?<strong>Chapter 696:</strong>


    But Lucas’s gaze held no recognition. He didn’t remember her or the day that had changed her life. And… he already had a girlfriend.


    Learning this shattered Belinda’s heart, though she managed to wish him genuine happiness.


    After uncovering Lucas’s true identity, she grasped the magnitude of the gap between them. He was radiant, a golden figure who seemed almost divine, while she was nothing more than a speck of dust in the vast world he inhabited.


    She didn’t dare to dream that their paths would truly cross again.


    Yet, against all odds, Lucas approached her and asked if she would consider bing his wife…


    At that moment, Belinda genuinely thought she was dreaming. In disbelief, she pped herself hard across the face. Only when the sting spread across her cheek did she realize this was real—this was really happening!


    Without a second thought, she said yes. How could she not? It felt like a once-in-a-lifetime chance, one she couldn’t afford to lose, no matter the cost.


    But never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that it would all lead to this. That she and Lucas would eventually part ways in divorce.


    Belinda’s thoughts spiraled, and tears welled up in her eyes.


    When Lucas had used her of seeing him as a stand-in for someone else, all she could do wasugh bitterly. How absurd! The person she had cherished in her heart had always been Lucas.


    As Lucas noticed the shimmer of tears in Belinda’s eyes, he felt as though something within him was breaking. Could it really be true? Was she so deeply attached to another man?


    Unable to stop himself, Lucas leaned closer and brushed a gentle kiss against her trembling eyelids.


    Belinda froze at the unexpected gesture, hershes fluttering as the tears she had held back spilled down her cheeks.


    When Lucas drew back, his lips were damp, tinged with the saltiness of Belinda’s tears. Her tears carried the bitterness of her emotions, leaving a lingering taste of pain.


    “Belinda, don’t cry.” Lucas’s voice was rough. Without thinking, he wrapped her in his arms, holding her tightly.


    Belinda’s chest tightened, her thoughts in disarray. The kiss he had left on her eyelids lingered, far more intimate and disarming than a kiss on her lips. She pushed him away gently, her hands trembling as she wiped her tears.


    “I need to rest now. You should leave,” she murmured, her voice barely audible. Her gaze remained fixed on the floor, too afraid to meet his eyes.


    Lucas stared at her, his dark eyes shadowed with unreadable emotions. After a long silence, he finally turned and left without a word. The faint click of the door echoed, and only then did Belinda allow her tense shoulders to rx slightly.


    She moved to the living room, curling up on the sofa with her knees drawn to her chest, her arms wrapped around herself protectively. Her posture radiated vulnerability.


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