Chapter 103
Chapter 103: Belinda had already closed her eyes, resigned to whatever Kristopher would do to her. She had shed her illusions about him and was determined to divorce him. Yet, his allure in moments of passion was undeniable. They had shared three years of marriage, and she had always been satisfied with their intimacy. Thus, when he approached her again, her resolve wavered. She decided to surrender to her desires one last time before cutting ties. However, unexpectedly, he ceased his advances shortly after they began. Confused, she opened her eyes and met his gaze. “What’s wrong?”’ “Miss Nelson, it appears you’ve been quite entertained by others lately,”’ Kristopher sneered, casting a pointed look at her collarbone. “Is it Darren or that student?”’ His accusation deepened her confusion. She glanced down, instinctively examining her collarbone. There, she noticed two distinct red marks. Suddenly, the pieces clicked. Kristopher had misinterpreted the marks. They were not hickeys. The day before, Madisyn had persuaded her to visit a massage parlor, where an inexperienced masseur had left those marks. In a gesture of apology, the owner had waived their fee and presented them with small gifts. Madisyn had joked that the marks might provoke Kristopher’s anger if she went through with the divorce. At the time, Belinda hadn’t taken her friend seriously. She hadn’t anticipated such a stark misinterpretation from Kristopher. More books available at gα’ηÏv’¯ls”¤com This revelation brought a laugh from her. It seemed that Madisyn, who never missed a chance to criticize Kristopher, understood him better than anyone else did. Kristopher’s expression chilled when he saw her amusement. She had accused him of infidelity, blaming Cathy for their marital strife. Yet here she was, seemingly involved with someone else, marked by alleged love bites, and laughing amidst the memories. This thought tightened his grip on his tie in frustration. “Get out!”’ “Okay,”’ Belinda responded, snapping back to reality. She chose not to clarify the origin of the marks. She straightened her hoodie, opened the door, and stepped out of the car. Their relationship had been purely physical lately, but her need for it was waning. Belinda decided it was best not to become intimate with him now. After slamming the car door, she marched toward the entrance of the apartment building. Her phone rang just a few steps later. She frowned and checked the display”an unknown number was calling. Given her recent flurry of applications to jewelry design studios, she was used to unknown callers. Without hesitation, she answered. “Belinda, it’s me,”’ came Fred’s anxious voice. “I got your number from Madisyn,”’ he added quickly. Belinda paused, her eyes instinctively darting toward Kristopher’s car in the distance. The car remained still, idly parked without any sign of departure. Maybe it was because the driver hadn’t returned yet. She sighed. “Madisyn is always so”¦”’ She stopped herself, then spoke with firm resolve. “Fred, I thought I made myself clear. Why are you still contacting me?”’ “Belinda,”’ Fred interrupted, his voice filled with earnestness. “Please, don’t misunderstand. I’m not trying to pester you. There’s something you need to know”¦ Your cat, Fluffy, might be in the hands of your ex-husband.”’ Belinda’s voice trembled with surprise. “What did you say?”’ Fred explained quickly, “When I went to pick up my jacket earlier, I noticed cat fur on it. You’re wearing completely new clothes today, and neither of us has been near Fluffy. Only the three of us were there. Who else could have gotten the cat fur?”’ With a sudden sense of urgency, Belinda spun around. The lights of Kristopher’s Maserati had just come on, signaling his imminent departure. “Thank you, Fred,”’ she whispered sharply. Then, taking a deep breath, she sprinted toward the car….