s gaze didn’t waver; her voice carried a grave sincerity.
“Gorman, I know you want more than friendship from me, but I have to be honest. Regardless of what happens with Collin, pursuing anything romantic with you isn’t an option.”
She paused briefly, her voice softening. “I do value your support, especially when it comes to Zenia and Zander. But my feelings for you will always remain strictly platonic.”
Gorman’s face darkened, his stare turning hollow as he looked at her.
“Linsey, do you really have to be so cruel to me?”
Linsey offered a patient explanation. “If I were truly heartless, I would have accepted your affection blindly, pretending not to notice.”
“I wish you had,” Gorman murmured, his smile tinged with bitterness. “To be honest, Linsey, I’d prefer if you weren’t so honest with me. It would let me keep the illusion I’ve built.”
Shaking her head gently, Linsey whispered, “That’s just something I can’t do, Gorman. I really can’t.”
She bit her lip, continuing, “There are many women far better suited for you than I am.”
They faced each other, both trying to keep their voices steady. Yet it was Gorman who struggled to hide his emotions, while Linsey remained composed and unmoved by his distress.
Sometimes, Gorman wished Linsey would lose her composure with him, thinking it would prove she had some emotional stake in him.
He looked away, hiding the frustration and anger swirling inside. He found it hard to accept Linsey’s insistence that no matter what happened with Collin, she could never be with him.
A bitter laugh echoed in his thoughts as he considered her words. He couldn’t accept that Linsey felt nothing for him.
Inside, he tried to reassure himself that her emotional reaction was just a response to the unexpected encounter with Collin. When Gorman looked up again, the sadness was gone from his face.
“Okay, Linsey,” he said, forcing a smile. “I was too hasty before. It was wrong of me to put you on the spot like that with Collin. I’ll give your words some thought when I’m alone.”
He took a deep breath and added, still smiling, “We can still be friends, can’t we? The kind with no hidden agenda. You know, over the years, my support wasn’t only because of how I felt about you—it was also for Zenia and Zander. They’re wonderful kids, and I’ve grown attached to them. For my own sake, I’d like to stay a part of their lives, to watch them grow. Would that be alright?”
