Chapter 788



The man was none other than the waiter Verena had bribed to drug Lucas’ drink.

“Mr. Clark’s people found me, and they cut the tendons in my right hand! Now, my right hand is useless! Not only that, but Mr. Clark has ordered me to leave Owathe and never come back!” The man was rasping toward the end, his fury and despair clear.

He regretted everything he had done. He should have never been so greedy. The bribe hadn’t even been a significant amount, yet it had cost him everything.

When Verena heard the man’s words, her face went ghostly pale.

Verena had never imagined this man would end up in such a pitiful state.

“You were the one who convinced me to drug Mr. Clark! You swore you’d protect me! I don’t care, Verena! You have to fix this! Find the best doctor to fix my hand!” the man shouted frantically.

Verena clenched her jaw. The color drained from her face as she abruptly ended the call. The phone trembled slightly in her grip before she set it down. She turned to Ryan, her voice unsteady and laced with fear. “Ryan… What should I do? What do you think Lucas will do to me?”

Ryan’s expression darkened. He let out a heavy sigh before responding, his tone serious, “You need to face Lucas. Go to him, admit your mistake, and try to ask for his forgiveness.”

However, deep down, he doubted Lucas would forgive Verena this time, but if there was even a sliver of hope, she had to try.

Verena’s eyes widened as she processed his words. Without a moment’s hesitation, she nodded resolutely. “You’re right. I’ll go now.” She stood, her movements swift and decisive, and left.

At the Triumph Consortium, in the CEO’s office.

Verena arrived at Lucas’ office without any trouble. Her breath hitched the moment her eyes landed on him. Tears welled up in her eyes as she approached him, a growing sense of panic clawing at her chest. Now that she was here, the weight of what she had done felt suffocating.

She knew deep down that this matter wouldn’t be resolved easily. Lucas didn’t spare her a glance. He continued working, his focus unwavering, as if she didn’t exist.

Unable to bear the silence, Verena finally spoke, her voice shaky. “Lucas… I was wrong. I shouldn’t have drugged you.”

Still, Lucas didn’t look up. His pen moved steadily across the paper, his indifference sharper than any words.

Verena continued, desperation creeping into her tone, “I was just too scared. You were pulling away from me, shutting me out completely. I acted on impulse… I didn’t think it through! I regret it, truly. It’ll never happen again. Please, Lucas… Forgive me.”

At last, Lucas set his pen down and leaned back, fixing her with a cold, penetrating stare. His voice was icy, laced with mockery. “You acted on impulse, huh? Then tell me, where did you get the drug?”

Verena froze, caught off guard by the question. Lucas pressed on, his voice unwavering. “Do you really think ordinary aphrodisiacs can mess with someone’s mind? Can they make someone see the person they desire most in their heart?”

Verena’s lips quivered, but no words came. Her throat felt dry. Lucas leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp enough to pierce through Verena. “You planned this from the start. You knew that with my self-control, a basic drug wouldn’t have worked. So you went to the black market to get that drug, didn’t you?”

As Lucas spoke, his face twisted with disgust and contempt, each word dripping with scorn. This cut through Verena, stabbing straight into her heart like a dagger. Her chest tightened as she held her breath, willing herself not to crumble.

But then, with a slow, steady inhale, something shifted inside her. A flicker of clarity crossed her face. The need to keep up the facade fell away. She couldn’t pretend any longer.

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