Chapter 175: You Cooked It All Yourself?

Jane Lancaster slowly responded: "?"

’Calling me a green tea bitch right off the bat. Nice. This girl’s got a bright future ahead of her.’

"I don’t think that’s for you to decide," Jane Lancaster said after a moment’s thought, her tone certain. "You can’t even sway Caleb Lowell’s opinion."

’Even Old Mrs. Holt has to put up with me, though she can’t stand me. You’re just a so-called cousin with no blood relation, trying to leech off the family. You think Caleb Lowell is going to listen to you?’

Una Holt sneered. "Fine. So you really are playing hard to get, trying to use this chance to manipulate my cousin! I won’t let you get away with it!"

Jane Lancaster: "...Then what do you want?"

Una Holt immediately turned to the host. "She’s lying! How could she possibly have a hundred million? She’s just making up an excuse to get my cousin’s attention! Get her off the stage, now!"

The host raised a hand to his earpiece, a troubled look instantly appearing on his face. "If Miss Lancaster is sincere about investing, we would never turn away a high-net-worth client."

Una Holt: "She definitely can’t come up with that much money! She’s the poorest one in the Lancaster Family! Don’t let her fool you!"

Lana Sterling watched Jane Lancaster with unconcealed glee. After a moment’s thought, she said, "You should just obediently get off the stage."

With Jared Thorne’s film project, Jane had known it was a golden opportunity but hadn’t invested herself. She’d merely had Jasper Sterling give a few shares to her personal staff, which showed she really was strapped for cash.

Clearly, she was all flash and no substance—a broke nobody underneath it all.

Just like her other rivals, who would brag endlessly at social gatherings but couldn’t produce any actual money when it was time to put up. They always had to ask their families.

By comparison, Lana Sterling suddenly felt her nephew wasn’t so bad to her after all.

At least he didn’t stop her from selling her jewelry.

"But forcing a client off the stage would be far too rude," the host insisted, not budging.

Una Holt gritted her teeth. "Then what if I invest a hundred million instead? I’m serious about investing—the kind who can sign a contract right now!"

Jane Lancaster frowned. "Wait, you’re falling for it! He’s provoking you on purpose!"

’This girl’s family fortune is nothing compared to the Sterlings. Investing in Clayton Lowell is like throwing meat buns at a dog—it’s never coming back.’

Jane Lancaster pointed at the host’s earpiece. "See that? Someone is feeding him lines through his earpiece, telling him to provoke you into investing. If you actually sign that contract, you’ll be walking right into a trap."

Una Holt glanced doubtfully at the host’s earpiece.

"Jane Lancaster, have you gone too far? I was the one speaking with the host just now!" Clayton Lowell came up from backstage, snatching the microphone.

When Jane Lancaster saw Clayton Lowell, her expression went blank for a moment.

’Did he really just treat himself like a pig and start fattening himself up?’

’Just how many poppy husks has Mrs. Everett been adding to his food to make him blow up like this without even realizing there’s a problem?’

At the side of the stage, a staff member abruptly lifted his head and stared at Jane Lancaster.

At a table in the back, the corners of Jasper Sterling’s mouth turned up slightly. ’Found him. As expected, Caleb Lowell came in secret, too.’

With Clayton Lowell causing such a scene, Caleb Lowell would have to be dead not to know something was wrong with this whole setup.

Caleb Lowell did indeed feel there was something wrong with Clayton Lowell’s fundraising methods, but he had been swamped with his own affairs recently and couldn’t stop him.

Besides, the film project proposal Clayton Lowell had shown him wasn’t completely without merit. It was clearly written by a professional.

It was possible he’d get lucky, like a blind cat catching a dead mouse, and actually make some money.

’But what I never expected was that Jane Lancaster told me to check on the old residence because she suspected Mrs. Everett of lacing the food with poppy husks?

So when Alvin Lancaster indirectly remarked that Mrs. Everett’s cooking wasn’t good the other day, was that also at Jane Lancaster’s instruction?

The truth isn’t at all what she thinks. Jane Lancaster shouldn’t make such malicious assumptions about others.’

When Lana Sterling heard her idol’s voice, she looked over happily, but a moment later, she squeezed her eyes shut.

She didn’t dare to open them, hoping it was just a hallucination—but when she did, it wasn’t!

’Oh my god, how did my idol get so fat? He’s practically a ball!

The photos my nephew showed me weren’t taken from deliberately unflattering angles. They were completely true to life!’

In the audience, Jasper Sterling saw Lana Sterling’s stunned expression and guessed what she was thinking.

Of course, the photos he had shown her weren’t deliberately angled to make Clayton Lowell look ugly. After all, Lana Sterling saw Clayton Lowell through a thick filter of admiration. What if lowering her expectations made her find the real person even more handsome by comparison?

Clayton Lowell was very displeased. Jane Lancaster’s gaze was fixed on his stomach.

He was confident in his outfit today, and he felt his face was still handsome and charming, exuding a mature appeal.

"Are you not even going to greet me now? We were almost family, after all," Clayton Lowell said, his expression sour.

Jane Lancaster: "...Have you been eating a bit too much lately?"

"How can you say that to my uncle? A good appetite is a blessing! You can tell just by looking that Uncle loves to cook, and his skills must be excellent," Una Holt chimed in, rushing to his defense.

Clayton Lowell composed himself. "Since you won’t call me ’uncle,’ you must still hold a grudge against the Lowell Family. I don’t need your investment. Please leave the stage."

He turned to Una Holt, his expression suddenly pleasant. "You must be Una, right? Thank you for your support, and congratulations on having such great judgment and becoming our SVIP client! When you have time, come to the Lowell family’s old residence. Your uncle will personally cook a family dinner for you, and Caleb Lowell will be there too."

As he spoke, a sales representative had already come on stage with a prepared contract.

Jane Lancaster: "That can’t be right. I seem to recall you don’t know how to cook at all."

Clayton Lowell looked at her smugly. "That just shows how shortsighted you are. To tell you the truth, I’ve been diligently studying the culinary arts lately. My skills are now on par with a state banquet chef."

Jane Lancaster instantly realized something was wrong. "When Caleb Lowell eats at your place, you’re the one who cooks for him?"

Clayton Lowell: "Absolutely! Sean couldn’t stop praising it after he ate. Even his assistant said Sean has never enjoyed a meal so much."

Now even Alvin Lancaster was stunned. So, Clayton Lowell got this fat purely because he was studying cooking every day and eating too much?

Did it have nothing to do with Mrs. Everett and the poppy husks?

Una Holt sneered. "Now I get it. You didn’t come here today with good intentions at all."

She took the contract from the sales representative and, without a second glance, swiftly signed her name.

"I’m definitely investing this hundred million! And I believe Uncle can lead me to huge profits and a high rate of return! Now, get the hell off the stage!"

Two security guards jumped onto the stage and sternly told Jane Lancaster to leave, adding that if she didn’t, they would get physical.

Clayton Lowell, still holding a grudge about being kicked out of the party the other day, said with a smile, "Jane, you see, this is a request from my SVIP client. I have to comply. How about I tell them to be gentle..."

Without any hesitation, Jane Lancaster turned and jumped off the stage.

Below the stage, a staff member reached out a hand. Jane Lancaster dodged slightly, but the person said, "Be careful," and still helped to steady her.

Clayton Lowell looked closer and—holy shit, who else could it be but Caleb Lowell?