Chapter 334



He believed it was better for Verena to stay away from Lucas to avoid any rumors, especially since Lucas and Belinda weren’t divorced yet.

Fortunately, the divorce wasn’t far off now.

Ryan approached the desk and apologetically said, “I want to apologize for what happened last time, Lucas. I’m sorry.”

There was a brief pause, and then he continued, “I’ve thought about it, and I realize I made a mistake. Your decision to punish me is justified. I promise something like that won’t happen again. Please stop being mad at me.”

Lucas was someone Ryan could not afford to offend.

Now that the punishment was a done deal, Ryan believed it was best to focus on how to move past the matter.

Lucas, showing no emotion, said, “Like I said before, just don’t let it happen again.”

“Of course,” Ryan said, visibly relieved.

He knew Lucas’ response meant that he agreed to let the matter go.

Just then, Ryan’s gaze fell on Lucas’ neck.

There was an out-of-place red mark on Lucas’ neck, which piqued Ryan’s curiosity.

Was that a hickey?

Without thinking, Ryan blurted out, “Is that mark on your neck from Belinda? Have you slept with her?”

He had blurted out the question impulsively, and his tone was somewhat sharp.

The expression on Lucas’ face darkened, and he said coldly, “Do I need to report my personal affairs to you?”

Ryan suddenly realized how inappropriate his question had been.

“I… I was just worried that Verena might be upset if she saw it,” Ryan stuttered.

“Belinda is my wife. Whatever happens between us is completely justified,” Lucas said in a calm voice.

He paused briefly before adding, “I don’t owe anyone an explanation. Do you understand that?”

Lucas’ words hit Ryan hard, making him drop his gaze as conflicting emotions flickered in his eyes. Pressing his lips firmly together, he gave a short nod. “I understand,” he said in a low voice.

Lucas turned away, his tone clipped and indifferent. “I have things to do now.” Ryan quickly caught on and nodded. “Got it. I’ll be going now,” he said promptly.

With a swift turn, he left Lucas’ office without another word. Lucas’ deep eyes narrowed as he watched Ryan leave, his expression shadowed and unreadable. Was Ryan’s intense reaction linked to Verena, or was there something else behind it?

As soon as Ryan stepped out of Lucas’ office, his face darkened. The image of the unmistakable hickey on Lucas’ neck lingered in his mind. Now that he realized that Belinda and Lucas had been intimate, a surge of jealousy flared up in his chest, fierce and uncontrollable.

Suddenly, the thought struck him—was he losing his mind? At the Williamson family banquet, he had witnessed Belinda dismantle the false claims against her with poise and strike back at Minna with razor-sharp wit. In that moment, Belinda had appeared utterly captivating.

And yet, the relentless pull Ryan felt toward her only fueled his frustration. This inner conflict, this storm of emotions, troubled him deeply.

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