Chapter 45



Ryan’s eyes flickered with a sharp awareness at Belinda’s question. He wondered if she was truly interested in Lucas.

With a thoughtful nod, he replied quickly, “Yes, Verena, my cousin, was Lucas’ girlfriend and remains the love of his life.”

Belinda smiled slightly. “But I’ve heard rumors that Lucas is married already, and… His wife isn’t your cousin.”

Ryan’s expression darkened instantly. “Lucas’ wife? She’s nobody—overweight, with an ugly birthmark on her face.”

Lucas married her solely to protect my cousin. When Verena returned three years ago, Lucas sought a divorce immediately. Yet, his wife was too cunning and escaped overseas. Otherwise, Lucas and Verena would have been reunited in marriage by now. Lucas has assured Verena that they will marry immediately after he divorces that woman.”

Ryan paused for a moment before adding, “No one can disrupt the bond between Verena and Lucas. They are bound to be together.”

Belinda’s expression hardened, her grip on her fork tightening. Though she had carried the weight of this knowledge for three years, hearing it repeated still stifled and discomforted her.

Ryan, observing Belinda’s demeanor, narrowed his eyes and continued, “Moreover, there was another factor behind Lucas’ decision to marry that ugly woman.”

Belinda raised her gaze to meet his, feeling curious.

With a cunning smile, Ryan explained, “Originally, Lucas’ father had chosen a lady from the esteemed Perez family, one of the most prominent families among the elite, for Lucas to marry. Marrying Miss Perez would have devastated Verena. Miss Perez’s beauty and distinguished background would have made Verena feel overshadowed and insecure about losing Lucas’ affection. Thus, by marrying the lesser-known daughter of the Wright family, Lucas avoided making Verena feel that way.”

Belinda’s complexion drained. Her throat constricted, making each swallow painful. Internally, she derided the extremes Lucas had gone to for Verena.

With feigned concern, Ryan asked, “Ms. Thomas, are you feeling well? You seem quite pale now.”

In reality, Ryan had fabricated the story. He had intentionally crafted it to convey to Belinda the depth of Lucas’ affection for Verena. His goal was to make Belinda believe that she had no chance with Lucas.

Yet, Belinda believed the words Ryan had just said were true. Her heart throbbed with a slow, relentless pain as she struggled to calm her emotions. Managing a forced smile, she said, “That’s odd. If Lucas cherishes Verena so dearly, why would he choose another for marriage?”

Ryan sighed resignedly and said, “The blame falls directly on Lucas’ father, Harold! He considered my cousin unworthy of marrying Lucas due to her modest background and strictly forbade their marriage. Now, the tables have turned. Lucas wields full authority over the Clark family, and Harold’s objections carry no weight.”

Throughout Ryan’s explanation, Belinda scrutinized his expressions meticulously. His gaze remained steady; nothing seemed amiss. It seemed this was indeed the truth as Ryan saw it. He was clearly oblivious to the deeper reasons behind Harold’s disapproval of Verena.

.

.

.