CHAPTER 82: CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWO: LYDIA IS A TRAITOR

Mason’s POV

I couldn’t sleep all through the night because every time I closed my eyes, I saw Christy’s face when she realized Piper was free. The pain in her eyes and the disbelief, It replayed again and again until the first light of dawn slipped through my blinds.

Did I make a mistake by freeing her? Should I just let the past go? What if the mastermind is still watching?.

I had promised myself that I would protect her, but after hearing all she had been through, it felt like I was putting her in danger instead.

The worst part was knowing the people behind her pain were still out there, walking free and living comfortably.

By noon, I was sitting in my car outside a downtown café, a laptop was open on the passenger seat, as I typed away. I wasn’t planning to rest until I found something concrete.

My contact from the cyber-forensics unit had finally sent the files I had requested. I opened the encrypted folder, my eyes narrowing as I scrolled through the transaction records.

Benjamin’s personal account showed monthly transfers, the amounts weren’t huge, but the consistency was suspicious. Every month, for almost twelve years straight, he received deposits from the same sender.

I finally checked the sender’s name and I was so stunned and just stared at it.

Lydia Lancaster.

The name made me have goosebumps, how could it be my aunt.

I blinked hard, scrolling through the records again to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating.

It didn’t make sense, Lydia owned one of the biggest beauty salons in the city. She had money, influence, and the reputation of a charitable socialite. What business would she have sending money to a criminal like Benjamin?

My jaw tightened as the realization sank deeper.

This is definitely a payment or a shut up fee.

A cold wave of anger rolled through me, and I gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white. All the warmth I’d once associated with family vanished.

Lydia had always been the one that wished and prayed that Christy was safe when she went missing. She cried so much and fasted for her safety.

But I have noticed a change in her attitude after Christy returned but I thought it was because of the ongoing conflict between Mira and Christy.

She is always smiling and always saying things like "family comes first" but now those words seem ridiculous.

If she had anything to do with what happened to Christy, I would never forgive her and I will make sure she pays severely.

I shut the laptop, as I felt it was time to confront her.

By the time I reached her salon, the afternoon sun was burning hot. The building gleamed like it was made of gold, with tall glass windows and a minimalist black sign that read Lydia Luxe.

The scent of expensive perfume and hair serum wafted out as soon as the automatic doors slid open.

Inside, everything was screaming luxury. Clients with designer handbags sipped champagne while stylists fussed over their hair.The walls were lined with mirrors and soft gold lights.

Lydia always did have a taste for glamour, I thought as I glanced around as it was my first time here.

When the receptionist saw me, she smiled politely. "Good afternoon, sir. Do you have an appointment?"

I didn’t bother answering her as my eyes had already spotted Lydia across the room, wearing a white suit, that made it impossible not to notice her. Her hair was perfectly styled, her smile poised as she chatted with a woman at the manicure table.

When she turned and saw me, the smile on her face froze.

"Mason?" she said, blinking in surprise before quickly covering it up with a pleasant grin.

"What a surprise! You should have called. I could have had the chef make something special." she said with a smooth smile.

"I need to talk to you, privately."I said flatly.

The receptionist looked startled by my tone, but Lydia just waved a manicured hand, her charm still intact.

"Of course, dear. Let’s go to my office." she said before leading the way.

Her office was at the back of the salon, decorated with white furniture, a crystal chandelier, and walls covered in framed awards.The faint scent of roses filled the air, she closed the door behind us and turned to me, still smiling politely.

"Now, tell me," she said, gesturing to a chair. "What brings my favorite nephew here looking so serious?"

I didn’t sit, instead I reached into my jacket pocket, pulled out the printed transaction records, and dropped them on her desk.

She blinked and her expression was unreadable. "What’s this?"

"Proof that you’ve been sending money to a man called Benjamin for years."I said coldly.

Lydia’s perfectly drawn brows furrowed slightly. "Benjamin?" she repeated slowly before turning to look me in the eye.

"I don’t know any.... "

"Don’t lie to me, Aunt Lydia. I have bank records, timestamps and proof that the transfers were made from your personal account.You were paying him." I cut her off sharply.

Her eyes flicked down to the papers, then back to me. Her face stayed composed, but I saw a slight change in her demeanor.

"Mason," she said softly, taking a seat behind her desk. "You have clearly misunderstood something. I donate to a lot of people. It’s part of my charity work."

"Charity? He is a fucking criminal. He was arrested for trafficking, extortion, forced prostitution and kidnapping. Don’t play innocent with me, you knew exactly who he was."I laughed bitterly.

Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Watch your tone, I won’t be disrespected in my own office."

"Then tell me why.. Why did you pay the man who tried to kill Christy?" I snapped, barely able to restrain my anger.

