Chapter 9
The morning light poured into the penthouse, soft and golden. Linsey stood at the kitchen island, sipping coffee and watching the clouds drift across the sky. It had been a peaceful night—the kind of calm that made her wonder if life was finally shifting in her favor.
But peace never lasted long.
Collin stepped in, dressed for the day, phone in hand and a look on his face she hadn’t seen before. Cold. Closed off.
“What is it?” she asked, instantly alert.
He placed the phone on the counter. “They’re digging.”
Linsey frowned. “Who?”
“Everyone,” he said. “Joanna. Felix. The press. They’ve started leaking details—half-truths, exaggerated stories from my past.”
“Is any of it true?”
He met her eyes. “Some. But not the way they’ll tell it.”
Linsey set down her cup. “You knew this would happen.”
He nodded. “Eventually. I just didn’t expect them to move this fast.”
“What do we do?” she asked.
“We stay ahead of them.”
Later that day, the damage began.
News outlets started airing clips of “investigative reports” about Collin’s earlier days—claims that he’d done shady deals to build his first company, whispers of bribery, tax evasion, even illegal bidding tactics. Some of it was complete fiction. But some… hit uncomfortably close to home.
Linsey watched as commentators speculated about their marriage again. This time, not as a love story—but as a cover-up.
“Was this wedding just a distraction from a darker truth?”
Her stomach twisted. She turned to Collin, who was standing behind her, arms crossed, expression unreadable.
“Tell me everything,” she said.
He hesitated. “You won’t like it.”
“Tell me anyway.”
He sat down across from her, his voice low and steady. “When I left five years ago, I didn’t have a name. I had debt, a failing tech idea, and a pile of rejection letters. So I took money from the wrong people. Silent investors. They got me started—but they weren’t clean. And I couldn’t back out once I was in.”
Linsey’s heart sank. “So the rumors…”
“Are rooted in truth,” he admitted. “But I paid them off. Cut all ties. Built something legitimate after that. I just didn’t erase the mess fast enough.”
She didn’t speak for a moment. Then she looked him in the eye. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“I didn’t want you to see me the way the world does. I wanted you to know me first—not my dirt.”
Linsey leaned back, thinking hard. “Are they still after you?”
“No,” he said. “But they want to ruin my name. And now that we’re married, they’ll use you to do it.”
She blinked. “Me?”
“If they can’t tear me down directly, they’ll make you look like a fool. Paint you as a clueless pawn. Or worse—a gold-digger.”
Linsey’s hands clenched into fists. “Let them try.”
Collin looked surprised. “You’re not scared?”
“I’ve already been humiliated by people I trusted,” she said quietly. “This time, I won’t stand still and let it happen.”
A slow smile touched his lips. “You’re stronger than you realize.”
That night, they made their first move.
Linsey agreed to sit down for a live interview—just her. Alone. No Collin. No defenses.
The host tried to catch her off guard with questions about his past. About the rumors. About the money.
But Linsey didn’t flinch.
“I won’t pretend he’s perfect,” she said calmly, eyes straight into the camera. “He made mistakes. Everyone has. But I know the man he is now. And I trust him.”
The host raised an eyebrow. “Even after learning what he hid from you?”
“Yes,” Linsey replied. “Because he didn’t hide it to protect himself. He hid it to protect me. And now that it’s out, I’m still here.”
Her voice grew firmer. “Let them dig. Let them shout. We won’t break.”
The interview went viral overnight.
Comments flooded in—some skeptical, some supportive—but many calling her brave. Authentic.
Collin watched the entire thing from his office, pride rising in his chest.
He didn’t deserve her. Not yet.
But he was getting closer.