Chapter 289
Chapter 289
“Mr. Bennett, we followed your lead and actually dug up a clue,” the private investigator said, handing over a file.
“Just like you suspected, the one who sold those photos to the media was Cale. But do you know where Cale got those photos
from?” he added.
Lucas had come today to tell the private investigator to stop the investigation. He should’ve been over it by now. But before he knew it, he found himself asking, “Who?”
The private investigator seemed a bit reluctant to say the name, but he was paid to get the job done, and he wasn’t about to keep anything from his client.
After a brief pause, he finally said, “It’s your sister, Lydia.”
“No way.” Lucas denied it without a second thought. “Lydia is kind-hearted. She wouldn’t do something like this.”
But even as he said that, those doubts he’d tried so hard to bury started creeping back up on him.
He stared at the file on the table like it might bite him, but for a long moment, he just couldn’t make himself pick it up.
The private investigator was just a guy getting paid to do a job. He’d already done his part, and whether Lucas wanted to look at the evidence or not wasn’t his business, so he just sat there in silence.
After what felt like forever, Lucas finally reached out with a shaky hand and picked up the file. As he flipped through the pages, his face went pale, and his hands started shaking uncontrollably.
“This can’t be happening. How could this-” Lucas stammered. He had just managed to convince himself to trust Lydia completely; he never expected reality to hit him this hard.
His gut reaction was denial. Maybe the private investigator had gotten it wrong.
But the private investigator swore, “This is the result of several different detective agencies. If you don’t believe me, Mr. Bennett, you can have anyone verify it.”
As a private investigator, he’d heard all about how the Bennett Family doted on their long-lost daughter, so he wasn’t surprised Lucas didn’t want to believe it.
But he wouldn’t have brought this up if he weren’t absolutely sure.
Lucas knew that, too; otherwise, he wouldn’t have hired multiple agencies to investigate at the same time. And that was exactly why he was so shocked.
‘How could Lydia-the sweet, innocent sister I always knew-ever do something like this?’ Lucas couldn’t help but question himself.
Lucas didn’t even notice when the private investigator left, and he had no idea how he ended up leaving the place himself.
By the time he came to his senses, he realized he’d somehow wandered all the way to Emily’s rented apartment.
He hesitated outside for a long time, and in the end, he finally stepped inside.
When Austin opened the door and saw Lucas standing there, his frown made it clear Lucas wasn’t welcome. “What are you doing here?”
He deliberately lowered his voice, clearly trying not to bother whoever was inside.
1/2
Chaple
Ever since Charles’s accident, Emily had been holding on by a thread.
After the lawyer came and she broke down sobbing, it was like all the strength she’d been clinging to just drained out of her, and she fell ill right after.
Austin had finally managed to nurse her back to some semblance of health, and the last thing he wanted was anyone from the Bennett Family showing up now.
At first, he saw this little apartment as their very first home together. They’d poured their hearts into every detail, and he just
couldn’t bear to leave.
But with people from the Bennett Family dropping by every now and then, it was honestly getting on his nerves. Looked like they really would have to move after all.
Lucas could definitely feel how unwelcome he was. In the past, he would’ve snapped back without a second thought.
But now, facing Austin, the one Emily trusted most, he just felt this gnawing sense of shame, like he didn’t even have the right to be here.
It was as if the place by Emily’s side had once belonged to him, but he was the one who’d thrown it all away.
