Chapter 117
Somehow, Lucas couldn’t help but recall the video the kidnappers had sent during Emily’s kidnapping last time.
‘By comparison, Emily seemed more like the real kidnapping victim, Lucas thought.
As soon as that thought surged up, Lucas found he just couldn’t hold it back anymore. He couldn’t help but compare Lydia’s current state to how Emily had looked during her own kidnapping.
Lucas thought, “The more I thought about it, the more convinced I became. Emily’s kidnapping was real.
‘Lydia’s too pure-hearted to deceive anyone. So, Emily’s kidnapping was real after all? She was just less fortunate than Lydia and ran into some truly ruthless kidnappers.
Just as Lucas was lost in thought, Andrew’s sharp voice cut through his reverie. “Lucas, what are you spacing out for?”
Lucas snapped out of his daze to find Gale, Emma, and Andrew already on their feet from the couch, heading for the door.
Seeing Lucas still standing there in a daze, Andrew frowned and urged, “The kidnappers have already released Lydia. Let’s go get her now.”
The Bennett family raced in a frenzy to the location given by the kidnappers, with Lucas behind the wheel, driving like a race car driver, pushing the car to its limits.
When they arrived, they found Lydia bound and dumped by the side of the road, her hair and clothes in complete disarray, looking far more distressed than she had in the video.
But even in her disheveled state, Lydia still looked heartbreakingly vulnerable, her fragile charm tugging at the
heart.
Emma rushed over and threw her arms around Lydia, looking as if she was about to burst into tears. “My Lydia, are you alright? You scared me half to death!”
Gale looked like a man who’d found his lost treasure, his hands shaking as he hurried to untie Lydia’s bonds.
Andrew gently helped Lydia to her feet, his eyes anxiously scanning her from head to toe. “How are you feeling, Lydia? Are you hurt anywhere?”
Lucas was about to join the others in fussing over Lydia when the sight before him suddenly froze him in his
tracks.
Suddenly, a memory flashed through Lucas’s mind: Emily, after her last kidnapping, coming back all alone. She “was battered, disheveled, and with no one there to meet her.
‘Back then, I was so smug about exposing Emily’s ‘scheme’ that I completely overlooked everything else,’ Lucas thought, a chill running down his spine. ‘But now that I think about it. Wasn’t there blood on her clothes that day?
‘She was injured. Could it be she wasn’t acting after all? I suddenly remembered with horror what I’d said to the kidnappers back then. I said just dump the body somewhere far away…
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Chapter 117
For the first time, a wave of regret and guilt washed over Lucas for Emily.
Lucas thought, ‘I thought Emily was just acting, and none of what I said was from the heart. I… I really didn’t mean
it.’
Lucas’s mind was in complete turmoil, consumed by the urgent need to see Emily and demand answers. So lost was he that he didn’t even notice the people around him calling his name repeatedly.
“Lucas!” Andrew’s sharp voice suddenly cut through, finally snapping Lucas back to reality.
Andrew fixed Lucas with a stern look. “You’ve been completely out of it for a while now. Didn’t you hear Lydia calling your name several times?”
Lucas turned to look at Lydia, only to find her gazing at him with wounded eyes, her expression the very picture of aggrieved innocence.
Even though she was the one being ignored, Lydia quickly made excuses for Lucas. With an understanding smile, she said softly, “I’m sure Lucas was just too worried about me to hear me calling.”
Lucas’s heart softened. He knew this wasn’t the right time to bring it up, but the thoughts kept gnawing at his mind. He thought, ‘Lydia’s so understanding, and she’ll definitely get where I’m coming from.
So, without hesitation, Lucas spoke up honestly, “I was just thinking about Emily’s kidnapping last time.”
The mention of Emily instantly killed the warm, loving atmosphere, plunging the room into an awkward silence.
Lucas, still oblivious to the tense atmosphere, continued, “Back then, Emily looked even worse than Lydia, and she even had blood on her. What if she wasn’t faking it after all?”
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