Behind The Spotlight Chapter 239
"Collin, are you okay?" Lila studied his expression.
"Huh?" He blinked, as if he were in deep thought.
"I feel like you're not in a good mood. You seem distracted and distant."
"Well..." He exhaled slowly.
"If you're not comfortable sharing it, you don't have to. Just forget that I asked." She raised her hands gently, signaling that she wasn't pushing him.
"No... I think I should talk about it to someone, or else I'll keep it inside until I can't anymore. I'm sorry, I rarely talk about my problems to my loved ones. I don't want them to worry." His gaze dropped to the floor.
He was more comfortable sharing his problems with strangers, people who were not directly involved in his life. Just like when he first met Axel and told him about his life.
"Does that mean you don't feel anything for me?" She slightly raised her brow.
"I mean, we are in a boss-employee relationship." He was unsure how to respond properly.
Lila chuckled.
"That's what I like about you." Her lips curved knowingly.
"..." Collin didn't react.
"You always protect your loved ones. I hope one day you'll treat me like that."
When Collin looked at Lila, she had a mischievous grin. Collin admitted that his boss was very beautiful.
"Are you playing with me, or are you being serious?"
"Do I look like I'm playing with you?" She leaned in slightly, her gaze unwavering.
"I don't know. It's hard to tell with you."
Collin swallowed slightly. Lila watched his expression and couldn't help but giggle, finding it amusing.
A few years ago, when she first met him in the company, Collin showed nervousness. That nervousness around her slowly disappeared as he became mature and composed as a talent agent.
Yet now, Collin was showing that same nervousness again. Of course, she also liked it whenever Collin looked at her with that deep, cold gaze...
"So, are you going to talk about your story? Just so you know, we might be strangers for now, but that might change later. Are you comfortable sharing this story with me?" Lila returned to assembling the gunpla, keeping her hands busy.
"... It's about my ex." Collin started speaking.
"I'm listening, and I won't judge you. Everyone has their own issues and circumstances. No one is perfect." She nodded.
"My ex's name is Belle, and she was my girlfriend for five years. We were what you call childhood sweethearts. We grew up together and shared many memories."
"So Belle, is it?" Lila slightly smirked, but her fingers tightened as she picked up a piece.
"She cheated on me and got pregnant by a drug dealer. She deceived me by telling me the child was mine, and I was so happy at that time. I thought I was going to be a father. I even proposed and promised her everything. But a few weeks before the wedding, the drug dealer showed up and told the truth." His voice remained steady.
Collin recalled those events. He had been deeply hurt and struggled to move on. It didn't help that his father was sick at the time and eventually passed away, adding more weight to his burden. He truly loved Belle back then.
Fortunately, he slowly moved on when he went to Los Angeles. He was too busy making money to dwell on the past.
Still, what she did left a lasting scar on his heart. Collin had tried to find love again a few years ago. He even fell for Dee at first, but those feelings didn't last long after she rejected his confession.
Now, Collin had more or less accepted that love might not be for him. He had already made peace with it... He would die alone.
Perhaps having a superpower had cursed him?
"So what happened after that? You said you're over her, so why the long face?" Lila asked. She admitted that she was interested in everything about Collin.
"She showed up today, right before you arrived."
"You don't say?" Lila slightly raised her brow. Her mind replayed the woman she had seen earlier, the one with two children in the elevator. No wonder she had seemed familiar.
"She begged me to get back together. She said she regretted what she did... I don't even remember if she properly apologized. I didn't really care enough to listen. But I never agreed to anything she said. I'm not crazy enough to do that." His voice sharpened, firm and decisive.
"That's the spirit." She praised him.
"... If there's something that affected me, it's her answer when I asked her why she cheated on me." For the first time, Collin smiled genuinely. The sadness in his eyes disappeared.
"She said that I'm too stable. That I'm a good guy, and she wanted someone more exciting." A faint laugh escaped him. He felt relieved rather than bitter.
Lila blushed slightly when she saw his genuine smile. His heartfelt expression made her heart skip a beat. She quickly looked down, pretending to focus on the gunpla. She had already found his cold gaze dangerous, but even his simple smile was enough to affect her.
"..." She held her breath for a moment, trying to calm herself.
"You know, I'm actually not a good guy, or at least I don't consider myself one. But I am good to the people I care about. No matter what, I always want to see my family smile. I want to provide the best for them. And for that, I have no intention of changing who I am." His voice carried certainty.
Collin had briefly considered becoming a "bad guy" after hearing Belle's reasoning. But he realized he couldn't do that. The idea of treating his loved ones poorly felt unnatural. It went against everything he believed in.
"If you enter another romantic relationship, are you going to become a bad guy or not?" Lila watched him carefully.
"I won't change for someone else. I want to stay true to myself. I'll always be a good person to the people I care about. That's who I am." His answer came without hesitation.
When Lila heard his response, she grinned and stepped closer. She gently patted his head, trying to comfort him.
[Thank you for reading this novel.]