Chapter 818

Peggy said, "Because I was scared Evelyn would recognize you and take you away from me."

Hearing this selfish confession, Lucas was still shocked. He thought he was prepared for anything, that nothing she said could hurt him. But they had spent thirty years together. He couldn’t stay unaffected.

Lucas said, "So, just to stop me from meeting my real mother, you kept me down for ten whole years. A whole decade, the best years I could’ve had as an idol, the years I should’ve debuted. You heartlessly stole them from me. Why did you have to treat me like this? Why?!"

Lucas lowered his head in pain. His tears burned his soul.

With tears streaming down her face, Peggy cried, "Lucas, you’re my only hope and everything I have. I devoted all my energy to you, I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you. If you left, I’d have nothing! Can’t you try to understand me?"

Lucas said, "How do you expect me to understand you? You swapped me with your own daughter just for revenge, and then dumped all your pain on me! How much longer are you going to keep me under your thumb?"

He was practically begging her to let him go, to finally set him free, mentally.

Peggy took a deep breath. "Fine. You’re free now. I can’t control you anymore. Go do whatever you want. Are you satisfied now?"

Lucas looked at Peggy deeply. At that moment, her eyes brimmed with tears–a mix of grievance, accusation, and anger–like she was silently accusing him of being heartless.

"I won’t come to see you again." After saying that, Lucas put down the phone. The next second, he suddenly bowed low to Peggy.

Peggy shot up from her seat. "Lucas!" She didn’t expect Lucas to do this.

Lucas spoke each word with solemn finality, "This bow is for the thirty years you raised me, Ms. Davis. From now on, I don’t owe you anything. From here on out, I’ll walk my own path."

He wanted to leave everything behind and become a brand new Lucas, someone who finally lived for himself, no longer shackled by family ties or guilt, free to chase his dreams without a care, and to live as wild and free as the wind.

He thought, ‘Since I’ve been given a second chance, I’m going to make the most of it.’

"Lucas…" Peggy covered her mouth, sobbing uncontrollably. "Lucas!" But no matter how many times she called out to him, he would never look back.

Her face was streaked with tears. She had lost the one thing she treasured most. From now on, she had no family left. The son she’d poured thirty years of her life into was gone as well.

She just stood there and stared blankly out the window like the living dead, until a familiar voice called out to her.

Her gaze moved slowly toward the voice, and when she saw Evelyn, a bitter smile tugged at her lips. She said, "Are you here to laugh at my misery? You won. In the end, you still came out on top."

Even though she and Evelyn were less than two years apart, her family had always liked Evelyn better. Her parents, especially, never stopped comparing the two of them.

To her family, Evelyn was always the prettier one, did better in school, had better skin, and was just a nicer person overall.

Every time there was a family gathering, Peggy absolutely hated it, because she knew she’d get picked apart until there was nothing left of her self-esteem.

They always said, "Peggy, you should really learn from Evelyn."

Chapter 918

"Just look at Evelyn, how amazing she is. And then look at you…"

She’d heard those words so many times that they’d become barbs lodged in her heart for years.