Chapter 48
Chapter 48: “It’s flavored with fruit. This batch contains vitamin B,”’ Belinda remarked, smirking as she swallowed the pills. “Anthony, these pills seem larger than the last batch and don’t look like heart-saving pills, don’t you think?”’ Anthony, who had been wrestling with his “heart-saving pills,”’ paused mid-swig. The other members of the Cox family in the room were visibly shocked. Belinda continued with a smirk, “Anthony, it’s not that I don’t care about you. Quite the opposite, I care about you more than anyone else here. That’s why I went to the hospital to get copies of all your medical records and even spoke to several experts at the medical school. Their conclusion was”¦”’ She paused dramatically, locking eyes with him. “You’re in very good health.”’ Anthony’s face flushed, but this time it was from embarrassment, not anger. “Anthony, if you’re not ill, you should stop pretending to be and stop using it as a way to keep me here,”’ she said, taking a deep breath and fixing a serious gaze on him. “I’m not throwing a fit, nor am I being hasty. After a lot of thought, I’ve decided it’s time to let go and move on.”’ Anthony had no reason to keep Belinda around any longer. He closed his eyes in defeat and sighed deeply. “You”¦”’ This morning, Stanley had relayed to him that Belinda had publicly declared her intent to divorce the night before. It was clear to him then that she had firmly made up her mind. Once Belinda decided on something, no one could sway her. She had been this resolute when she married Kristopher three years ago, and it seemed nothing had changed. After a pause, Anthony looked up again. “Belinda, I truly care for you. Perhaps you and Kristopher simply weren’t meant to last; he missed his chance.”’ As he spoke, emotion overwhelmed him, and he dabbed at his eyes with a tissue. “Belinda, I had hoped you would be there for me in my later years”¦”’ Belinda’s eyes welled up with tears as well. Little did Anthony know, even if she hadn’t decided to leave Kristopher, she wouldn’t have been able to care for him in his later years”¦ After composing himself, Anthony fixed a stern gaze on Kristopher. “You’re to blame. If she wants this divorce, then make the arrangements as she requested, and let her go.”’ g’±¯lnÏνð’®ð’s”¤com is your escape to fiction “Let’s do it today,”’ Belinda said, taking a deep breath. Her sadness was momentarily pushed aside as she forced a smile. She wanted to seize this moment. If they waited too long, Kristopher might waver and backtrack on his decision. Time wasn’t on her side, and she didn’t want to waste what little she had left waiting for him. “Belinda and Kristopher are getting divorced today?”’ Cathy’s voice quivered with barely contained excitement. “Then I”¦”’ But realizing her enthusiasm was too evident, she quickly dropped her gaze, trying to mask her joy. “I just think it’s such a shame.”’ “A shame?”’ Anthony’s voice was laced with scorn as he fixed her with a cold glare. “If it weren’t for your meddling, would they even be getting divorced?”’ Cathy’s expression darkened, and she bowed her head, her hands clutching her chest. But she remained silent. Seeing Cathy’s subdued reaction, Kristopher intervened. “Grandpa, our decision to divorce has nothing to do with Cathy. Please, don’t be too hard on her.”’ Kristopher’s defense of Cathy only deepened Anthony’s frown. “And what’s wrong with me being stern with her? She’s the reason you and Belinda are splitting up. She pushed Belinda to this point. I didn’t even kick her out. I let her stay. That’s more than enough patience on my part!”’ With a dismissive wave, he turned away from Kristopher. “If all of you care so much about this woman, then don’t hold Belinda back any longer. Go ahead and start the divorce proceedings!”’…