Chapter 127
Chapter 127: “Used to it”¦”’ Belinda had always believed her love for Kristopher withered the day they lost their child. Yet now, as Kristopher dismissed her feelings with such an outrageous claim, she found her heart aching once more. In the past, her humble countryside origins had left her feeling unworthy of Kristopher’s elite social circle. To avoid any fodder for gossip, she had painstakingly cultivated the persona of a gracious, dignified socialite maintaining her poise both in public and in private. She endured insults from Rosie and Maggie, brushed off the sneers from Nawrin’s elite, and ignored the venomous rumors about her as if they were mere whispers in the wind. Every public display of elegance was secretly paid for by tears shed in solitude. Yet now, Kristopher reduced all her efforts to merely being “used to it.”’ He believed she had grown accustomed to the hostility, choosing to overlook the malice directed at her, remaining a detached observer. With these thoughts weighing heavily on her, Belinda took a deep breath and turned to the man in the driver’s seat, her voice resolute. “I’m not used to it. No one grows accustomed to being the target of constant ridicule and malice. So”¦”’ She locked eyes with him through the rearview mirror, the depth of his gaze impenetrable. “This time, I would rather die than apologize to your Miss Miller.”’ Screech”! As soon as she finished speaking, Kristopher slammed on the brakes, jerking the car to a halt by the roadside. He turned around, his face twisted with anger. But before he could utter a word, his gaze locked with Belinda’s. Her eyes, stubborn and proud, took him by surprise. Every journey starts at For the first time, Kristopher saw such defiance in her eyes. In the past, whenever she looked at him, there was a softness in her eyes, always sparkling with excitement. But somewhere along the line, that excited twinkle had faded. Her eyes had grown cold and distant. And now, the fierce determination and pride in her gaze were utterly foreign to him. At that moment, Kristopher felt a chilling realization. He could never have truly known Belinda at all. He took a moment to compose himself, quelling the unease brewing inside him. Finally, he looked away, his eyes dropping to the steel watch on his wrist. His voice was calm, but firm. “What if I insist that you apologize to Cathy today?”’ Belinda scoffed. “And what if I just refuse to apologize? What will you do then, Mr. Cox? Force my mouth open?”’ “There’s no need for such measures.”’ As he spoke, Kristopher rolled down the car window to let in a gust of fresh air, then retrieved a cigarette from his pocket and lit it. Gazing at Belinda through the swirls of smoke, his eyes betrayed a mix of emotions. “The Cox Group is looking into buying a modeling agency, and they’ve already started their background checks.”’ Belinda tensed immediately at the mention of a “modeling agency.”’ With her friend Madisyn being a model, the word “model”’ had become a trigger for her over the years. Taking a slow drag from his cigarette, Kristopher continued, “It turns out the owner of this agency was hiding pinhole cameras in the dressing rooms a real predator. To get the company for a steal, I had someone hack into the scoundrel’s computer.”’ With a cigarette dangling from one corner of his mouth and his phone in his other hand, he flicked through some images. “Take a look at this,”’ he said nonchalantly. Belinda felt a lump form in her throat as she glanced at Kristopher’s phone screen. There, in glaring clarity, were images of Madisyn in her underwear, sifting through a pile of clothes. A sharp pang gripped Belinda’s heart. Her body trembled, and she stammered through chattering teeth, “Kristopher, you’re despicable!”’ It was clear Kristopher was using those images of Madisyn to manipulate Belinda….