Editor: Henyee Translations
"Who am I? I’m Daddy’s daughter! How strange, I just heard the butler say outside that this lady was kicked out because she fed Christian celery, which he’s allergic to." Mia struck a nerve with Rose using an innocent tone. "Allergies are such a serious matter, yet Grandma actually thinks it’s nothing. Could it be that Grandma also wants Christian to have an allergic reaction?"
Rose’s brain buzzed. "I-I didn’t mean it like that! Nathaniel, don’t listen to their nonsense! Where did these little country bumpkins come from?! Who is your grandma?!"
Nathaniel’s eyes darkened.
Estelle stared in dumbfounded shock. Wait a minute... No matter how she looked at them, these two were definitely her precious babies. But weren’t her babies supposed to be abroad with her assistant? Why were they by Nathaniel’s side, and why were they calling him ’Daddy’?!
Zachery met Estelle’s gaze, then immediately averted his eyes with a guilty conscience, deciding to leave this mess to Mia.
Mia remained composed. "Grandma, we aren’t little country bumpkins. We are Daddy’s adopted children~"
Rose trembled with anger. "How dare a pair of adopted brats speak to me like that! Do you have any idea who I am? I’m—"
Mia blinked, her words infuriating enough to drive someone mad. "I know~ But didn’t Grandma also abandon her real flesh and blood for a fake daughter? If you say I’m adopted, then isn’t that just perfect? It means your teachings over the years have been very effective, and Daddy learned from your example~"
Estelle was left speechless. Zachery silently took a step back, leaving the battlefield to Mia.
The words ’fake daughter’ were like a sharp sword viciously piercing Noelle’s heart! Fake daughter, fake daughter—Estelle had been dead for five years, so why was she still the fake daughter?! Estelle was the one who shouldn’t have come back!
Rose felt as if two slaps had just been delivered to her face. She was so furious that she couldn’t keep up her act anymore. "Nathaniel, look at this! She’s actually mocking me! How did I not want my biological daughter? If Estelle hadn’t gone too far back then, I wouldn’t have abandoned her! Just think about what she did—causing trouble the moment she returned to the Lockwood family, intentionally falling into the water to frame Noelle, breaking Noelle’s heart for so long..."
Estelle felt no emotional fluctuations in her heart. She had heard the same insults countless times during the two years she had returned to the Lockwood family. To her surprise, however, Nathaniel’s eyes turned terrifyingly cold as he snapped sharply, "Enough!"
"The events of the past are over. You keep saying you don’t mind, yet you bring it up time and time again. I know exactly what you’re trying to do!" He knew it was just an attempt to frame Noelle as the victim, aiming to make him feel guilty so that they could marry Noelle into the Sloan family.
Estelle’s head snapped up to look at him. Was Nathaniel... speaking up for her?
No, that was impossible. The drowning incident back then had blown up into a huge ordeal. Noelle had clearly pushed her in, yet afterward, she played the victim, leading everyone to believe that Estelle had tried to hurt Noelle and ended up falling into the water as a result of her own maliciousness. She didn’t know how to swim. When she finally managed to drag herself out of the pool, she received no comfort whatsoever and was instead met with pointing fingers and disdain. As for Nathaniel... he had stayed by the uninjured Noelle’s side from start to finish, completely ignoring Estelle. He hadn’t even bothered to ask her a single question.
So how could Nathaniel possibly be helping her! He just... didn’t want to be reminded of Estelle’s existence at all.
Rose was already scared silly. She wanted to say something else but was interrupted by Nathaniel once again.
"Ms. Lowell, who permitted you to insult her in my presence?" Nathaniel showed absolutely no mercy. "See her out."
The butler immediately escorted Rose out.
After Rose left, silence returned to the living room. Mia’s eyes darted around playfully. She secretly tugged at Zachery’s sleeve and sidled closer to Estelle.
Estelle raised an eyebrow and mouthed silently: "Follow me."
Nathaniel watched as the two little ones trailed after her like a pair of little tails, following her upstairs.
