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Chapter 158

Chapter 158: “Let’s go.”’ Madisyn pulled the car into a spot, got out, and clasped Belinda’s arm, guiding her towards the building. As they reached Darren’s floor, fortune smiled on them. The elevator doors slid open. There stood Darren, flanked by two bulging trash bags. “Belinda, Madisyn, what brings you here?”’ Darren’s voice carried a mix of surprise and curiosity. “Darren.”’ Belinda offered a small, knowing smile as she exited the elevator. She relieved him of the garbage bags and passed them to Madisyn. “Take these down for him, will you? Darren and I need a moment.”’ Rolling her eyes but complying, Madisyn took the bags with a huff and stepped back into the elevator. Once the elevator doors had closed and the floor numbers began to flicker in descent, Belinda inhaled sharply, steeling herself. She fixed Darren with a solemn gaze. “Darren, have you checked the news online today?”’ Darren seemed to have anticipated Belinda’s question. He sighed and turned to unlock his apartment door. “Come inside,”’ he invited. Belinda hesitated momentarily before nodding. Discussing such a serious matter in the hallway felt indeed inappropriate. Once inside, Darren’s expression grew solemn. “Belinda, I never imagined things would escalate like this,”’ he confessed, gesturing for her to take a seat on the sofa. He then poured her a glass of water, his sigh barely audible. Belinda raised an eyebrow. “So, Darren, that photo”¦ Did you really take it?”’ Offering a rueful smile, Darren replied, “You’ve come all this way. Denying it now wouldn’t change anything, would it?”’ He handed her the glass of water. “I found the marriage certificate in your suitcase compartment when I was searching for your medication log that night.”’ Your hub for fresh chapters gα’„“ησvð’’†ls”¤com Belinda took a sip of her water, her voice steady yet incredulous. “So you snapped a photo of my marriage certificate without asking?”’ Darren let out another sigh and took a seat opposite her. “Belinda, I was defending you. Ever since Cathy came back, she and Kristopher have been parading their relationship all over social media. Pretty much everyone in Nawrin thinks they’re the perfect couple. That night you were in the hospital, I caught them together, looking completely smitten. It made me so mad that I just snapped a picture of your marriage certificate on impulse.”’ Darren’s voice trailed off as he bowed his head, resembling a schoolboy confessing a blunder to his teacher. “Honestly, I can’t even recall what was going through my mind then. Maybe”¦ I thought having that photo might enable me to defend you publicly someday.”’ Belinda inhaled sharply. “So, Darren, when you snapped that photo, you had decided to share it online if something like today’s events unfolded?”’ She showed him the image of the Cox Group’s stock taking a hit because of the scandal. “Darren, I appreciate your intentions. But you’re part of a publicly traded company as well. Did you think about the repercussions for Cox Group? The company isn’t just Kristopher’s. It belongs to Anthony too, and it’s the livelihood for numerous employees.”’ “Belinda,”’ Darren cut in, his brow furrowed. “Yes, I snapped that photo, but the posts online? I had no hand in those.”’ He paused, taking a deep breath. “I wasn’t involved with them at all.”’ Belinda stared at him, her expression one of utter disbelief. “Let me explain,”’ Darren continued, his voice tense as he nervously licked his lips and pulled up his phone’s chat history. “Today, while I was online, I stumbled upon a video showing you being cornered by Cathy and Kristopher at the hospital. The person who filmed it and the one who uploaded it online both added some harsh comments. The backlash in the comments was brutal. I did some digging into the accounts spreading the hate; they were all bots, the type usually boosting Cathy’s profile online. It dawned on me that all the harsh comments directed at you today must have been orchestrated by Cathy’s team. Feeling powerless against the tide of negativity, I”¦”’…