Chapter 1787
Elwood was staggered by the realization that such raw malevolence could reside in a person. To think that person was his own daughter was almost unacceptable. At that moment, it felt as if the earth had crumbled beneath him. He struggled to reconcile with the truth.
He could accept a daughter who was not charming, not brilliant, not attractive, or even a bit ordinary—that was no issue. But to have a daughter so cruel, with such a deeply flawed character, was something he couldn’t bear.
It took a long while for Elwood to find his voice again. He gazed at Belinda, his expression clouded with confusion. “Can you explain why Kylee would stoop to such schemes against you? What kind of grudge exists between you two?”
Belinda lowered her eyes, her voice steady. “I think it started because Kylee had feelings for Lucas. By then, Lucas and I were already married, so she did everything she could to manipulate me, sowing discord to fracture my bond with Lucas.”
As she spoke, a bitter chuckle escaped her. “I was so foolish back then. I genuinely thought she was looking out for me, trying to help me.” Elwood’s heart sank with a heavy sigh. The more he heard, the more his disappointment in his daughter grew.
“Belinda…” he said suddenly, his voice soft but weighted.
Belinda looked up, caught off guard by his tone.
With a grave look, Elwood continued, “As Kylee’s father, I’m deeply sorry for the pain she has caused you. Hearing this, I’m furious and deeply disappointed in her. It’s hard for me to accept that my daughter could be like this.”
Belinda’s mind braced for the inevitable twist—there was usually a “but” after such words. And sure enough, Elwood continued, “But, no matter how cruel or spiteful she is, she’s still my daughter. I owe her too much already, so moving forward, I’ll dedicate myself to making things right with her.”
His gaze on Belinda grew increasingly complex. “In the future, I won’t be able to meet you for meals like we used to. I’m sorry, Belinda. Despite how much I like you, the situation between you and my daughter—”
Before he could finish, Belinda interjected, “I understand.”
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She offered a faint smile. “I get what you’re saying. It’s only right that you side with your daughter—there’s nothing wrong with that. Considering the tension between Kylee and me, it’s best we avoid more contact in the future. Don’t worry; from now on, I’ll keep my distance from you so you won’t be in a dilemma.”
Her words struck Elwood like a sudden pang, a tight ache blooming in his chest.
He quickly said, “That’s not what I meant—” Discover more novels at find?novel.net
But Belinda cut him off again, her smile unwavering. “No need to explain. Let’s leave it at that. I’ve got some things to take care of, so I’ll leave now. Enjoy your meal.”
Without waiting for a reply, she rose from her seat, gave a slight nod, grabbed her bag, and walked out.
Elwood said nothing more, his eyes fixed on her departing figure, a dazed look settling over him.
A crushing sensation seized Elwood’s chest at that moment, as though invisible hands had wrapped around his lungs and squeezed mercilessly, making each breath a struggle.
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