?<strong>Chapter 150:</strong>


    He then spoke gently, his voice filled with concern. “Belinda, you should go upstairs and rest now.”


    Belinda gave a slight nod, her lips barely parting as she said, “Okay, I’ll head to the bedroom now.”


    “Go on,” Harold replied.


    Once Belinda had ascended the stairs, Harold turned to Lucas, pulling him aside. “Is Belinda really that afraid of mice?”


    Lucas’ expression hardened as he recalled Belinda’s panic in the private room. “Yes,” he said. After a pause, he added with a tone of quiet understanding, “She’s terrified of mice. It’s deeper than just a fear. She probably has gone through something scary rted to this.”


    Harold sank back onto the sofa, guilt washing over him as he muttered, “It’s my fault. I should have known this would happen. I’ve heard her mention it before, but I never realized it was this bad.”


    Lucas raised an eyebrow, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “You really went low, didn’t you?”


    “Shut up!” Harold shot him a quick, defensive look. “I don’t care what I have to resort to as long as it is effective.”


    His n had been simple—create an environment of fear to push Belinda and Lucas closer. He had believed that Belinda would seek Lucas’ protection when she was in fear. That way, Lucas and Belinda would be closer. But he had not anticipated that Belinda’s fear of mice ran this deep.


    Lucas scoffed softly, his gaze sharp as he turned to Harold, raising an eyebrow. “Old man, your birthday is in less than twenty days.”


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    Harold caught the implication in Lucas’ words, and his expression shifted, a dark cloud crossing his face. “What’s the rush? There’s still time.”


    Lucas gave a dismissive snort, saying nothing more as he stood up and headed for the stairs.


    Harold remained seated, his brow furrowed in worry. He had no experience ying matchmaker, and now, he felt utterly clueless about how to get things moving. If only he could make Lucas fall for Belinda, then the thought of divorce would be long gone from Lucas’ mind. He needed toe up with a better n.


    In the dead of night, Belinda shot upright in bed, her scream echoing through the stillness. “No!” she gasped, trembling as she tried to shake off the remnants of her nightmare. Her breathing was rapid as she took a shaky breath, trying to calm herself. It was just a dream…


    The bedsidemp clicked on, and Lucas stirred in his bed, squinting sleepily at Belinda. Even in the dim light, he could see Belinda’s face—pale and slick with sweat.


    “Belinda, why are you so afraid of mice?” His voice, deep and groggy, reached Belinda in the quiet of the room, causing her heart to race just a little faster. Perhaps it was the soothing depth of Lucas’ voice that drew Belinda in, making her want to share her fears.


    Hugging her knees close, she spoke softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “When I was in elementary school, I was bullied for being overweight and having a dark spot on my face. In third grade, a few of my ssmates decided to lock me in the school’s storage room… And there were dozens of mice inside that room.” As she spoke, her breath quickened, her eyes squeezing shut as the memory flooded back. “I was trapped in there, terrified and all alone with those mice for an entire night.”


    When Lucas heard her words, his expression changed instantly.


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