Chapter 371



Lucas sighed inwardly. “Don’t forget to take your medicine,” he said before turning and walking out without another word.

Belinda didn’t look at him when he left. Instead, she quietly finished her food. The food was meant to be comforting, but to her, it just tasted bland.

After she finished eating, she took her medicine and then slowly made her way to the bathroom. The sticky, uncomfortable feeling on her skin had become unbearable. She wanted a shower. Though still weak, she pushed herself to shower.

When she eventually emerged from the bathroom, she moved cautiously, mindful not to fall. Sitting at the vanity, she picked up the hairdryer but quickly set it down again. Even holding the hairdryer felt like too much effort for her now.

Just as she resigned herself to leaving her hair damp, the door opened.

Lucas stepped in, his expression immediately darkening when he saw her sitting there with her wet hair. “Why did you take a shower now?” he demanded, his tone sharp. “Have you forgotten what happened last time?”

Belinda looked at him through the mirror, her gaze steady but distant. Without waiting for a reply, Lucas strode over, picked up the hairdryer, and said firmly, “I will dry your hair.”

Belinda instinctively flinched, but Lucas placed a firm hand on her shoulder, saying, “Don’t move.” Belinda’s eyes flickered slightly, but she didn’t resist. Too drained to argue, she let him proceed.

Lucas’ face was dark, but his hands worked with surprising care. Even so, his inexperience was evident—his clumsy movements pulled at her hair painfully a few times. Belinda, however, remained expressionless, as though the discomfort didn’t reach her.

As he continued, Lucas caught Belinda’s reflection in the mirror. Her indifferent demeanor stirred an ache in his chest. He would have preferred her anger—anything other than this cold indifference. It was as if she had withdrawn to a place where he couldn’t reach her.

When he finished drying Belinda’s hair, Lucas set the hairdryer down and left without waiting for her to ask him to leave. Belinda remained seated for a moment and then returned to bed, but she was unable to fall asleep.

Later in the afternoon, Harold and the others returned to the Clark family’s residence. “Belinda, are you still feeling unwell?” Harold asked, his voice tinged with concern.

Belinda offered a faint smile. “Don’t worry, Harold. I’m fine now.”

“That’s good to hear.” Harold nodded, seemingly reassured, and the room fell silent.

After dinner, Belinda approached Harold. “Would you like to take a walk with me?”

Sensing that Belinda had something to say to him in private, Harold agreed. He gave Norma a subtle look, signaling her to stay behind.

Norma understood his look and nodded, allowing Harold and Belinda to leave.

As Harold and Belinda strolled through the garden, the silence lingered between them until Harold finally spoke. “What’s on your mind?”

Belinda pressed her lips together and said firmly, “Harold, tomorrow is your birthday. I’ll attend your birthday banquet as a close friend of the Thomas family.”

Harold froze, taken aback by her declaration.

He quickly said, “No! Belinda, how can you attend as just a friend of the Thomas family? Absolutely not!”

He had planned to use this occasion to publicly announce that Belinda was Lucas’ wife, his daughter-in-law. But Belinda’s words had taken him by surprise. She insisted on attending merely as someone close to the Thomas family. That was unacceptable to him.

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