Chapter 723



Bethany barely resisted rolling her eyes. Did he even need to ask? The answer was obvious—Ryan and Verena weren’t exactly welcome here.

Vincent, ever the diplomat, forced a polite smile. “Of course not. Have a seat.”

He was the only one willing to break the awkward silence. After all, they were still “friends” with Ryan and Verena on the surface. While no one would have invited them, turning them away now wasn’t an option.

Verena chose her seat carefully, sliding into a chair next to Vincent and keeping a noticeable distance from Lucas.

Despite this, Ryan and Verena’s sudden arrival had undoubtedly dampened the mood. The lively conversations that had filled the room earlier fizzled out, leaving only an awkward silence in their wake.

Ignoring the tension, Verena reached for a bottle of liquor on the table. Pouring herself a generous glass, she stood and approached Belinda. Stopping in front of her, Verena held the glass up with a steady hand. “Ms. Wright, I’d like to propose a toast, to apologize to you.”

When Belinda heard Verena’s words, her brow twitched slightly. She lazily lifted her gaze, casting a sidelong glance at Verena, wondering what game she was playing this time.

Verena, unfazed by the lack of response, continued, “I only found out recently when Lucas mentioned it. You misunderstood what happened between Lucas and me that day. At the time, I never intended to kiss Lucas. I just wanted to make it seem like I did—just a fleeting moment, you know, so I wouldn’t have regrets. I never imagined it would lead to such a misunderstanding. I’m truly sorry, Ms. Wright. It was all my fault! But please, believe me, I really didn’t kiss Lucas.” Though Verena’s voice was filled with sincerity, to Belinda, her words sounded nothing more than polished hypocrisy.

Belinda’s face remained impassive, betraying no reaction.

Nearby, Bethany and Johnson exchanged glances, their expressions shifting slightly. This was news to them. Neither had any idea such an incident had occurred before. Pieces of a puzzle began to fall into place. They remembered that night. Belinda had been in an unusually foul mood. When asked what was wrong, she had dismissed it with a vague comment about still being emotionally affected by Lucas.

Now, it all made sense.

Verena continued, “Ms. Wright, I am truly sorry. Please forgive me.”

With that, she tipped her head back and downed her glass of wine in a single gulp, offering the gesture as an apology.

Belinda remained silent, her gaze fixed elsewhere, treating Verena as though she didn’t exist. Such blatant disregard was truly humiliating.

The atmosphere in the private room grew unbearably awkward. Unable to contain himself, Ryan broke the silence, his tone sharp. “Belinda! Verena is talking to you! Even if you’re upset with her or trying to make a point, at least acknowledge her. What are you trying to prove by ignoring her?”

.

.

.