There, leaning casually against the wall, was a figure she hadn’t expected to see. Lucas.
The sight of him—the way he stood, the ease in his posture—was enough to stop her heart from beating. Their eyes met across the distance. Time seemed to stretch momentarily, the weight of three years pressing down on her.
She tore her gaze away first, walking past him as if she hadn't noticed him. But the air between them was thick, crackling with something unspoken.
“Wait,” Lucas's voice cut through the silence.
Belinda stopped her body tense. She was unwilling to face him but unable to leave. She turned slowly, her eyes meeting his again, her expression unreadable.
“Can I help you with anything, sir?” Her voice was smooth, almost musical, but an edge was beneath it.
Belinda’s heart beat wildly inside, but she didn’t let it show. She had thought three years apart would have been enough to bury everything—him, the pain, the memories. But seeing him now, so close, it felt like nothing had changed and like the wound he’d left had only been waiting for the right moment to reopen.
Lucas's gaze darkened as he stepped closer, his eyes narrowing with an intensity that made her pulse quicken. His lips curled into a cold, ironic smile. "Belinda, do you have amnesia now?"
The words struck her like a slap. For a second, she was paralyzed, stunned. Did he remember?
Her surprise flickered briefly in her eyes, but she quickly masked it. "Do you need anything, Mr. Clark?"
Lucas’s smile twisted into something sharper. "Have you stopped pretending?"
Belinda felt her breath catch, but she didn’t flinch. "Considering that you recognized me," she replied with a small smile, "there was no point in continuing the charade."
Lucas stepped forward, closing the space between them until they were only inches apart. His gaze bored into hers, and the air between them grew tense.
"Belinda," he murmured, his voice low and dangerous. "Did you think that by running away three years ago, you could avoid our divorce?"
Her heart hammered in her chest. The years apart had done nothing to erase the connection between them. And now, standing face to face with him, she knew that whatever happened next would change everything.
There was no running anymore. No pretending.
The only question left was whether she was ready to face the storm he was about to bring.
