Chapter 100
A sudden wave of fear washed over Lucas. He seemed desperate to escape reality, not even daring to hear the disappointment and accusations in Bob’s voice toward the Bennett family. In a panic, he turned and ran.
Lucas thought, ‘No, that can’t be.’ Although Emily wasn’t related to the Bennett family by blood, the bond they’d formed through years of living together was undeniable.
He thought, ‘How could all those years we’ve spent together possibly mean less to Emily than a mere blood tie? How could she be so selfish and petty?
‘She said she wasn’t part of the Bennett family, but that must’ve just been her anger talking. She’s still resentful about being sent to St. Gabriel Reform Academy back then. That’s got to be it.’
Lost in his troubled thoughts, Lucas didn’t even notice Lydia walking straight toward him. He nearly bumped right into her.
Lydia instinctively frowned, about to scold him, but when she looked up and saw Lucas’s dazed expression, she froze. “Lucas? What’s wrong?”
Lydia called out to him several times before Lucas finally snapped out of his daze. “It’s nothing…” Lucas mumbled.
Lucas was about to leave when Lydia caught his arm. “Lucas, what’s wrong?” she asked, her voice laced with feigned
concern.
Lydia had deliberately tipped Lucas off about Emily and Xavier, precisely to make him confront her.
Knowing how impulsive Lucas was, Lydia was certain their conversation would inevitably escalate into a heated
argument.
Once that happened, she could leak the news to the rest of the Bennett family, and then they’d grow even more hostile toward Emily.
‘What’s gotten into Lucas, looking like this now?’ Lydia wondered, baffled.
As Lucas met Lydia’s concerned and worried gaze, his bewildered mind suddenly found itself clinging to a lifeline.
He blurted out everything he’d just seen, his voice tinged with desperation as he sought validation. “Lydia, she said she’s not part of the Bennett family. That must’ve just been angry words, right?”
Lydia was completely caught off guard that this was the reason for Lucas’s dazed state. For a brief moment, her face contorted involuntarily. Lucas was too distraught to notice.
“Of course it was just angry words,” Lydia said, forcing a stiff smile while her mind raced with calculations.
“Emily grew up with a silver spoon, always used to extravagant spending. She must be really out of money to stoop to working now.” Lydia sighed with feigned sympathy.
Lydia continued, “Honestly, if she needed money, she could’ve just asked the family. Why put herself through such unnecessary hardship?”
Lucas was momentarily dazed. “She went to work just because she needed money?” he asked hesitantly. “She’s not
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Chapter 100
trying to cut ties with the Bennett family, is she?”
There was deep doubt in Lucas’s voice. He seemed to half-believe the explanation, yet he still sounded uncertain.
“Of course not,” Lydia said, her words instantly calming his fears. “Emily hasn’t suffered like I have. She grew up in the Bennett family, waited on hand and foot, never having to lift a finger. She couldn’t endure the hardships of a real job?
“Emily’s just being stubborn, too proud to ask the Bennett family for help, so she went out working to earn some money on her own. When the family finds out, they’ll surely take pity on her.
“Remember how she even faked her own kidnapping just to swindle money from you? Now she’s probably just trying a gentler approach,” Lydia sneered.
Lucas’s dazed expression hardened into anger. He thought he’d uncovered Emily’s little act.
Lucas scoffed, “Exactly, someone like her could never handle the hardship of a real job. She’s definitely just putting on another act.
“First, she faked her kidnapping, and now she’s playing the victim. Her schemes are getting more and more devious.” Lucas spat, his face twisted in anger. “I’m going to expose her right now.”
Lucas was about to storm off and confront Emily when Lydia quickly grabbed his arm. “Don’t be so rash,” she urged. “If you go straight to Emily like this, she’ll just deny everything.
