Chapter 347
Suddenly, Vincent knocked over his coffee, his expression darkening slightly. He knew the Bennett family’s survival depended on Jeremy and that his aid was for Lydia’s sake, but he never knew Jeremy had his eye on Lydia.
He stood up abruptly and said, “Lydia is a good girl. She shouldn’t get so close to someone like Jeremy.” Without hesitation, he was about to rush over and take Lydia away.
Emily suddenly said, “Before you rush to be the hero, you may want to check these out first.”
She pulled out a stack of photos showing Lydia and Jeremy eating and shopping together. Though they never touched, they leaned close to each other as if sharing a secret world.
In every photo, they smiled gently at each other, eyes full of tenderness, like two people clearly flirting but not quite together yet.
Vincent’s face turned ghostly pale, and the photos in his hand nearly got crumpled under his tightening grip.
Emily said casually, “Vincent, aren’t you curious how your good girl would answer Jeremy’s question?”
Vincent stayed silent, eyes locked on the screen. There was that familiar face again, wearing the shy, adorable expression he knew so well.
Lydia blushed and stammered, “I-I don’t understand what you mean. I’m engaged.”
Jeremy remained unbothered. “You’re not married. Don’t you have the slightest feeling for me? Do you hate me? If you say yes, that will really break my heart.”
Jeremy let out a heavy sigh, looking sad. With his good looks and that polished gentlemanly vibe he had developed over the years, it was hard not to feel bad for him.
Lydia felt it too. She thought, ‘No wonder he acts like a devoted supporting actor in a TV drama. No one can resist that tender gaze.
Too bad he was just a loyal hanger-on by my side. He’ll never be good enough for me.
Even though Lydia didn’t really care, she put on a desperate face. “No. How could I ever hate you? I actually like-
She blushed and stumbled over her words, her eyes darting shyly toward Jeremy with a playful, almost teasing look.
Vincent was all too familiar with that expression. Lydia often looked at him just like that, but now, she wore the same look for another man. Slowly, the love he held for her seemed to fade away.
Unaware that her every gesture was captured clearly by the camera, Lydia kept flirting with Jeremy. “Come on, don’t make me say it.
Jeremy smiled more gently. “Lydia, you almost said you like me, right? So, between me and your fiancé, who do you really
want?”
Vincent instinctively held his breath, desperate to hear the answer.
He knew he shouldn’t feel this way. He should trust Lydia and think it was just a misunderstanding. However, he couldn’t help staring at her face on the screen, wanting the answer.
Jeremy kept pressing, but Lydia didn’t notice anything strange. She even thought he had finally fallen for her and started feeling jealous of Vincent.
1/2
She thought, ‘See? Whoever they are, they’ll be nothing but my puppets.
Lydia suppressed the pride swelling in her chest and thought for a moment before answering him. “Vincent has always treated me well. We’ve known each other since we were young. I believe marrying him will bring me happiness.
“Jeremy, I can only see you as a friend. Only friends can always be there for each other, right? Let’s stay friends forever, okay? And I hope you’ll never leave me.”
She didn’t give Jeremy a straight answer but kept implying that she and Vincent had just married for business purposes.
Her restrained sorrow made Jeremy hesitate for a moment. He somehow thought that perhaps he was the one she truly loved, but she had to hide it because of her engagement.
Fortunately, Jeremy had known from the start she was putting on an act. Though he didn’t know her true motives, he was certain it wasn’t love.
Love was never something he needed, so the fleeting confusion vanished quickly. He simply thought her acting was so good that it nearly fooled him.
Jeremy’s smile grew even gentler, but deep down, he thought, ‘Do you really think I’m that stupid?’ He fixed his collar, still smiling, but his eyes held something deeper.
He almost got Lydia to say what he wanted, but he couldn’t help asking again, “You mean the one you love is me, not Vincent, right? If you weren’t engaged to him, would you pick me instead?”
Lydia paused, surprised by his relentless probing. She thought, ‘Isn’t a side character supposed to stay hidden in the shadows? Why does he need a clear answer?’
Though puzzled, Lydia didn’t dwell on it. She trusted her skills. She had never failed except once with Austin.
However, Austin was just an insignificant person whom she had never seen before, so when her trick failed to work on him, she couldn’t care less.
After a brief silence, she said, “That assumption is pointless. I’m just sad I didn’t meet you sooner. Jeremy, maybe we’re truly not destined to be. Let’s stay like this, quietly guarding each other, okay?”
Jeremy’s smile was deep and tender, his eyes narrowing just enough to hide the sneer beneath. He nodded with practiced
warmth. “Sure.”
Jeremy’s gentle voice came through the laptop, hitting Vincent hard. No matter how blind he used to be and how much he trusted Lydia, he finally caught the harsh truth behind her words.
Emily looked calmly at the pale-faced Vincent and said, “Do you still believe your beloved fiancée is a kind and innocent girl?”
