Chapter 52:

“Ah—! Belinda, what are you doing!?”

Cathy’s voice pierced the air, her shock propelling her into Kristopher’s embrace. “Kristopher…” she murmured, seeking comfort. Kristopher quickly moved to position himself as a shield before the vulnerable Cathy. “Belinda, what’s gotten into you?” he demanded. Not just Kristopher, but his mother and sister rushed to form a protective barrier around Cathy.

Seeing their collective effort, a sardonic smile played on Belinda’s lips.

She hadn’t fully realized the power Cathy held over others. Cathy had not only persuaded Kristopher to take bold risks on her behalf, but had also enlisted Rosie and Maggie in her defense.

“Belinda, you don’t have to apologize,” Cathy said, her voice quivering slightly, her lip caught between her teeth in distress. “Just… please, no more rash actions.”

Her words hinted at a deeper fear, perhaps of another physical confrontation.

Kristopher’s brow furrowed in disapproval. “Belinda isn’t someone who resorts to violence.”

Cathy’s anxiety was evident as she murmured, “But last night…”

“It must have been an accident,” Kristopher interjected quickly, then turned to Belinda with a pleading look. “Belinda, an apology won’t cost you anything. Apologize to Cathy, and we can all move past this.”

never apologize!” Maggie interjected sharply, her eyes darting from the vivid mark on Cathy’s face to the bandage wrapped around Belinda’s hand. “If Belinda had any remorse, she wouldn’t have ripped off Cathy’s bandage. She knows that Cathy’s career depends on her appearance, yet she chose

that Kristopher noticed Belinda still clutching

he approached Belinda, reaching out to

to


from me,” Belinda declared, displaying her own frail, almost skeletal hand. “Do you really think

hearing this, Carol narrowed her eyes, alternating her gaze between Cathy’s face and Belinda’s hand. “That mark certainly doesn’t seem to match,” she mused, turning

mark on Cathy’s face and Belinda’s delicate hand was noticeable. With a reluctant tone, she conceded, “No, they don’t seem

Cathy were taken aback, unprepared for Belinda to defend herself so adamantly. For a brief moment, they were at a loss

“That slap on Cathy’s face was from yesterday. Perhaps it swelled overnight, making

as she quickly chimed in, “Yes, that’s possible.

a laugh. “So you’re determined to get an apology out of me today, huh?” she said with

delivered a resounding slap to the uninjured side of

her face, looking up in disbelief, her voice

“Did you see that?”

to hit her, it would look like this.” The side of Cathy’s face that Belinda had just slapped

her pockets. “Miss Miller, this time I did hit you.

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