Chapter 706



Sure enough, Lucas said, “Stay away from Belinda.” His voice was cold, his tone commanding.

Darwin responded with a polite smile, betraying none of his emotions. “You must have seen the photos of Miss Wright and me. You’ve misunderstood the situation. It was just an accident. Miss Wright was knocked off balance, and I simply reached out to steady her.”

Lucas let out a scoff. “Of course, I know it’s a misunderstanding. Nevertheless, you need to stay away from Belinda!”

Darwin raised an eyebrow. “I’m afraid that would be difficult, Mr. Clark. You see, Miss Wright and I are friends. It’s customary for friends to go out every once in a while for a meal or chat.”

At that point, Lucas didn’t bother to hide his disdain. “Friends?” he spat. “We both know you have other motives for getting close to Belinda. Do you even have any idea how much trouble you’ve caused her? Take Minna, for example. She has been relentlessly targeting Belinda, and it’s all because of you! Some kind of friend you are, making Belinda’s life difficult. I’m not comfortable having someone like you around her. You’d better do the smart thing and disappear from her life once and for all!”

Darwin flushed as guilt and embarrassment surged in his chest. He couldn’t deny that he was, indeed, partly to blame for Minna’s attacks on Belinda. However…

Darwin said, “With all due respect, Mr. Clark, Miss Wright is an adult. She has the right to choose whom to associate with. If she’s bothered by my friendship, then she’s perfectly capable of telling me that herself! But she wouldn’t, would she? Because the fact of the matter is that Miss Wright and I get along quite well, and she’s never blamed me for Minna’s actions. So I’m sorry, Mr. Clark, but I must decline your request.” Darwin spoke with a serious expression.

Lucas gritted his teeth, his face darkening. He pinned Darwin with his sharp, icy gaze. “Fine, then,” he said in a voice devoid of warmth. “So you want to go about this the hard way, huh?”

Darwin shrugged, the picture of innocence. “No one likes being pushed into an uncomfortable situation, and neither do I. But as for your request, it’s something I simply can’t fulfill.”

He paused, his gaze shifting toward Lucas, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. “Besides, if I’m not mistaken… You and Ms. Wright are divorced, aren’t you? Her affairs now—well, they’re really none of your business.” The sarcasm in his tone was unmistakable.

Lucas, however, surprised him. Instead of getting angry, he laughed. His handsome face showed no trace of anger. On the contrary, he appeared very calm. Parting his lips slightly, he replied, “You’ll find out soon enough.”

Without elaborating, Lucas stood and strode out with long, confident steps, leaving Darwin momentarily stunned.

Darwin’s brow twitched as confusion crept into his thoughts. Did Lucas really just leave like that? He had fully expected more threats from Lucas. But what was that last sentence supposed to mean?

The ambiguity gnawed at him. It was all so confusing. Still, one thing had become clear to him during their exchange—Lucas cared deeply for Belinda. That made things even more interesting. He wasn’t about to let go of Belinda so easily.

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