"You're a fool," Lydia sighed, helpless. "Fine. Go to Zentiscape, find Charlie. But think carefully—you two are perfect for each other. Good kids, both of you."
Kelly bristled. "Mom, I'm leaving." She wasn't alone. A phalanx of Jones family bodyguards, overt and covert, shadowed her every move. As the sole heir, her safety was paramount.
The Jones family, leveraging their ties to Hoggard Technologies, emailed Hayden, urging him to protect Kelly. Hayden, startled by the message, quickly dismissed it. Hoggard's neutrality was its strength; taking sides would destroy its global trust, rendering its advanced—and weaponized—technology worthless.
He refused their request outright. In Yowhayton, Ronan and Ryker, stunned by Hayden’s email, reviewed their plans. Meanwhile, Yowhayton's other powerful families watched Kelly's journey, fearing Hoggard’s potential bias. Three days later, catastrophe struck the Joneses.
Ronan, Ryker, and Lydia were found dead in the mansion. Joshua's call to the police revealed Lydia as the killer. International headlines screamed the news.
Kelly, though in Zentiscape, hadn't contacted Charlie. She was simply seeking respite before returning home. The news shattered her. Why? How could this be? Overwhelmed, she collapsed.
A bodyguard stopped her, presenting a letter—Lydia’s. Claire recognized the handwriting. It revealed a decades-old secret: Lydia’s hatred for Ronan stemmed from her sister Leilani’s murder.
Leilani, a brilliant prodigy, had studied in Yowhayton, where she met Ronan, the terrifying head of the Jones family. Before her death, she’d messaged Lydia, begging for help; Ronan planned to kill her. Lydia, overwhelmed and inexperienced with international affairs, was too late.
Lydia confronted Ronan, to no avail. He imprisoned and tortured her, his personal physician repeatedly reviving her for more abuse. She barely escaped, aided by Zentiscape embassy officials who valued her knowledge of Ronan’s secrets. She returned to Zentiscape pregnant with Claire.
Initially wanting an abortion, Lydia ultimately accepted her pregnancy. Claire, unlike Ronan, was innocent. But their peace was shattered. Ronan needed Claire as the Jones heir.
Lydia knew Ronan’s manipulative tactics. Reporting him to her homeland offered no guarantee of protection. To save Claire, she feigned love for Ronan, returning to the Jones family.
Years of cautious maneuvering followed. Claire's resolute refusal to marry and produce an heir both pleased and worried Lydia. She was relieved Claire wasn't like the other Joneses, but pained by her entanglement with them.