Chapter 370:
Lucas quickly stood to assist her, but Belinda pushed his hand away without a second thought. She managed to
sit up on her own, leaning back against the headboard. Throughout it all, she didn’t look at him once.
Lucas’ hand lingered awkwardly in midair, unsure of how to proceed.
Belinda reached for the glass of water on the bedside table and drank eagerly. Parched, she drained the glass
swiftly.
Lucas watched her intently, his lips parting slightly as he began, “I'm sorry about yesterday. I—"
But before he could finish speaking, Belinda cut him off, saying, “Mr. Clark, there's no need for apologies. From
your perspective, you did nothing wrong.”
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Her tone was eerily calm, as if she were discussing something that didn’t concern her at all. This made Lucas feel
distinctly uneasy.
After she spoke, Belinda lay back down and turned her back to him, her voice growing cold. “I'm going back to
sleep. You can leave now, Mr. Clark.”
Lucas looked at her back, feeling the full weight of her indifference. His gaze faltered, and his expression
darkened. He furrowed his brow slightly, troubled by the emotional distance between them.
After a moment's hesitation, he turned and left the room. Only after the door clicked shut did Belinda slowly
reopen her eyes. Tears rimmed her eyes, and her nose burned with a sharp ache. She couldn't understand why
she felt this way. Yesterday, she hadn't cried when she had nearly drowned in the pool, nor during the night
when the high fever had racked her body and pain had gripped her tightly. But just now, as she had watched
Lucas sitting by her bed, a tide of bitterness and grievance had washed over her. At that moment, she had truly
wanted to cry. But she had held back the tears.
She resolved not to cry, especially not in front of Lucas. Her tears weren't meant for someone who was
indifferent to her. So, she had suppressed her emotions, feigning indifference. Until now... Her tears trickled
silently, dampening the pillow. She convinced herself that she was crying solely because the previous day’s
events had been too frightening and unsettling. It had nothing to do with anyone—especially Lucas.
Just then, the door opened with a soft click. Hearing that, Belinda quickly wiped her tears away, took a deep
breath, and steadied her emotions. A moment later, a low, hoarse voice whispered near her ear, “Get up and
have sbreakfast first. Then take your medicine. You can go back to sleep afterward.”
Hearing Lucas’ voice, Belinda tensed slightly. She hadn't anticipated Lucas would return. After a brief silence, she
sat up.
Her stomach growled with hunger. Accepting the food from Lucas, Belinda ate mechanically, spoonful by
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmspoonful. Lucas watched her, continuing to speak, not caring whether she wanted to listen or not. “Yesterday,
Verena was kidnapped by a former business rival of mine. He had sent people to abduct her, intending to rape
her. Thankfully, my team intervened in tand rescued her. While she wasn’t physically injured, the experience
has left her deeply shaken. Yesterday's events have caused her significant psychological trauma.”
He paused for a moment, his voice heavy with emotion. “I'm the reason she was targeted. So, in a situation like
that, | couldn't simply abandon her.”
When Belinda heard Lucas’ explanation, her expression remained composed, but beneath the surface, her
emotions churned. So, yesterday's kidnapping had been because of Lucas. The revelation only complicated their
already tangled relationship. The thought made Belinda chuckle inwardly, a bitter laugh at her own misfortune.
She met Lucas’ gaze and gave a slight nod. “Thank you for explaining, Mr. Clark. Now that | am eating breakfast,
you may leave.”
Her detached tone and calm demeanor left Lucas frowning. He believed she still blamed him for everything, but
he misunderstood her entirely. Belinda wasn’t blaming him—she was disappointed. Disappointed in him, in
herself, and in whatever semblance of a relationship they shared.