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Chapter 73

Chapter 73:
Matias’ demeanor brightened at her words. Just as he was about to respond, Belinda added, “He really doesn’t matter enough to me. To fret over every trivial comment from insignificant people would be utterly draining for me.”
Ryan’s expression darkened at her words. She was calling him insignificant?
Matias’ face tensed as well, but he restrained any show of displeasure given their reason for visiting. He turned to Mollie with a hopeful smile. “Mrs. Thomas, since Mrs. Clark holds no resentment towards Ryan, perhaps we can discuss resuming our business collaboration.”
“Mr. Adams,” Mollie said with a steady tone, “Belinda’s forgiveness stems from her gracious nature, not because the issue can be brushed aside easily. Your son made harsh accusations without basis, claiming she seduced a married man! Dismissing this lightly would invite others to disrespect Belinda.”
Mollie’s face was stern as she looked at Matias and continued, “As for your proposal of partnership, Mr. Adams, consider it off the table.”
The reactions from Matias and Ryan were immediate and visible. Matias opened his mouth to respond, but before he could, Verena, who had been quiet until now, spoke up.
“Mrs. Thomas, Mrs. Clark, please accept my apology as well. I too share in the responsibility for the matter. May I ask for some leniency toward the Adams family? I am prepared to accept full responsibility.”
Verena’s voice carried a mix of softness and resolve as she spoke.
Mollie seemed almost amused by Verena’s words. She looked at Verena with disdain. “You? I doubt you have the right to request any leniency. Miss Reed, there’s something simple you can do for us—keep your distance from Belinda’s husband. As it was pointed out before, Lucas is a married man. Your proximity to him might lead others to believe you’re attempting to disrupt a marriage. That’s not a good look, is it?” Mollie cleverly threw Ryan’s words about Belinda back at Verena.
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Verena’s expression turned rigid. Ryan, visibly agitated, quickly said, “Mrs. Thomas, you might not be fully aware of the situation! Lucas and Verena once were deeply in love! If not for—”
“‘Once’ is the key word. Why bother dwelling on the past?” Mollie interjected before Ryan could finish speaking. Her tone was sharp.
Belinda, unable to suppress her amusement, chuckled. She looked at Ryan with a slight smirk and said, “Even if they were once an item, that time has long passed. Now, Lucas is married. Yet, Ms. Reed still called him late at night yesterday, asking him to come over. Isn’t that a bit inappropriate?”
Mollie was visibly shocked by this revelation.
She turned to Belinda, bewildered. “What? Belinda, did that really happen yesterday?” Not only Mollie, but Matias and Ryan also showed signs of surprise. Ryan glanced at Verena, his eyes conveying a hint of resignation. He knew why Verena had done that.
With a forceful “bang,” Mollie slammed her hand on the coffee table hard, her anger boiling over. “This is utterly unacceptable!” Then, turning sternly to Matias, she said, “Mr. Adams, it seems you need to keep your son and niece in line more. As for any business dealings between our families, just forget about them.”
“Mrs. Thomas, I just wanted to say—”
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