?<strong>Chapter 122:</strong>


    “Come in,” Lucas said, his voice clipped.


    The door opened to reveal Verena, her face lighting up with a smile as she stepped inside. “Lucas, I brought you—”


    Her words faltered the moment she spotted Belinda standing in front of Lucas’ desk. Belinda turned toward Verena, wearing a faint smile.


    “Fancy seeing you here, Miss Reed.”


    Verena’s smile stiffened before she quicklyposed herself. “Oh, Belinda, you’re here, too.”


    “Indeed,” Belinda replied, her tone light yet unmistakably pointed. “I came to bring lunch to my husband.”


    At the word “husband,” Lucas nced at Belinda briefly, his expression unreadable. A few secondster, he returned his focus to hisptop.


    Verena pressed her lips into a thin line, not saying anything.


    Belinda’s gaze fell to the thermos in Verena’s hand.


    Her eyebrows arched slightly as she asked, “Miss Reed, could it be that you’ve also brought lunch for my husband?”


    Verena hesitated, her grip tightening on the thermos. After a beat, she nodded. “Yes. My mom made some soup for Lucas and asked me to bring it over.”


    Belinda’s smile widened, her eyes gleaming with yful mischief. “How thoughtful of your mom. Truly.” She paused, as if mulling over something, before tilting her head in mock concern. “What a coincidence! I, too, made soup for Lucas today. Well now, it seems we’ve brought the same thing to him. What do you think we should do now?”


    Her gaze then lingered on Verena, waiting for her to reply.


    Verena’s expression was slightly stiff as she maintained her smile, holding back her rising irritation for a moment. Then, Belinda, seizing an opportunity, spoke up.


    “Since it’s a kind gesture from your mother, Miss Reed, it would be a shame to waste it. And as it happens, I haven’t eaten lunch yet. Would you mind if I took this meal off your hands? What do you think?”


    Verena’sposure wavered slightly, a flicker of annoyance crossing her features. How could Belinda suggest that? Verena was angry at the audacity of Belinda to im what she had prepared for Lucas. Yet, in front of Lucas, she had to maintain her poise.


    Lucas observed the exchange with an inscrutable look. Verena couldn’t figure out what he was thinking. Belinda’s bold move to im Verena’s meal made Lucas feel resigned. He hadn’t expected Belinda to be bold enough to say that.


    As Verena hesitated, caught off guard by the proposal, Belinda asked, “What’s the matter, Miss Reed? Surely there’s no harm in letting me enjoy the meal instead?”


    Her voice was tinged with faux innocence, skillfully veiling her sharp awareness of the difort she was inflicting.


    Internally, Verena was seething. The meal was something she had meticulously prepared for Lucas. She didn’t want Belinda to have it. But how could she refuse Belinda outright?


    She managed a smile, though it clearly didn’t reach her eyes, and said with strained courtesy, “Of course, Belinda. Enjoy the meal.”


    Belinda’s smile widened appreciatively as she took the thermos from Verena’s grasp. “Alright.” She sauntered to the coffee table, opened the container, and began to eat with evident relish.


    “Mmm, this is delicious,” she remarked while eating.


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