?<strong>Chapter 419:</strong>


    “I’ve said it pretty clearly. Do I need to spell it out for you?” Belinda said in a cold voice.


    For a moment, Baker felt as though his ears were ying tricks on him. “You!” he finally roared. “Are you out of your mind? How dare you ask for a divorce?”


    Beside him, Kylee stiffened in shock. Had she heard that right?


    Belinda, the woman who had always adored Lucas, had been the one to ask for the divorce? The idea seemed absurd. Kylee believed Belinda was definitely lying out of pride.


    Belinda’s voice cut through the tension, sharp and cold. “Why shouldn’t I be the one to ask for a divorce?”


    Baker’s face contorted with rage, and at that moment, all restraint seemed to abandon him. His words burst forth, venomous and cruel.


    “Belinda, you are just an illegitimate child of my family. The fact that Mr. rk married you was the luckiest thing that ever happened to you! With your pathetic circumstances, you should be grateful to be his wife! And yet, you had the audacity to ask for a divorce? Who do you think you are? You should know your ce!”


    The moment his tirade ended, silence fell. The quiet was deafening, both in the study and over the phone.


    Belinda gripped her phone tightly, her heart feeling as though it had been stabbed. Her eyes turned red, but she refused to let the tears fall.


    Kylee stared at Baker in disbelief. She had always known him to be cold toward Belinda, but hearing himsh out like this at Belinda still shocked her.


    After what felt like an eternity, Baker seemed to realize the weight of his words. He pressed his lips into a thin line.


    Baker was about to say something when Belinda’s voice suddenly broke the silence. “Mr. Wright,” she said, “am I really your daughter?”


    Baker froze. His eyes briefly flickered with unease.


    Within seconds, Baker’s expression returned to normal. Then, he said angrily, “Belinda, what do you mean by that? Now that you have the Thomas family’s support, you think you are too good for me, ready to cast aside your own father?”


    Belinda responded with a derisive chuckle at Baker’s baseless usations. She said, “I have never before heard a father say something like that to his daughter.”


    Taking a deep breath, Bakermanded, “Belinda, I insist you apologize to Mr. rk this instant! im that your decision to divorce was a rash impulse. Beg him to forgive you and reconcile with him immediately!”


    Belinda just scoffed at his demands and replied, “Mr. Wright, my divorce from Lucas is finalized. Your approval or eptance of that changes nothing. If there’s nothing more, we should end this conversation. Also, please, avoid contacting me unless absolutely necessary.”


    She didn’t wait for Baker’s reply before hanging up. Her emotions surged, and her spirits plummeted. But she didn’t allow herself to dwell on this matter for too long. She had already known that Baker held little affection for her. What kind of kindness could she expect from him anyway?


    Taking a deep breath, Belinda set down her phone and walked toward the bathroom. She reminded herself not to dwell on the hurtful words of someone who mattered so little to her. Yet, Baker’s harsh words still echoed in her mind. It wasn’t just him. Many viewed her marriage to Lucas as a godsend for an illegitimate daughter like her. She was expected to be thankful for the marriage. That was why many people believed she had been out of her mind when they learned that she was the one who had asked for the divorce.


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