Chapter 212
Chapter 212: Allen’s eyebrows knitted together in frustration. “Fred!”’ Belinda called out, her voice cutting through the silence and halting him mid-sentence. All eyes quickly shifted from Allen to Belinda. Fred, having changed from his work attire, now sported a clean, gray hooded sweatshirt paired with matching sweatpants. A backpack hung casually over one shoulder as he approached Belinda. “Belinda, I’m all set.”’ “Let’s head out,”’ Belinda replied, offering Allen a reassuring smile while subtly shaking her head. Without another word, she turned and walked away with Fred. She was indifferent to the opinions of Kristopher’s friends. They had never truly accepted her, and with her recent divorce from Kristopher, she felt no obligation to justify herself to them anymore. As Belinda and Fred departed, their silhouettes””Fred’s tall, sturdy frame alongside Belinda’s slender, graceful form””presented a strikingly well-matched picture, even from behind. Meanwhile, the crowd didn’t hesitate to whisper cruel speculations about Belinda. Kristopher, who lingered among them, watched Belinda and Fred grow distant. His eyes narrowed, his stare turning increasingly cold and forbidding. After their departure from Mysterious Night, Belinda guided Fred to a 24-hour fast food joint nestled close to her apartment. “Belinda, I was under the impression you were dropping me off at home,”’ Fred remarked with a playful tone of grievance, settling into the seat opposite her. “I never anticipated a fast food detour.”’ “The place is neat and handy,”’ Belinda replied, a slight smile playing on her lips. “Considering I just went through a high-profile divorce today, you wouldn’t want tomorrow’s headlines to feature you returning home with a newly divorced woman, subject to ridicule by your peers, right?”’ Fred pouted. “Honestly, they’d probably be green with envy.”’ is your update source He inhaled deeply, shifting the conversation to a more serious note. “Today, I spent some time getting to know the leaders of that part-time work group. Turns out, the one managing their daily assignments is named Kaya Delgado.”’ He glanced at Belinda. “Are you familiar with her?”’ Belinda’s eyes narrowed slightly as she nodded. “She’s Cathy’s agent.”’ Fred’s expression turned to surprise, then settled into a frown. “Isn’t Cathy being a bit reckless? Having her agent so involved makes everything trace back to her easily.”’ “Not reckless, just overconfident,”’ Belinda corrected, her fingers idly playing along the rim of her glass. “She believes she can do anything to me without facing any repercussions. She thinks I’ll continue to endure everything quietly, just as I always have.”’ Previously, Belinda hadn’t wanted to tarnish Anthony’s reputation or the title of Mrs. Cox. Now, as a divorcee, why would she tolerate such burdens? Fred looked at her with sympathy in his eyes. “Belinda”¦”’ Although Belinda’s tone was light, Fred could tell that she had endured much injustice at the hands of those people. Disliking the pity in his gaze, Belinda waved dismissively and offered a smile. “It’s all behind me now.”’…