Chapter 176: It’s never too late.
’Gambling? Debts?’ Those words echoed in his head. Erica’s desperate need for money suddenly made sense. Her theft from the company wasn’t just about greed but a reckless attempt to cover her gambling losses.
Across the table, Lilianna grew impatient when she didn’t get any response from him. "Are you even listening to me?" she snapped.
Dylan moved his gaze to her fleetingly and then nodded slowly. "I’m listening."
But his calm demeanor only fueled Lilianna’s ire. She threw her hands up in exasperation. "You don’t get it, do you? Erica and Lydia are toxic, Dylan! They’ve always been trouble for us. Lydia, especially."
Her heart filled with bitterness as she recalled the past. "Since childhood, Lydia has been controlling us, always asserting control under the guise of looking out for us. Do you think she cared for us? No! You didn’t see how she treated me back then. She pretends to be selfless and caring, but she is not. She is..."
"Lilianna, that’s enough," Dylan cut in firmly. He fixed her with a steady gaze. "I won’t deny that Lydia has her faults. She wasn’t the easiest person to live with, and her words were often harsh. But let’s not forget the truth. She raised us, Lilianna. Without her, we might have ended up in an orphanage, struggling just to survive."
But Lilianna didn’t share the same thought. For her, Lydia’s actions weren’t acts of sacrifice or care—they were calculated moves to claim control over Brooks’ fortune. She felt no gratitude, only bitterness toward that woman.
"She is far from perfect, I know that," Dylan continued. "But she kept us off the streets. When all the relatives were ready to strip us of everything we owned, Lydia was the one who stood by our side. She even broke her marriage to take care of us and protected what was left of our family, our business. Without her, we would’ve lost everything. Whatever her methods, she saved us from a worse fate."
"You’re wrong," Lilianna interrupted sharply. "She didn’t leave her husband for us. She left him because she was tired of his gambling. He was drowning in debt, and she had no use for him anymore. Don’t paint her as some selfless savior. She became our guardian because she needed money and control, not because of love or sympathy."