For the first time, her composure faltered and color drained from her face, just for a second, before she quickly regained it.

"I have no idea what you are talking about," she said, her voice was sharper now.

"Really? Because I spoke to Benjamin myself. He told me everything. He said someone paid him to make Christy disappear, someone from her own family."I slammed my hand against the desk, making her flinch.

Benjamin had refused to say anything about the mastermind, so I had to find a way to make her panic and scared.

Her lips parted slightly, and she blinked a few times, pretending to look confused. "That’s ridiculous. You are accusing me of attempted murder? Do you hear yourself?"

I leaned closer, my voice low but dangerous. "Then explain the money."

She hesitated, her eyes darting to the papers again. The silence stretched between us, as she seemed to be trying to come up with a suitable excuse.

Then she did something that stunned me, she suddenly laughed like a crazy psycho.

It wasn’t her usual polite laugh, this one was darker and mocking.

"Oh, Mason," she said, shaking her head as she leaned back in her chair. "You always were the curious one."

My pulse quickened as I glared at her. "What’s so funny?"

She tilted her head slightly, her eyes gleaming. "You finally found it, didn’t you? The little trail I left behind, took you long enough."

My blood ran cold. "So it’s true?"

Her lips curved into a slow, sinister smile. "Of course it’s true, but don’t act so surprised. This family has always been built on secrets."

I felt my chest tightening as I looked at her with disgust. "You paid Benjamin to kill her?"

She looked directly into my eyes. "To get rid of her, yes. But killing wasn’t supposed to be part of the deal. That fool went off-script."

My breath caught. "Why?"

"Because she was in the way," Lydia said, her tone turning almost casual, like she was discussing the weather. "Everything was fine until that girl came back into the picture. You think I didn’t know? You think I didn’t see how everyone suddenly started talking about ’the lost Lancaster daughter’? It was only a matter of time before she ruined everything."

"Everything?" I repeated, my voice breaking with disbelief. "You are talking about family, Lydia! She is your niece!"

She smiled faintly while looking unbothered. "Family means nothing when it comes to inheritance."

My stomach turned. "Inheritance?"

She stood up and walked slowly to the large window behind her desk. "You know about the Lancaster trust fund, don’t you? The one reserved for the eldest daughter of each generation."

I frowned. "I have heard of it, but... "

She turned around sharply. "Well, Christy was born two days before my Mira. Two fucking days, Mason. That’s all it took for her to have the right to millions while my daughter got nothing."

I just stared at her, too stunned to react for a few seconds. "You tried to kill her... over money?"

Her expression hardened. "Don’t make it sound so simple, that money represents control, legacy and everything the Lancaster name stands for. It was meant to secure the family’s future and I couldn’t stand by while all of it went to a girl who wasn’t even supposed to exist in the first place."

My chest burned with fury as I glared at her. "You disgust me."

Lydia smirked. "Oh, don’t be dramatic, I didn’t do it alone."

My brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

She looked amused by my confusion. "You really think I came up with all this by myself? Please, I may be ambitious, but I’m not suicidal."

"Who helped you?" I demanded.

Her eyes darkened, as the playful tone vanished. "You should stop digging, Mason," she said quietly. "Because the person who started this, the one who planned everything isn’t someone you want to mess with."

I took a step closer. "Who?"

She smiled, slow and chilling. "Let’s just say... they have more power than you could ever imagine. You think exposing me will fix anything? You will just be scratching the surface."

Her words sent a shiver down my spine. "So you are protecting them now?"

"I’m protecting myself," she said coldly. "And if you are smart, you will do the same. Walk away, Mason and forget about what happened to Christy. Forget about this whole mess before you end up buried in it."

I clenched my fists,as every muscle in my body screamed for me to hit something. "You’re unbelievable."

She just shrugged. "I have been called worse."

I stared at her for a long moment, memorizing every cruel detail of her expression. Then I grabbed the papers off her desk and turned for the door.

As I reached for the handle, she called out softly, "Mason."

I stopped but didn’t turn around.

"Be careful who you trust," she said, her tone suddenly sweet again. "Because in this family, loyalty has a price."

I walked out without another word.

By the time I got into my car, my hands were shaking. The truth I had uncovered felt heavier than I had imagined. Lydia wasn’t just guilty, she was part of something bigger and darker.

And whoever was behind her... was still out there.

I started the engine and drove off, my heart pounding. Christy deserved to know, but as I looked at the road ahead, I couldn’t help wondering if telling her would only put her in more danger.

Because Lydia was right about one thing, whoever was in the shadows wasn’t someone to mess with.

But I have already made my choice.

I wasn’t backing down until every single one of them was exposed.