Chapter 3

At eight o'clock that evening, Vivian's homecoming celebration was about to begin.

The Kane family had invited almost every relative and close friend in the pack.

Everyone knew that the Kane family's twin daughter, who had been missing for eighteen years, had finally been found.

They also knew that Lydia had gone to the Memory Bank and sold some of the memories from the past eighteen years to compensate her sister.

A guest holding a wineglass asked curiously,

“Does selling memories have any side effects?”

Alpha Adrian waved his hand dismissively.

“Young people these days love making things sound more frightening than they are.”

“It's just a few old memories. It's not like she's undergoing brain surgery.”

“Besides, Lydia must have sold some insignificant things.”

Xavier chimed in.

“She was always so petty as a child.”

“If the nanny gave her one less cookie, she'd remember it for three years.”

“Selling off that kind of nonsense should clear her head.”

A burst of laughter rippled through the crowd.

Luna Elena laughed along with them.

“That girl always overthinks everything.”

“Once she comes back and realizes we never truly abandoned her, she'll probably throw her arms around me and cry.”

Someone remarked enviously,

“You really do love her.”

“After raising her for eighteen years, she's practically your own daughter.”

Elena's expression changed.

“Who said she isn't my daughter?”

The guest froze.

Only then did Elena realize that the truth behind the test had not yet been revealed to the public.

She quickly tried to smooth things over.

“I mean, after raising her for eighteen years, our bond is just as strong as if she were our own.”

Adrian frowned at her.

“We'll explain everything once Lydia arrives. There's no need to tell her in advance and let her think she's won.”

Eight-thirty came, but I still hadn't appeared.

The driver called.

“Alpha, I've been waiting outside the Memory Bank for an hour, but Miss Lydia never showed up.”

“What about her phone?”

“I called, but she hasn't answered.”

Adrian's expression darkened.

“Keep waiting.”

“If she refuses to get in the car tonight, tell her the Kane family won't keep its doors open for her forever.”

Julian called Lydia as well.

After two unanswered calls, he impatiently sent her a voice message.

“Lydia, don't take this too far. So many elders are waiting tonight. If you're late, you're embarrassing the entire Kane family.”

He received no response.

Vivian asked quietly,

“Could it be because of the crown? Maybe I should give her mine.”

“It has nothing to do with the crown,” Julian replied, his tone softening.

“She just wants to make me anxious. She used to do the same thing whenever we argued.”

But just as he finished speaking, he suddenly sensed something was wrong.

The familiar mental connection between him and Lydia had grown strangely faint.

Julian immediately called her again, then tried reaching out through their mental link.

There was no response.

“What's wrong?” Vivian asked.

Julian put away his phone and forced himself to remain calm.

“Nothing.”

She was just throwing a tantrum.

He thought she'd come back on her own once she got over it.

Elena glanced at the time, irritation rising in her chest.

“The test is already over. What more does she want?”

“Does she expect the entire family to take turns apologizing to her?”

Xavier swirled his wineglass, unconcerned.

“Mom, don't worry.”

“Just leave her alone.”

“She has always hated being ignored. Once she realizes no one is going to comfort her, she'll come back on her own.”

At nine o'clock, the host stepped onto the stage.

Vivian was formally introduced as a member of the Kane family.

As the applause filled the room, Elena instinctively looked toward the ballroom entrance.

It was empty.

The bouquet of pink roses that I was supposed to present had to be delivered by a staff member instead.

The host leaned over and asked quietly,

“Should we keep Miss Lydia's apology segment in the program?”

Adrian's face was stern.

“Move it to a later time.”

“Once she arrives, send her straight onto the stage.”

Half an hour later, the driver called again.

“Alpha, the Memory Bank says Miss Lydia's business has been completed. She left through another exit.”

Adrian slammed his glass onto the table.

“She left? She knew we had a family gathering tonight, and she still walked away on her own?”

Julian snatched the phone from him.

“Where did she go?”

“The bank refused to disclose that information. They said the client's whereabouts are private.”

Julian hung up.

“I'm going to find her.”

Vivian quickly grabbed his arm.

“Julian, the celebration isn't over yet.”

Xavier said coldly,

“No one is going anywhere.”

“Isn't she just trying to force us to lower our heads?”

“Whoever goes looking for her today loses.”

Elena said nothing.

She opened my chat window and typed a message.

[Lydia, Mom knows you've been hurt.]

After hesitating for a few seconds, she slowly deleted every word.

Lydia was too easily encouraged to push her luck.

If Elena softened now, all their efforts to test her would have been wasted.

Just then, the butler hurried over.

“Alpha, someone from the Memory Bank just contacted the house.”

“They said they have some documents that need to be handed directly to a member of the Kane family.”

Adrian asked impatiently,

“When will they arrive?”

The butler glanced toward the entrance.

“They're already on their way.”

He had no idea that the documents contained a complete record of every memory Lydia had sold.

Nor did he know how much they would find in those supposedly insignificant old memories, or how much the family would never be able to recover.