120
“Zachary has been having an affair with Zoe for a long time!“}
Emily’s words struck Lucas hard, darkening his expression. He stared at her in silence, his thoughts a whirlwind he couldn’t unravel.
Seeing his silence as disbelief, Emily anxiously grabbed the front of his shirt and pressed on.
“Please believe me, Lucas. I overheard everything. Zachary said Zoe refused to let me go and planned to take me away to torture me. How could Zachary trust Zoe so completely if they weren’t involved? They must have a shameful secret together.”>
Still, Lucas said nothing. He looked at Emily’s frantic face, confused. Why was Zoe the first thing on her mind after all this?\
He gently patted her back.
“You’re safe now. Let’s talk about this later.”
He helped her into the car, his face heavy with worry.
Emily wanted to say more, but the grim look on Lucas’s face silenced her. She felt hurt, thinking he didn’t believe a word she said.
Frustrated, she pulled out her phone and scrolled through pictures. Suddenly, she froze and showed him one with surprise.§
“Look, Lucas! Why are Zachary and Zoe so close in this photo?”
She thrust the phone toward him, eager for him to see what she considered proof of Zoe’s betrayal.}
But Lucas’s mind was clouded by Zachary’s earlier words. What had Zoe told him? Why was she ready to abandon their ten–year relationship?
He couldn’t make sense of it, and Emily’s persistent interruptions only irritated him for the first time.
Just as Emily was about to wave the phone in front of him again, Lucas slammed on the brakes suddenly.
Had Emily not buckled up, she might have been thrown forward.
Her heart raced, and she patted her chest nervously. “Lucas, why’d you scare me like that? You almost scared our child.“}
Lucas glanced at her swollen belly, forcing down the anger rising inside him.
No matter what Emily said after, he remained silent and focused on driving.”
All the way home, Zachary’s words echoed in his mind, weighing heavily.
Reluctantly, Lucas took out money again and asked trusted friends to investigate the connection between Zoe and Zachary.}
When they arrived, Sandra was waiting anxiously. Seeing Emily safe visibly relaxed her tense features.
1
“You poor thing. How’s the baby? Are you feeling okay?”
She scanned Emily from head to toe and sighed with relief upon hearing the baby was fine.
“Mom, thank you–and Lucas too–for rescuing me. You don’t know how awful it was locked up. If Zoe hadn’t lied, none of this would have happened.”
Emily instinctively grabbed Sandra’s arm and complained bitterly, blaming me in front of her.”
“Mom, you spent a lot of money this time, didn’t you? Don’t worry–I’ll work hard and make money for the company. I’ll give you everything you need for your retirement!“}
Emily smiled sweetly, but Sandra’s expression suddenly darkened.
She looked at Lucas with sharp, accusing glance.
“I didn’t spend that much!”
“That’s Lucas for you,” Sandra muttered bitterly.
“He refuses to spend Zoe’s money and would rather give the company away than touch her savings.”
“What? Give the company away?”
Emily’s surprised voice echoed sharply, striking Lucas’s nerves.
She was anxious. Just appointed general manager. Now, if the company were gone, how could she prove herself? How could she surpass me?Д
“Lucas, how could you mortgage the company? Doesn’t Mom have enough money?”
Sandra gasped and tried to stop Emily, but it was too late.
Lucas’s heart thudded painfully as his scattered thoughts snapped into focus.
He stared coldly at Emily, voice low and sharp.
“You also know Mom stole a lot of money from Zoe, don’t you?”
Emily’s confident smile faltered as shock registered on her face.}
Lucas shook his head slowly, pain etched in every line of his face.
“Mom lied and hid all that money. That’s why she was so desperate to save Emily – because she wanted her money back.”
Sandra’s face hardened, her composure cracking.
“You don’t understand what I did for this family,” she snapped, voice trembling.
“I kept the money safe. I quietly invested it in the company so we could survive. You think I’m a bad mother? I did everything for you!“}
Lucas clenched his fists, the sting of betrayal deeper than he imagined,}}
الصمد
1/2
46.0%
#
8:59 AM
“How can you justify stealing from Zoe? After all she sacrificed for us?”
Sandra’s eyes flashed angrily.
“She’s dead! Stop talking about her like she’s here to defend herself!”
Lucas’s heart tightened painfully at those words.\
“Yes, she’s gone – but not without reason. She gave everything for this family. And you cared only about money, never about how much it hurt her.“>
The room fell silent. Emily’s bravado melted away as she looked down.
Sandra finally whispered, voice breaking.
“I only wanted a secure future for all of you–for the family, for your child.”}]
Lucas softened for a moment but kept his voice steady.
“A secure future built on lies isn’t secure at all. I can’t trust money stained with betrayal.“N
Sandra turned away, defeated.
Lucas, took a deep breath.”
“I’m done blaming you. Now, we fix this–for Emily, for the baby, for all of us.”
He glanced at Emily, who finally met his eyes.
“We start fresh. But no more secrets.”
4
8:59 AM
