?<strong>Chapter 178:</strong>


    Johnson analyzed the situation for a while and justified his position in all of this. His tone was heartfelt, and he did his best to convey his sincerity to his friend. But Lucas’s expression remained grim, and it didn’t look like that was going to change anytime soon.


    After another long moment of silence, Johnson was suddenly struck with a realization. “Wait am I wrong? Lucas, have you developed feelings for Belinda now?” He hesitated for a moment before adding, “In that case, I will bury my feelings for Belinda. I will never do anything to ruin your rtionship with her.”


    The only thing that registered in Lucas’s mind was that Johnson had said he might have feelings for Belinda, and he reacted like a man whose deepest, darkest secret had just been exposed to the world.


    “Impossible!” he shouted defensively. “I could never have feelings for Belinda!”


    His voice was a little hoarse, but his tone was firm.


    When Johnson heard this, something unspoken shed fleetingly in his eyes.


    “That’s great, then,” he said, his face suddenly lighting up. “You have nothing to worry about, Lucas. I won’t act on my feelings while you and Belinda are still married. Once you finalize the divorce, I will confess my feelings to her and express my intentions to pursue her.”


    His expression softened and turned wistful when he said this, as if this was the one dream he had in life.


    As Johnson spoke with a serene smile, Lucas’s features tightened subtly, a storm of emotions swirling behind his eyes—frustration and difort at the forefront.


    After a tense silence, Lucas’s voice roughened with emotion. “Is Belinda aware of how you feel about her?”


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    “She doesn’t know,” Johnson replied, shaking his head.


    After a pause, he added, “And Lucas, please don’t tell her this. I’m concerned it might make things awkward between me and her if she knew this too soon. Plus, you two are still legally married. It wouldn’t be right for her to find out my feelings for her under these circumstances. You need to keep this a secret for me.”


    Lucas responded with silence, his expression unreadable.


    Noticing Lucas’s reticence, Johnson said, “I have feelings for Belinda, and I intend to pursue them in the future. Would that bother you?”


    At this, Lucas let out a coldugh. A look of contempt shed across his handsome features as he met Johnson’s gaze firmly. “I don’t care for her, so why would this bother me? After my father’s uing birthday, Belinda and I will get a divorce. After that, she can be with whoever she wants—that is no concern of mine.”


    His tone was resolute, his words sharp and clear, as if he was trying to convince both Johnson and himself.


    Johnson’s eyebrows knitted briefly before he rxed.


    He said, “Your words are reassuring!”


    He chuckled with a hint of mischief, his toneced with intent. “If you could perhaps arrange more chances for me and Belinda to meet, that would be wonderful.”


    Hearing that, Lucas could feel the veins on his forehead throbbing a few times.


    He fixed Johnson with a frosty look, his voice dropping to an icy whisper. “Don’t push your luck.”


    Johnson quickly raised his hands in a gesture of surrender,ughing. “Alright, alright, I’ll back off. Are you happy now?”


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