Chapter 24: Chapter 24: Is Yara Imitating Estelle?
Laura choked on her anger. "Don’t push your luck! Noelle and I are victims here too. If you want to blame someone, blame that scamming seller! How was I supposed to know this little bastard’s bracelet was the real one..."
"Zachery, I used to hear people say that ladies from wealthy families were all very polite," Mia suddenly interrupted, her face a mask of utter seriousness. "But why does this old lady keep saying ’little bastard’? She doesn’t seem very well-mannered."
Laura’s eyes widened. Just as she was about to explode into a tirade, Zachery spoke up, fighting back a smile.
"Mia, don’t ask me. It’s my first time seeing someone like this, too. She buys a fake, steals your genuine one, and then turns around and frames you for theft.
"And now that she’s been exposed, she won’t even apologize. She acts like it’s an honor for you to be framed by her.
"I remember Mr. Henry Kendrick also comes from a wealthy family. I’ll have to ask Grandma Kendrick later if all wealthy families are like this, or if it’s just Mrs. Sloan."
Mia pouted, chiming in perfectly. "Then I’ll go ask Grandma Hughes."
"And I’ll ask Uncle Carson," Zachery added.
"And Uncle Smith!" Mia piped up.
As the two little dumplings rattled off name after name, Laura’s face grew uglier by the second.
If they actually went around broadcasting this to everyone, she wouldn’t have a shred of dignity left!
"Shut up... all of you..." Laura swayed on her feet, her face deathly pale as she nearly collapsed.
"Mrs. Sloan!" Noelle Lockwood quickly caught her, shaking her head frantically with tears in her eyes. "Dr. Lockwood, this is all my fault. Mrs. Sloan is in poor health, so please don’t agitate her anymore. It’s all my fault... Nathaniel, I’m willing to apologize to Dr. Lockwood. Just let Mrs. Sloan go rest first."
Nathaniel Sloan narrowed his eyes. "Luke White, escort my mother upstairs."
A cold sneer curled Estelle Lockwood’s lips. She had known all along that Nathaniel wouldn’t be able to bear making his own mother apologize.
Laura’s current actions—a few false accusations and a failed framing attempt—were nothing compared to what she had done five years ago.
Estelle hadn’t expected anything, so naturally, she wasn’t disappointed.
However, the injustice Mia had suffered wouldn’t be brushed aside so easily.
If Nathaniel wouldn’t force Laura to apologize, Estelle would do it herself.
"Zachery, Mia, let’s go back to our room." As Estelle walked past Nathaniel, she let out a soft scoff. "Mr. Sloan is truly a filial son."
Nathaniel’s expression remained impassive.
Once Estelle’s figure disappeared from view, only Nathaniel, Luke, and Christian were left in the living room.
Christian pursed his lips. "Daddy, why didn’t you make Grandma apologize?"
Nathaniel paused before lowering his gaze. "Daddy promises I won’t let Mia be wronged again."
Luke hastily tried to explain as well. "Young Master, there’s a reason Mr. Sloan did that..."
"It’s just because Grandma is an elder and Mia is a child, so she doesn’t have to apologize. After all, in the eyes of you adults, even when an elder does something wrong, it’s ’for your own good’."
Nathaniel hadn’t expected Christian to say something like that.
Luke panicked slightly. "Young Master, you’ve really misunderstood. Mr. Sloan has no intention of shielding Mrs. Sloan. There will definitely be an apology, just not right now..."
Christian pressed on, "Why not right now?"
Luke couldn’t come up with an answer. "Well..."
Christian stiffened his neck, refusing to yield. "Because Grandma is in poor health? Daddy, are you afraid she’ll get so worked up that she collapses, and then you’ll all blame Mia for it? Is that why you let her go upstairs? Since when is ’poor health’ a universal excuse for everything?"
Christian had grown up pampered and doted on, yet he never had a single companion his own age. He had finally met Zachery and Mia, and even if they couldn’t officially acknowledge each other as siblings, he couldn’t even demand justice for Mia when she was wronged!
"I hate you adults! Is apologizing really that hard? Why can’t you just do it?"
Without him realizing it, Christian’s eyes turned red. "I like Mia, but this is how you treat her! I hate you!"
With that, he turned and ran straight upstairs. Luke wanted to chase after him. "Sir..."
Nathaniel slowly raised his eyes. "Christian has made friends."
Luke couldn’t bear to see this. There were things the Young Master didn’t know—burdens that Mr. Sloan was carrying all by himself. He couldn’t help but ask, "Should I go explain things to the Young Master? Or perhaps to Miss Mia..."
"There’s no need." Nathaniel exhaled a heavy breath. "Go tell Mrs. Sloan that as soon as she is feeling better, she needs to apologize. If the apology isn’t made before my father’s birthday banquet, she won’t be attending the banquet."
Hearing Nathaniel refer to Laura as "Mrs. Sloan" instead of "Mother," Luke silently sighed. "Yes, sir."
Upstairs.
Christian’s eyes grew redder and redder until large tears finally began to stream down his face.
He had always thought he was tough. Even though he was sickly, ever since he was old enough to understand things, Noelle had never been able to get the upper hand against him.
But today, he had been forced to stand by and watch Mia be framed. He had no proof, and he was just a child. Even if he tried to defend her, the adults would only think he was blindly protecting his new friend.
Why? Was it really so hard to just get an apology?
"Holy crap, Young Master, why are you crying?"
CRACK. Mia’s potato chip dropped to the floor. She stared dumbfounded at the tear-streaked Young Master standing in front of her, her voice stammering.
"T-they were framing me, not you! Why are you crying? Did they bully you too? What is wrong with them?! You’re that old woman’s biological grandson!"
Christian looked up with bloodshot eyes. "Mia, I’m sorry. I didn’t protect you well enough."
"Huh?" It was only then that Mia realized the Young Master was feeling guilty about what had just happened. "No way! What does that have to do with you? Why are you apologizing to me?"
Christian pursed his lips tightly. "They framed you, and I couldn’t do anything about it."
Mia waved her hand dismissively. "It’s not a big deal, I didn’t even take it to heart. Besides, I’d never let myself get bullied anyway."
Christian lowered his eyes, his dark irises filled with a mix of disappointment and newfound resolve.
He needed to grow up quickly. Only when he was older could he protect his siblings and his mommy.
"Mia, there won’t be a next time."
Mia looked at him in confusion, trying to detect any hint of acting in the little drama king’s eyes, but she couldn’t find any.
Was the Young Master genuinely upset and feeling wronged on her behalf?
But why? Even if she was the cutest, prettiest, most well-behaved, most beautiful little ray of sunshine in the entire world, that still shouldn’t be enough to make a boy who had only known her for two days cry this hard over her, right?
"Nathaniel..."
Just as Nathaniel came upstairs, Noelle walked over from the side, tears brimming in her eyes.
"I’m sorry, I’m truly sorry. When Mrs. Sloan said her bracelet was missing earlier, Ms. Carter mentioned she had seen it in Mia’s room, which is why I..."
Nathaniel didn’t even bat an eyelid. "I’m not the one you should be apologizing to."
"I’ll definitely make amends to Mia tomorrow. Nathaniel, I admit Mrs. Sloan acted a bit impulsively... but she had a reason for doing so."
Nathaniel looked at her coldly.
Noelle lowered her gaze. "It’s because Mrs. Sloan feels like Yara is imitating Estelle. And as you know, Estelle’s death anniversary is coming up..."