Chapter 428: Chapter 428: Old Mr. Sloan... Estelle Lockwood Thinks It’s a Pity
"You can’t—you can’t just abandon me now!"
Ethan Sloan’s face was deathly pale. Having his own son publicly expose him for hiring an assassin was humiliating enough, but now Chairman York was clinging to him like a leech. He felt a splitting headache coming on.
"Shut up! What does your stupidity have to do with me?!"
Nathaniel Sloan chuckled softly, his tone unhurried. "Chairman York, I think you’re begging the wrong person.
"My father can barely save his own skin right now. He hasn’t even managed to explain away the fact that he hired a hitman. Are you certain pleading with him will do you any good?"
Ethan was livid, glaring daggers at his assistant. However, the man who had worked for him for eight years simply kept his head bowed in silence, as if tacitly admitting to everything.
"You... you..."
"Enough, Nathaniel." An elderly man’s voice suddenly rang out from the doorway.
The crowd turned to see Old Mr. Sloan striding into the room.
True to his reputation as the former Family Head who had controlled the Sloan family for years, his face remained entirely unreadable. Even with his son’s atrocious actions completely exposed to the public, he didn’t show a single ripple of emotion.
Old Mr. Sloan looked at Nathaniel. He knew that denying the situation now would be futile; it was better to simply admit it. Besides, there was truly nothing to worry about. Even if Nathaniel wanted to kick up a fuss, what could he actually do?
"Nathaniel," Old Mr. Sloan acknowledged him before turning his gaze to Estelle Lockwood. He offered a practiced, kindly smile. "Estelle, it’s been a long time. Have you been doing well lately?"
Estelle raised her eyes, a flash of mockery passing through them. Looking at this once-benevolent old man, she found the situation incredibly ironic. There was a time when she genuinely believed that Old Mr. Sloan cared for her.
When the Lockwood family had looked down on her and refused to acknowledge her as their daughter, it was Old Mr. Sloan who had brought her back and settled her into the Sloan family’s home. He was the one who had taken her to various banquets, helping her acclimate to high society. When Noelle Lockwood bullied her, Old Mr. Sloan stood up for her. When Rose Lowell drove her out of the house, Old Mr. Sloan personally picked her up and brought her to the Sloan family. He had taught her meticulously, acting as kind as any loving elder should be.
Estelle had always been grateful to him. She had never questioned his motives, but later, Nathaniel and Liam Sloan told her the truth: Old Mr. Sloan only treated her so well because Nathaniel disliked her. Once she and Nathaniel reconciled, Old Mr. Sloan had never seen her again, treating her as if she didn’t exist.
Old Mr. Sloan naturally noticed Estelle’s gaze, but he didn’t deny it, maintaining an expression of charitable grace. "Estelle, search your conscience. When Grandpa Sloan took care of you back then, you couldn’t say a single bad thing about it. Are you going to bite the hand that fed you now?
"I know you’ve been wronged. Ethan is at fault here. But you are part of the younger generation, after all. If you blow this out of proportion, people will inevitably call you petty. Don’t you agree?
"When I first brought you to the Sloan family and you failed to capture Nathaniel’s heart, I helped you. Now, I feel that you and Nathaniel aren’t suitable for each other, and that Thea is the perfect match for him. Estelle, you can understand that everything I do is for Nathaniel’s sake, right?"
Mrs. York chimed in through her tears, "That’s right! Thea just wanted to be with Nathaniel so badly. Chairman Sloan simply had a moment of soft-heartedness and wanted to help. It’s not like you died, Estelle! Is it really necessary to make such a huge scene?"
Estelle had known Old Mr. Sloan was shameless, but she hadn’t expected him to be *this* shameless.
She looked at him and asked, "Are you saying that Ethan hiring a hitman isn’t a crime?"
Old Mr. Sloan replied unhurriedly, "Estelle, you are a smart girl."
"I see..." Estelle nodded with a soft, drawn-out sigh, then turned her gaze to Ethan. "Chairman Sloan, I truly envy you. Despite your age, you have such a wonderful father. You can put a hit out on someone, and even if they die, they just have to accept their bad luck.
"After all, as he just said, it’s not a major mistake. The victim is expected to just forgive and forget."
The onlookers subconsciously took a step back from Ethan. No wonder he had remained so composed even after being exposed—he was absolutely certain that Old Mr. Sloan would protect him. How old was he, and how old was his father? Was he planning to hide behind Old Mr. Sloan for his entire life?
Laura Jennings marched forward with her hands on her hips. "Estelle! We already told you Ethan didn’t want you dead! And so what if he did? Your life is worthless anyway! Do you really think you can turn the world upside down over this?"
Estelle’s lips curled into a scoff.
Laura gritted her teeth. "What’s that supposed to mean, Estelle?! Are you planning to call the police and send your father-in-law to prison? Are you even human?! You heartless wretch!"
The bystanders exchanged glances, and several Evernight International shareholders frowned. Mrs. Sloan was being completely unreasonable. Ethan had hired an assassin, and when the victim demanded justice, she had the audacity to call the victim heartless.
"What are you talking about, Ms. Jennings?" Estelle asked, feigning surprise. "Just a moment ago, Chairman Sloan refused to acknowledge me as his daughter-in-law. He didn’t acknowledge me when he tried to kill me, and he didn’t acknowledge me when I got married. But now that disaster strikes, suddenly I’m family?
"It turns out Chairman Sloan doesn’t have much of a spine after all... But I suppose that makes sense. If you had a spine, you wouldn’t have reached middle age with absolutely nothing to show for it. You’ve just muddled through life. You failed to secure the position of Family Head, and as Chairman, you were completely marginalized. The Sloan Group has hit rock bottom in your hands. Tsk..."
"Estelle!" Ethan roared, his face flushed with uncontrollable rage.
"Estelle." Old Mr. Sloan stood with his hands behind his back, his expression stoic. "Everything you say is correct. But today is Evernight International’s annual gala. If you refuse to consider the Sloan family, you should at least consider Nathaniel.
"If word gets out that you caused a massive scene at the gala, it’s Nathaniel who will lose face."
Thea York added hypocritically, "Estelle... I understand the grievances in your heart, but you have to think of the big picture. One person’s suffering is nothing in the grand scheme of things. Since you love Nathaniel, you should swallow your pride and endure it for his sake. Don’t you agree?"
Mrs. York quickly chimed in, "Exactly! My daughter would do anything for Nathaniel, even if it meant being cursed and despised by others! She knows that sacrificing herself for his success is the right thing to do! Estelle, you keep claiming you love him, so why won’t you sacrifice anything for him?
"If you truly love Nathaniel, you wouldn’t blow this out of proportion! Chairman Sloan is his father! Are you really going to be so cruel as to send his own father to prison?"
Mrs. York looked exceptionally smug, thoroughly convinced of her own logic. She couldn’t help but fish for a compliment from Ethan. "Chairman Sloan, don’t you think I’m right?"
Estelle was genuinely amused by their twisted logic.
"It doesn’t matter." Nathaniel’s voice floated over, tinged with a lazy, unhurried drawl. "You don’t need to treat Chairman Sloan as my father. After all, my good father never intended to acknowledge me as his son anyway."
The crowd fell dead silent, exchanging uncomfortable glances.
They couldn’t help but recall Ethan’s earlier words—
"That’s right, I only acknowledge Theodore as my son."
"Ugh, Nathaniel... I really wish I never had him as a son!"