Chapter 339

Chapter 339

I stood there feeling slightly embarrassed.

But then I thought—why should I feel awkward? I hadn't accepted these flowers.

I casually tossed the bouquet into the corner with a dismissive comment: "These flowers smell terrible anyway. Nothing special about them."

As the words left my mouth, I noticed Christopher's lips curl into the faintest smile before he quickly suppressed it.

Clearly, my rejection of the flowers had pleased him.

For some reason, his mood seemed contagious, and I found my own spirits lifting unexpectedly.

Christopher gestured toward the car. "Let's go. I'm thinking sandwiches for breakfast."

"What?" I was genuinely surprised.

I've always been somewhat particular about food, but Tiana had never disappointed, always preparing varied and delicious breakfasts that satisfied my culinary whims.

In all our breakfast meetings, I couldn't recall Christopher ever expressing a preference for sandwiches.

With Tiana at his disposal, he could have anything he wanted prepared to perfection.

Christopher caught my expression. "Something wrong with that?"

"Not at all," I replied. "I just didn't realize sandwiches were your thing, Mr. Collins."

"Sometimes a change of pace is nice," he answered smoothly.

But there was something in his penetrating gaze that made me wonder if he'd chosen this specifically because of me.

"Mr. Collins, if you'd prefer something else, you don't have to join me..."

The moment the words left my mouth, we both froze, our eyes inadvertently meeting.

I struggled to maintain my composure, looking away while my heart hammered in my chest.

Christopher, ever the picture of self-control, recovered quickly.

I couldn't help stealing glances at his perfect profile, the sharp line of his jaw, his Adam's apple...

Catching myself, I quickly averted my eyes.

The atmosphere in the car had shifted, charged with an unspoken tension that neither of us acknowledged yet both allowed to linger.

I canceled my delivery order.

During breakfast, we were both unusually quiet, but strangely, it wasn't uncomfortable—there was almost a sweetness to the silence.

Later, as we drove to the office, I finally received a reply from Quinlan.

Quinlan: [Sorry, Melinda. I've been swamped and just saw your message.]

I knew what "swamped" meant—her phone had likely been flooded with messages from Idris's fans, burying mine in the process.

Me: [No problem. I just wanted to make sure you're okay.]

Quinlan: [I'm fine. Don't worry about me.]

Me: [Did you resolve the situation with Yosef and Yasmin?]

She confirmed they had. Idris had stepped in to help draft an agreement that Yosef and Yasmin had accepted.

This wasn't surprising, but I wondered aloud whether people like them would actually honor any contract.

Quinlan's response had an edge to it: [They may not care about me, but they care about their son. If they don't want to ruin his future, they'll behave.]

So the agreement involved her brother somehow.

Clearly, Quinlan wasn't particularly happy with this outcome. I know her well—if she'd truly felt free of Yosef and Yasmin, she would have been celebrating. Instead, she seemed resigned.

It was as if she'd had a better solution in mind, but circumstances had forced her hand.

Then came her next message: [Melinda, I have a boyfriend now.]

This confirmed her relationship with Idris.

Whatever brought them together, I had no reason to interfere, especially since Christopher had vouched for Idris's character.

I replied supportively: [That's nothing to feel guilty about. You're young—it's the perfect time to be dating someone.]

But Quinlan didn't display the excitement of someone newly in love. She seemed more like someone who'd been pushed into this situation.

She typed something else, then quickly deleted it before I could read it.

I then texted: [Mr. Collins says Idris is a good man.]

Even if their feelings weren't deep yet, at least she wouldn't be hurt by someone decent.

Quinlan agreed: [He really is!]

But she also confided her struggles: [Dating a celebrity like Idris looks glamorous from the outside, but it's not. Some immature fans have completely taken over my social media accounts. They've disrupted my life, and some have even threatened suicide if I don't break up with him.]

I knew Quinlan was kindhearted. These negative messages were affecting her deeply.

What worried her most was the possibility that among those suicide threats, one or two might be genuine. If anything happened, she would blame herself completely.

After she shared this, I offered what comfort I could.

She quickly apologized and texted: [Sorry, Melinda. I shouldn't burden you with my problems when you're already under so much stress at work.]

I reassured her and replied: [You don't always do this. We're family and friends, right? This is exactly when friends should be there for each other. Don't feel troubled, Quinlan. Sometimes you don't need to push yourself so hard. Taking things one step at a time can be freeing.]

I wasn't sure if my advice resonated with her, but it was all I could offer.

We chatted a bit more before ending the call.

I'd been trying to understand Idris's motivations. Perhaps he recognized that some fans were fickle, and this situation would filter out the fair-weather supporters, leaving only the loyal ones who would truly help his career long-term.

From that perspective, Idris might be showing real foresight and wisdom.

After all, those who reach the top in entertainment typically combine genuine talent with high emotional intelligence.

As I finished my call, I noticed Christopher watching me.

I'd been so engrossed in my conversation that I'd completely ignored him.

I explained I'd been talking with Quinlan.

Then I couldn't help adding, "Mr. Collins, since you have Idris's number—if he contacts you again, would you mind passing along a message? Tell him I'm Quinlan's family, and if he doesn't treat her well, he'll have me to answer to."