?<strong>Chapter 716:</strong>


    But if she offended Lucas? She would be utterly destroyed, left wishing for death.


    She hadn’t needed to deliberate long before she chose her side.


    Betraying Minna had been her only viable option. Now, having told Lucas everything, she felt as though a crushing weight had been lifted from her shoulders. While it wasn’tpletely gone, she could finally breathe easier.


    In the evening, at a restaurant,


    Belinda was having dinner with Johnson and Bethany.


    “Honestly, I think Darwin is pretty handsome. Belinda, I think you should give him a chance!” Bethany smiled yfully as she said that.


    “What’s the point of being handsome anyway? Besides, can anyone be more handsome than Lucas?” Johnson countered, his tone dismissive.


    “Oh, please!” Bethany rolled her eyes dramatically.


    Belinda shot them both a re. “What nonsense are you two talking about? You’re reading too much into things. Darwin and I are just friends—there is nothing between us.”


    “Anyway, anyone but Lucas is fine!” Bethany dered without a second thought.


    Bethany had mixed feelings about Lucas.


    Sometimes, she thought he genuinely cared for Belinda, and maybe it wouldn’t be so bad if they got back together. But other times, she’d think, forget it—they were better off apart.


    Johnson furrowed his brows. “What’s so bad about Lucas? Stop being so prejudiced! He’s not the same guy he used to be.”


    Bethany scoffed, her lips curling in disdain. “Every time I think about how he ditched Belinda for Verena over and over again, it drives me mad! If he can’t let go of Verena, he should just be with her and leave Belinda alone!”


    Johnson coughed, visibly ufortable. “Look, I’ll admit Lucas made mistakes in the past, but he has changed. These days, he avoids Verena like the gue—won’t even let her get near him. Vincent and I can vouch for that; we’ve seen it ourselves.”


    Bethany retorted without hesitation, “Oh, really? Then exin why we saw them leaving the Dream Club together the other day!”


    Johnson sighed, trying to exin the situation. “That was a coincidence! Vincent invited Lucas, and Ryan and Verena just happened to show up there. Besides, I heard Verena say that day she was ready to move on from Lucas—she only sees Lucas as a friend now.”


    Bethany let out a sharpugh, as though she had just heard the world’s biggest joke. “You actually believe that? Ask Belinda if she buys it.”


    Belinda’s response was a cold, derisive chuckle—enough to make her stance clear.


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