Chapter 63 How Could You Just Throw It Away


    Seeing the box in her hands, Linsey shot Collin a startled look. "A gift?"


    After lecturing him, she was the one receiving a present? It felt almost unreal.


    A warmth spread through her chest, and she hesitated before asking, “Can I open it now?"


    Collin''s gaze remained locked on her face as he watched for even the subtlest shift in her expression.


    "Yes, you can," he replied.


    With a mixture of excitement and curiosity, Linsey lifted the lid. The moment her eyes fell on the dazzling gemstone


    ne inside, she froze. The sheer brilliance of it was overwhelming.


    A sharp gasp escaped her lips, and before she could think, she instinctively pushed the box toward him. "This... This is too


    much. I can''t take it."


    What was Collin thinking? They still had a hundred-million-dor debt hanging over their heads, and here he was, giving her a ne? And one that looked outrageously expensive.


    It didn''t add up. Wasn''t he supposed to bepletely broke? Sure, they lived in a luxurious vi, and there were high-end cars parked in the garage, but she had never once linked those things to Collin''s actual finances.


    To her, the vi and those cars were nothing more than a few handouts from the Riley family-perks they had tossed his


    way to wash their hands of him.


    From the moment she learned about his debt, she had believed, without a doubt, that he was struggling financially.


    So now, faced with this extravagant gift, she waspletely thrown off bnce.


    Collin''s anticipation shattered at her reaction, and his expression darkened. "You''re my wife. Buying you something nice-


    is that really so uneptable?"


    Linsey looked torn, frustration tightening her grip on the box. "Collin, we''re drowning in debt, and you''re spending money


    on a gemstone ne?"


    She exhaled sharply. "Besides, even if I keep it, when would I ever wear something like this? Am I supposed to show up at


    work with a giant gemstone around my neck? It''s way too shy."


    Her voice softened, but the concern in her eyes remained. "If I take it, it''ll just sit in


    a drawer collecting dust. Why don''t


    you return it? You should be saving money to pay off the debt."


    For a moment, Collin was at a loss for words. He hadn''t expected Linsey to still be so fixated on his so-called debt, especially now.


    He didn''t know whether to be touched by her concern or let out a bitterugh.


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    Chapter 63 How Could You Just Throw It Away


    But since he was the one who had spun this lie, he had no choice but to keep it believable.


    "I have a way to handle the debt. You don''t need to worry about it," he reassured her.


    Linsey let out a quiet sigh and spoke gently. "Collin, don''t be like this. I know you mean well, and I appreciate it. Once the debt is paid off, you can buy me something like this. I''d be happy to ept it then."


    Her expression grew resolute. "But right now, I just can''t. I have to think about us- and our future."


    A dull ache settled in Collin''s head. For the first time in years, he truly understood what it meant to shoot himself in the


    foot.


    His voice tensed. "You really don''t want it?"


    "That''s right! I mean it. I really don''t want it! Just take it back to wherever you bought it." Linsey folded her arms. "You


    should still be able to return it."


    Collin didn''t answer. A few seconds passed in silence before, without a word, he tossed the box into the nearby trash can,


    his face unreadable.


    "Hey! What are you doing?" Linsey gasped, her eyes widening in disbelief.


    He met her stunned gaze, his voice calm but unwavering. "If you don''t want this ne, then it''s nothing but trash. I''m


    not returning it."


    A jolt of panic shot through her. She quickly retrieved the box from the bin, relieved to see it had onlynded on discarded


    documents and wasn''t ruined.


    "Collin, you-" She stopped herself before blurting out the words circling her mind. He was being ridiculous.


    She swallowed back her frustration and tried again. "This ne is expensive! How could you just throw it away?"


    Collin''s expression didn''t waver. "If it''s something you don''t like, then it''s worthless. No different from garbage."


    Linsey clenched her jaw, resisting the urge to flick his forehead just to see if he was thinking straight.


    She inhaled deeply, forcing herself to stay calm.


    She couldn''t scold him-he had put in the effort to pick out a gift for her, and she had rejected it outright.


    If their roles were reversed, she would probably feel hurt, too.


    After a moment of contemtion, she finally relented. "Collin, since this ne


    is a gift from you... shouldn''t you help


    me put it on?"


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