His unwanted wife, the world’s coveted genius by Derk Blaylock

Chapter 226:

Lucas’ expression changed instantly upon hearing that. Ryan turned his gaze to Verena, lying unconscious on the hospital bed, and continued, his voice heavy with resignation, “She’s self-harming again, Lucas. After all these years, I thought she’d moved past it, that her depression had healed. But I was wrong…”

Lucas’ brows furrowed, his face hardening with concern.

Ryan’s tone grew sharper. “Lucas, don’t you think you’ve been growing distant from her lately? You know how sensitive she is. She could feel even the slightest indifference and the smallest hint of distance immediately.”

After a pause, he continued, “And it’s not just indifference. You’ve been paying more and more attention to Belinda recently. You may not realize it, but your behavior is breaking Verena’s heart. How do you expect her to cope with that?”

Ryan stepped closer to Lucas, his frustration evident. “Verena’s greatest wish is to be with you—to become your wife. She has waited for you all these years, waiting for your divorce, waiting for you to marry her. But what has she gotten in return? A version of you that’s more distant and more invested in someone else. How could she not feel crushed? Lucas, I need to ask you outright: are you really going to divorce Belinda? Will you still marry Verena after that?”

question lingered in the air, but Lucas didn’t respond right away. Instead, he furrowed his brows deeply, his expression

silence, Lucas finally spoke up, his voice low and firm. “Go home, Ryan.

spark of anxiety and anger flared within him. Could it be that Lucas

for Verena’s sake or his own. Knowing

has your

won’t go back on that promise. She has

reply, Ryan turned and walked out

stood motionless for a moment, staring at the door Ryan had just exited. Then, slowly, he walked over to Verena’s bedside and sat down. He looked at her pale, fragile face. He could feel his concern for her—the kind one might feel for a close friend or someone

his mind. Verena’s self-harm, her anguish, her years of waiting—all of it weighed heavily on him. He had made

also recognized the unsettling truth: his feelings had started to shift. Recently, his thoughts had been drawn to Belinda more often than they should. She

he would put distance between himself and Belinda. He couldn’t let her disrupt his thoughts or stir