?Chapter 816:


    Dolores sat straighter, bristling. “Of course. Why would I lie to you?” She shot Linsey a sideways nce, puffed up with mock pride. “I’m a grown woman. Gettingid is perfectly normal, isn’t it?”


    Linsey nodded in agreement. “Of course. Totally normal.”


    Dolores’ relief was short-lived. Linsey leaned in close and whispered with a wicked smile, “So… was it Dustin?”


    Dolores nearly jumped out of her skin. She recoiled into the sofa cushions, wide-eyed. “How the hell did you figure that out?!”


    Linsey gave an innocent blink. “You told me at the banquet that you were taking Dustin away. Then you vanished. Connect the dots.” She paused, thoughtful now. “Even when I was away from Grester, you’d still tell me random things about him. Stories, little details. That kind of consistency? It means something.”


    She rubbed her chin as if piecing together a puzzle. “From what I know, Dustin isn’t exactly Mr. Sentimental. But he’s not careless either. If he’s been keeping up with you all this time, I’d say you matter to him. More than a little.”


    Dolores looked down, teeth pressing into her lip. “Last night… I think he confessed his feelings.”


    Linsey’s eyes lit up instantly. “So, what? You two just jumped into each other’s arms?”


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    “No!” Dolores groaned, covering her face with one hand. “I was drunk. I didn’t even understand what he meant. The whole thing—it just kind of… happened.”


    Linsey leaned closer again, curiosity written all over her. “So, do you have feelings for him?”


    Dolores took a deep breath, straightened up, and spoke seriously. “Honestly, I’ve never really thought about things like that.”


    She looked Linsey right in the eye, steady and sure. “Thepany’s just starting to grow. Right now, dating’s not a priority. I feel like if I get into a rtionship, it’ll just take up too much of my time.” She paused, then added, “Besides, I’m still not sure how I feel about Dustin. I’ve always just seen him as a friend…”


    Linsey gave a gentle nod. “That’s okay. Feelings aren’t something you rush. Take your time—I’m not going to push you.”


    Dolores smiled faintly, and the topic naturally dropped. All of a sudden, she seemed to remember something important. “The reason I took Dustin awayst night was because I was worried he’d remember seeing Zander at that restaurant. I mean, Zander looks so much like Collin. If that jerk ever finds out, do you think he’d try to take him away?”


    Linsey’s face turned serious in a sh. “Zander is my son. If Collin tries to take him, he’ll have to go through me first. I won’t back down, not for a second.”


    Dolores looked startled and quickly spoke up. “Let’s not panic. Grester’s a big ce. With any luck, Collin may never run into him.”


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