Chapter 99
Austin was always considerate. If Emily didn’t want to talk, he never pressed her.
After just a few steps, Austin suddenly glanced back at Xavier, who was still standing by the luxury car. He caught a pair of dark, wary eyes, glinting with ruthless malice.
Austin’s abrupt turn caught Xavier completely off guard. Snapping out of his daze, he quickly masked his emotions, got back into the car, and sped away.
But those tear-swollen eyes remained fixed on Emily and Austin’s retreating figures, walking side by side, in the rearview mirror.
Austin watched the car fade into the distance, an uncharacteristic gloom darkening his face.
But it was gone in a flash. He masked his emotions so swiftly that even Emily, standing right beside him, didn’t notice a thing.
After having it out with Xavier, he stopped showing up in front of Emily and instead sent her a text message.
He texted Emily, warning her to be wary of Yvonne and revealing the scheme he had previously concocted with her.
At the end, he even warned Emily about Lydia: [That sister of yours has some weird influence on people. I only targeted you because she manipulated me into it. Be careful.] Emily read the message but chose not to reply.
Of course, Emily knew perfectly well that Xavier, who had nothing against her, was only targeting her because someone had coaxed him into it. But if he hadn’t been willing in the first place, no amount of persuasion would have worked.
After Xavier stopped seeking out Emily, Lucas was still the first to notice that something was off.
Lucas knew exactly what Xavier intended to do to Emily, and though he tacitly allowed it, he kept a close eye on her all along.
Lucas thought to himself, ‘Emily could use a wake-up call, but after all, she’s still one of the Bennett family. I’d better keep an eye on Xavier to make sure he doesn’t cross the line.’
But it wasn’t until later that Lucas learned two crucial things: Xavier had been hospitalized for a heart attack on James’s birthday, and, according to Lydia, Emily had coincidentally gone out that very day dressed for a formal
occasion.
Worried that something disastrous might have happened, Lucas decided to seek Emily out for answers.
But when Lucas finally found Emily, he saw Bob speaking to her with an uncharacteristically stern expression.
Lucas had never seen Bob wear such a stern expression towards Emily before. Instinctively, he ducked out of sight, burning with curiosity about what was going on.
He then overheard Bob ask, “Emily, have you been working a part-time job outside?”
Lucas was taken aback. He thought, ‘A part-time job? How could Emily possibly be working a part-time job?’
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Chapter 99
Emily knew that since Bob was asking this question point-blank, he must have already confirmed the facts. There was no point in denying it.
Bob was clearly confused. “Why, Emily? Didn’t they give you an allowance? If you needed money, you could have told me, or at the very least, Mr. Charles Bennett would have helped you. Why would you endure such hardship?”
Emily knew he genuinely cared for her well-being, but she couldn’t rely on Bob forever, nor did she want anything more to do with the Bennett family.
Emily said, “I’m not part of the Bennett family anymore. From now on, I’ll take care of myself.”
Bob was genuinely worried about Emily, but he knew he couldn’t sway her.
Emily had always been stubborn since childhood. Once she set her mind on something, nothing anyone said could sway her.
Bob knew it was pointless to argue with Emily, but he still urged her gently, “Don’t push yourself too hard, and don’t wear yourself out. Remember, with Mr. Charles Bennett and me here, we’ll always be your safety net.”
Emily felt a lump in her throat and nodded firmly. “I know,” she said, her voice thick with emotion.
From around the corner, Lucas watched Emily, a mix of hurt and fierce resilience in her demeanor, as she held herself together. It felt as if something was squeezing his heart, leaving him breathless with a pain he couldn’t quite
name.
He’d heard Emily say things like “I’m not part of the Bennett family anymore” more than once, but he’d always brushed it off.
This time, however, a wave of panic, unlike anything he’d ever felt before, surged through Lucas.
It suddenly felt all too real to him as if he had truly and utterly lost the sister he’d grown up with, the one he cherished most.
