Chapter 613



Before she could finish speaking, Lucas extended his hand, offering a beautifully packaged box to her. “Belinda, this is for you.”

“What is it?” Belinda asked.

“A cake from Delight Desserts,” Lucas replied, his voice raspy.

At the mention of the shop, Belinda’s body stiffened. Delight Desserts… Three years ago, she had gone there. She had stood in line, braving the rain, all for Lucas. And now…

Belinda didn’t reach out to take the box. Instead, she met Lucas’ gaze, her expression calm. “What’s the meaning of this? What are you trying to accomplish by doing this?”

Lucas hesitated before saying, “Belinda, I’m not doing this to make you forgive me. I just wanted to understand what you went through before, to feel the emotions you felt back then.” He had spent over three hours to buy the cake. The shop was located on a pedestrian street, inaccessible by car, forcing him to walk. Just like that day, it rained heavily today. He had stood in line at Delight Desserts, soaked to the bone without an umbrella. As droplets slid down his face, his thoughts kept wandering to Belinda. She had stood here once, braving the rain, waiting patiently to buy him that cake. Despite the relentless downpour, Delight Desserts had remained as crowded as ever, its popularity undiminished.

After nearly two grueling hours, Lucas had finally bought the cake. When he stepped onto the rain-slicked street, the deluge blurred his vision. Before he could react, a bicycle slammed into him, sending him crashing into a lamppost. But he didn’t stop to check his injury. Clutching the cake as if it were something precious, he hurried toward Belinda’s place. Every step of the way, he shielded the box from the rain, his grip firm and his resolve unwavering.

Only after experiencing this himself did he realize what Belinda must have felt when she saw him hand the cake directly to Verena without a second thought that day. Just the thought of it made his heart ache.

After hearing Lucas’ words, Belinda let out a faint chuckle. “So what if you understand now? Does it change anything?” Lucas remained silent.

Belinda’s gaze didn’t waver as she continued, “If you know it doesn’t change a thing, why bother doing all this?”

Without waiting for an answer, she shut the door in his face.

For a moment, Lucas just stared at the closed door, pain flashing briefly in his eyes. He let out a shaky breath, set the box carefully on the doorstep, and walked away.

Inside the house, Belinda was in no better mood. Unsurprisingly, the night brought her no rest.

The next morning, she rose with dark circles under her eyes. After a quick breakfast, she got ready to leave. As she opened the door, she immediately noticed the box of cake placed on the doorstep. Her steps faltered.

For a moment, her resolve wavered. But two seconds later, she straightened up, looked away, and continued to walk with determination.

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