CLICK. The door handle turned, and Estelle Lockwood looked back. It was the first time they had seen each other in half a month. Her panicked heart finally settled.
The three little ones were very perceptive and quietly slipped away one after another. Soon, only Nathaniel Sloan and Estelle were left in the living room. Estelle’s lips curled up slightly. They didn’t speak for a long time; perhaps words were unnecessary. After a long while, Nathaniel slowly averted his gaze. He gently pulled the woman in front of him into an embrace and planted a cherished kiss on her lips.
"Welcome home, Mrs. Sloan."
After the funeral, that brainless Laura Jennings actually wanted to go back on her word. Estelle nonchalantly tossed her a recording, and Laura’s face turned green.
Ethan Sloan gritted his teeth. "Estelle, the share transfer requires both of us to be present. When are you coming over?"
Estelle raised an eyebrow. "That depends on Chairman Sloan."
A shift in shares within a major corporation was enough to send shockwaves throughout the entire company. However, the current situation at the Sloan Group was incredibly complex. Let alone a change in shares, the board of directors probably wouldn’t even bat an eye if the chairman was suddenly replaced. After all, anyone could see that Chairman Sloan wanted to leave the company to Theodore Lancaster. But Theodore... if the Sloan Group really fell into his hands, would these shareholders even have a way out?
The share transfer was quickly completed. Estelle’s shares had even leapfrogged past Ethan’s. His face flashed alternating shades of green and pale white before he stormed off in a huff.
Theodore, however, remained completely composed. "Miss Lockwood."
Estelle raised an eyebrow. "Is there something else?"
A smile played on Theodore’s lips. "Aren’t you curious as to why I insist on keeping you around, Miss Lockwood?"
Estelle brushed a lock of hair aside. "Because you want to take everything that belongs to Nathaniel."
Theodore’s expression stiffened slightly.
Estelle scoffed. "But my point still stands. A fake is a fake. Drop the act in front of me, understood?"
Watching her walk away, Theodore slowly narrowed his eyes.
Even his assistant couldn’t stand it. "Sir, this Estelle is giving you no face at all. Why do you have to accommodate her like this?"
"Do you know who she is?" Theodore’s voice was icy.
The assistant was indignant. "Even if... even if her biological mother’s side of the family is prestigious, it’s still up for debate whether she can successfully return to them."
Theodore sneered. "The Lockwood family was destroyed by her hands. Do you really think she wouldn’t be able to return if she knew her true identity?"
"But, there’s still another..." The assistant stopped mid-sentence and snapped his mouth shut.
Theodore, however, realized something. Yes, there was still another person, and this person had been hiding in the shadows all along.
As soon as Theodore returned to the Sloan family’s villa, Laura started chattering away.
"I told you Estelle was a menace! If I had known, I would have had her killed back then. Theodore, why must you keep her around? What’s so good about that woman? She’s just a bit pretty and knows nothing but tricks to seduce men..."
"Do you think everyone is like you?" Theodore cut her off coldly.
Laura’s face flushed red, her eyes darting around. "I’m doing this for your own good! Theodore, it’s time you got married. If you had some support, I refuse to believe Nathaniel..."
"What, trying to push Thea York onto me?"
Theodore could easily read Laura’s mind. He scoffed, still unable to understand how his own biological mother could be so utterly stupid. The women she favored were always either Noelle Lockwood or Thea York. Those two had no real talent, no abilities, and no capability to manage a company. Other than knowing how to curry favor, what else did they have? Yet, Laura genuinely believed that Noelle was better than Estelle and that Thea was better than Stella York. What an idiot!
Humiliated by his rebuke, Laura stuck to her guns. "I’m only doing this for your own good! What’s so great about Estelle? She has no status and no background. Now, if it were the York family..."
"Ms. Jennings, what do you think the York family amounts to?" Theodore’s voice suddenly turned freezing cold.
"The Yorks... well, they’re a prominent family in Crestfall after all..."
"And how do they compare to the Yeats family?" Theodore asked lightly.
When Theodore mentioned the Yeats family, Ethan’s eyes lit up. Laura, failing to grasp the implication, spoke impatiently. "The Yeats family? What Yeats family? There’s no one with the surname Yeats in Crestfall. Even if you look down on Thea, it still can’t be Estelle. That little hussy..."
"The Yeats family of Capital City," Theodore said coldly. "You need to broaden your horizons, Ms. Jennings. Stop limiting your sights to Crestfall."
The Yeats family of Capital City?!
The words caught in Laura’s throat. "Wh-what do you mean? What could Estelle possibly have to do with the Yeats family?"
The Yeats family in Capital City was a century-old dynasty that stood permanently at the very top of the food chain. But what connection could Estelle have with them?!
"Theodore, y-you must be mistaken. Isn’t Estelle just a..."
"The biological younger brother of the previous Yeats Family Head. Father, do you know of him?" Theodore couldn’t be bothered to explain to Laura anymore and turned directly to Ethan.
Ethan frowned. "I know of him... Back then, he refused the arranged marriage set up by the Yeats family and married another woman. They had a daughter. The mother apparently couldn’t raise the child, so Old Mr. Yeats brought the girl to the Yeats family. Later, after Old Mr. Yeats passed away, his daughter, Miss Yeats, mysteriously disappeared."
Theodore nodded. "That’s correct. But a disappearance doesn’t mean death. The Yeats family is convinced that Miss Yeats is still alive, and they’ve been searching for her all these years."
Laura still didn’t understand. Even if Miss Yeats was still alive, she would be around the same age as Laura herself. What did that have to do with Estelle?
It was Ethan who suddenly jolted, his eyes widening in shock. "Estelle?! And Miss Yeats?!"
If Estelle wasn’t the biological daughter of Austin Lockwood and Rose Lowell, then what was her true background? Estelle actually bore a slight resemblance to Old Mr. Lockwood, which was why no one had ever suspected that she wasn’t a true Lockwood. Furthermore, Estelle had mentioned before that Old Mr. Lockwood had a brother. Thus, Theodore speculated that Estelle was the granddaughter of Old Mr. Lockwood’s brother.
"If Estelle’s father hailed from the Lockwood family, then what about her mother?" Theodore remarked lightly. "I’ve heard rumors. Even if Estelle’s mother isn’t Miss Yeats herself, she is definitely connected to her. If we can latch onto the Yeats family of Capital City, heh..."
Ethan finally understood. "Then we absolutely cannot afford to offend Estelle. But..." He shot a sharp glare at Laura. Talk about not offending her—hadn’t they already offended Estelle to the absolute limit?!
Theodore gave her a meaningful look. "So, Ms. Jennings, wise up."
Outwardly, Laura agreed, but deep down, she remained scornful. How could a little wretch like Estelle be the heiress of the Yeats family? What a joke! Right, someone from the Yeats family had indeed come to Crestfall recently. Could they really be looking for Estelle? No, she had to go investigate!