Chapter 996



Devin’s reply was firm, his voice steady. “Whether she is infected or not, my feelings for her remain unchanged.” With that, he turned and walked away.

Just as he took a step, he stopped, his voice dropping to a glacial tone. “Carmelita, if I ever hear you speak ill of Belinda again, I will not let you off easily.” Then, he left.

Carmelita’s face twisted in anger as he disappeared from sight. She seethed. How could her own brother threaten her over an outsider?

He had to be out of his mind.

That Belinda was nothing more than a cunning seductress!

Later that evening, at the Dream Club, Lucas had called Johnson and Vincent here for a drink, recounting Belinda’s bitter words to him over rounds of liquor. His voice was heavy with emotion.

When he finished, the two friends exchanged knowing glances before focusing on Lucas, who sat silently, drinking.

Johnson pressed his lips together thoughtfully before saying, “Lucas, you need to understand her. What happened to her was traumatic. She’s overwhelmed by the situation. She just needs time to sort through everything. Give her a little more time.”

Lucas shifted his gaze toward Johnson, his tone laden with gravity.

“But what if Belinda never comes to terms with it?”

“That’s impossible,” Johnson replied with unwavering conviction.

Lucas’ shoulders sagged under the weight of his emotions. “I laid everything bare to her. Whether she is ill or not, she is the only one I want! Why can’t she believe me? Am I really that untrustworthy?”

He downed another glass of wine.

Johnson spoke with gentle earnestness. “It’s not a matter of distrust. She simply can’t cope with the reality right now. She’s engulfed by dread—uncertainty gnawing at her. How could she possibly let her heart be at ease enough to accept your love?”

He reached out, gently patting Lucas on the shoulder in a gesture of consolation. “Give her some more time. Once the test results clear her of infection, she will be relieved. I believe she’ll face her true feelings then.”

Lucas remained silent, his brows still furrowed.

At that moment, Vincent, unable to suppress his thoughts any longer, said, “That sounds hopeful, but what if… the results aren’t good?” He wasn’t attempting to dampen their spirits, but the possibility was real.

Johnson hesitated, caught off guard by the blunt question.

Vincent continued, “Right now, it’s just a suspicion, and she’s already retreating, avoiding Lucas. If fate is cruel and the results confirm the worst… Will she ever accept him?”

He recognized he was dampening the mood and heightening Lucas’ anxiety. Yet, he believed this was a truth they couldn’t ignore. “Belinda is entangled in her own torment,” Vincent said calmly. “Time alone may not untangle her mind.”

Lucas absorbed his friend’s insight, his expression turning grave with contemplation.

Vincent had laid bare the hard truth. Lucas believed he needed to breach Belinda’s defenses. He needed her to understand that he was someone with whom she could share both joy and sorrow.

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