Noelle had been brimming with jealousy this whole time. Finally finding an opportunity, she bit her lower lip and spoke pitifully.
"Nathaniel, please don’t take my mother’s words to heart. It’s all in the past.
"I’ve never blamed my sister at all. Besides, she has already..."
"Christian hasn’t forgiven you yet. Who gave you permission to come to my house?" Nathaniel interrupted coolly.
Noelle’s face stiffened slightly, but she still forced a smile. "Nathaniel, I came to see you for official business, regarding the Star Group’s banquet..."
Upstairs.
Zachery and Mia stood flat against the wall, their heads hung low like two little quails.
Estelle’s tone was stern. "How did you return to the country? Confess, right now."
Two five-year-old children coming back from abroad all by themselves—Estelle felt a lingering terror at the thought. How could they be so bold? Weren’t they afraid of getting into an accident?!
Zachery coughed and tried to curry favor. "Mommy, we came back with your assistant! Don’t worry, we won’t get lost, and we won’t be kidnapped by bad guys! Mia isn’t smart, but I’m very quick-witted!"
Mia wondered how this little fool Zachery had the nerve to say she wasn’t smart.
Estelle laughed in exasperation. "So you think you’re in the right?"
Zachery shot Mia a look. Mia coughed and said in a sweet, soft voice, "Mommy, don’t blame Zachery. We just felt bad for you and wanted to help you.
"You see, as soon as we arrived, we made that evil mother-daughter duo look like fools. We’re pretty amazing, aren’t we?"
Estelle’s heart softened. She had originally planned to keep all her grievances with the Lockwood family and Nathaniel hidden from these two children forever. But unexpectedly, they had overheard her talking on the phone with Penelope one time. Knowing their intentions were good, Estelle couldn’t bring herself to maintain a cold face anymore.
"Nathaniel is not an easy person to get along with. You need to stick with me normally, understand? I’ll take you to kindergarten tomorrow. Also, I have to attend the Star Group’s banquet tonight, so I can’t take you with me. Be good, and call me if anything happens."
Zachery patted his chest and promised, "Don’t worry, Mommy! Scum Daddy has absolutely no idea what our goal is. He still thinks our daddy is really dead!"
Mia felt that Zachery was being a bit too confident, but on second thought, it seemed like there wasn’t a problem with his logic.
At this time, the butler finished arranging their rooms. Zachery took Mia’s hand and headed inside.
Neither of them noticed Christian poking his head out from around a nearby corner.
He wondered if those were his younger brother and sister. He also wanted to go to kindergarten with them, but would they agree? He had to think of a way. It seemed like they hated Noelle too. If that was the case...
Christian stood in place for a moment, making a bold decision in his heart.
Later that evening.
When Estelle was getting ready to return to her room, she received a call from Henry Kendrick, the vice president of the Star Group and the grandson of her good friend and savior.
"Yara, the banquet will be held at the Crestfall Grand Hotel. I’ll send someone over to pick you up."
"Mhm," Estelle replied. "I want to keep a low profile. Don’t make it too grand. For now, I don’t want anyone discovering my relationship with the Star Group."
"Alright, I’ll make the arrangements on my end..."
At that moment, Estelle happened to walk past Nathaniel’s study. Faint voices drifted out from inside.
"Nathaniel, let me accompany you to tonight’s banquet. I heard that the CEO of Star is also a woman. I might be able to help you out...
"Everyone else will have a female companion at the banquet, and you don’t have a woman by your side. If I go with you, I can also help you fend off any unwanted romantic attention. You know..."
Estelle couldn’t hear the rest of her words clearly. Then, she heard Nathaniel’s cold reply, "Suit yourself."
’Suit yourself’ meant he was allowing Noelle to be his female companion and attend the banquet with him.
Heh.
Estelle spoke directly into the phone to Henry, "Change the plans. There’s no need to keep a low profile."
Then, she pushed open the door to the study with a radiant smile. "What are you two chatting about? Mind if I join in?"