Chapter 94



Ryan and Vincent fell into stunned silence. They both stared at Belinda, their mouths agape, unable to process what they had just witnessed.

Belinda, however, remained unbothered. She set the glass back on the table with deliberate care, a faint smile playing on her lips. “Look at that. Miss Reed is wide awake now, isn’t she?”

Lucas, unfazed, glanced at his wine-soaked sleeve. A flicker of amusement crossed his face as he watched Belinda, his head tilting slightly in intrigue.

Ryan quickly recovered from his shock and exploded, exclaiming in anger, “Belinda! What the hell is wrong with you? Why did you do that to Verena? Have you lost your mind?”

Belinda fluttered her long lashes, feigning innocence as she asked, “What do you mean by that, Mr. Adams? I was only trying to help Miss Reed sober up, you know?”

Ryan let out a sharp laugh, his anger barely contained. “Help her sober up? More like taking the chance to get back at her!”

“Ryan, that’s enough,” Verena suddenly interjected, her tone calm but decisive. “Mrs. Clark meant well.”

While dabbing at the wine stains on her face with a tissue, Verena offered Belinda a faint, apologetic smile. “Sorry, Mrs. Clark, I was making a fool of myself earlier. I… I really can’t seem to control myself when I’m drunk.”

Her voice quivered, sounding weak and vulnerable, her expression painted with remorse. It made Belinda’s demeanor seem almost aggressive in comparison.

But Belinda didn’t care. With a gentle smile, she patted Verena’s shoulder. “Then, Miss Reed, maybe next time, you should drink less. If it happens again, I’d be happy to help you sober up the same way.”

gⱯlnσν𝓮𝓁s﹒𝓬𝗈𝗺, the heart of fiction Verena’s smile froze, her expression faltering.

At that moment, Lucas rose from the sofa and approached Belinda. “Let’s go home,” he said coldly.

Belinda turned to him, her tone calm. “You go ahead. Bethany and I aren’t ready to leave yet.”

Without waiting for Lucas’ response, she glanced at her friend. “Let’s go.”

“Okay,” Bethany replied with a smile, and the two women walked away together.

Lucas stood motionless, watching Belinda leave, his dark eyes clouded with unreadable emotions.

From nearby, Vincent shook his head and murmured under his breath, “What happened to Belinda in those three years abroad? She has changed completely—like she is a whole new person now.”

But even he had to admit, this new Belinda was magnetic.

Back in their booth, Bethany burst into laughter. “That was perfect! Absolutely perfect! Verena won’t dare pull another drunken stunt next time.”

Belinda chuckled lightly but said nothing more. They stayed a little longer before heading home separately.

When Belinda stepped into the Clark family home, the soft hum of the television in the living room caught her attention. She paused, curious, and headed toward the living room.

There, Harold was sprawled on the sofa, dozing lightly, the TV casting flickering light over him.

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