?<strong>Chapter 852:</strong>


    “Bethany is right; this might not have anything to do with your mother. Don’t let it weigh you down.”


    Belinda felt a faint tremor in her chest, her heart betraying a flicker of emotion.


    But she quickly masked it with a yful re. Crossing her arms, she shot back, “What are you doing with your hand? Have you already forgotten what you promised me?”


    Lucas hesitated and then lowered his hand reluctantly, his lips quirking faintly.


    “Is it toote for me to ask you to agree to one more condition?”


    Belinda rolled her eyes, unimpressed.


    “It’s way toote.”


    Lucas sighed dramatically, shaking his head as if defeated.


    Ignoring his antics, Belinda stood and headed to the bathroom. A momentter, she returned with a toothbrush, a cup, and a basin in hand.


    Without a word, she handed them to Lucas. He took the toothbrush and began brushing his teeth while seated.


    Once he was finished, Belinda helped him settle back into bed. She adjusted the nket over him, ensuring he wasfortable. Satisfied that Lucas was resting well, she made her way to the bathroom for a shower.


    Meanwhile, in an abandoned building.


    A loud ssh shattered the eerie silence as icy water struck a woman’s face.


    “Ah!” the woman shrieked, jolting awake. Her chest heaved as her senses reeled.


    She blinked rapidly, her eyes struggling to adjust to the dim light. When the scene before her came into focus, her pupils dted in horror.


    “Who are you? What do you want from me?” Macie asked, her voice trembling with fear as she stared anxiously at the two men before her. Terror filled her eyes, and every muscle in her body tensed.


    The oppressive atmosphere in the dimly lit room only heightened the fear that gripped her, and the towering figures of the men looming over her intensified her sense of helplessness. To her horror, she realized her hands and feet were tightly bound, leaving her utterly immobile and at their mercy.


    “Don’t be afraid, darling; we just want to have a little fun with you,” one of the men said, his voice dripping with malice.


    The word “fun” sent a shiver down Macie’s spine, draining the color from her face in an instant. Desperation surged within her, and she instinctively opened her mouth to scream for help.


    “Let me go! Help! Somebody—ah!”


    But before she could finish her plea, the second man struck her across the face with a sharp p. The sound of it echoed through the room.


    “Shut up, you bitch! If you scream again, I’ll drug you and make you mute!” the second man snarled.


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