Chapter 207: Father... He Doesn’t Oppose?

To be the villainess, yet be called the best sister in the world... It felt less like praise and more like a disgrace.

Jane Lancaster sighed. For the sake of a thirty-billion-dollar bonus, she couldn’t let such a ridiculous evaluation stand.

"You need to remember this. I was the one who took you to the Hughes family. I was the one who made you remember all those bad memories. And I am the one who caused your mental collapse."

’This aligns with the perception and logic he should have.’

Alvin Lancaster’s breathing grew ragged. "No, that’s not it! That’s not what happened!"

Jane Lancaster was confused. ’Wasn’t it?’

’When he borrowed that golf club from Henry Hughes, wasn’t it to use against me?’

"No, no!" Alvin Lancaster was frantic. He had borrowed the golf club to help his sister!

Jane Lancaster said, "Don’t panic. Just speak slowly."

Alvin Lancaster gradually calmed down. Then, as if remembering something, he suddenly grabbed the hem of Jane Lancaster’s sleeve.

His face was filled with terror, as if he’d recalled something horrifying. "Jay, run! That man is a lunatic! He said he would stop at nothing to marry you..."

"Alvin?" Adrian Lancaster mumbled, vaguely hearing voices.

Jane Lancaster knew this was bad. If she were discovered, she’d get the head nurse in trouble.

But she was dealing with a clearly unstable patient; it wasn’t right to just abandon him.

Alvin Lancaster, however, suddenly fell quiet. He tilted his head, listening intently, then gave Jane Lancaster a shove. "Go. Hurry."

His expression instantly turned calm, as if he were perfectly normal.

Jane Lancaster hesitated for a moment, then turned and tiptoed out of the room.

Meanwhile, Adrian Lancaster jolted awake. He pulled off his sleep mask and hurried over. "Alvin?"

On the bed, Alvin Lancaster mumbled indistinctly and rolled over.

Adrian Lancaster looked away from him, glanced at the door, and walked out without a second thought.

He’d been half-asleep, but he was sure he’d heard Jane Lancaster’s voice.

’I’m curious to see just what tricks Jane Lancaster is up to with this late-night visit.’

A loud CLANG sounded from behind. He turned to see Alvin Lancaster and was about to ask why he was out of bed when he was struck squarely on the forehead.

Adrian Lancaster stared in disbelief. "Alvin, it’s me! It’s Chase!"

Alvin Lancaster puffed out his chest and looked at him bravely. "Bad guy! You’re the bad guy!"

He was lost in a hallucination.

He was reliving that night in the park. Jean Hughes had smiled and said, "Don’t you worry. I’m quite fond of Jane Lancaster. I’m going to marry her and bring her home."

Alvin Lancaster’s heart nearly stopped. ’This man... he still wants to hurt my sister?’

’He dismembered Reggie! He’s an absolute demon! What does he want, marrying my sister? Does he want to dismember her, too?’

Alvin Lancaster had never been so terrified in his life. And he had never been so brave.

He had to protect his sister. He couldn’t let this demon have his way.

——

Adrian Lancaster felt like this was some kind of nightmare.

His brother suddenly didn’t recognize him and would fly into a rage and attack him on sight.

Fortunately, the hospital had been thoughtful enough not to leave any dangerous objects in the room. He only ended up with a lump on his forehead.

To avoid agitating the patient, Adrian Lancaster had no choice but to have a servant bring him a cot and spend the night sleeping in the hallway.

——

The next morning, Julian Lancaster got the news and rushed to the hospital.

Adrian Lancaster had dark circles under his eyes. He sat alone in the hallway, his face grim as he sulked.

He had tried to sneak into the room that morning to rest on the bed for a bit. That cot in the hallway was no place for a person to sleep, and his whole body was killing him.

But he had barely gotten comfortable when cold water was splashed in his face.

Getting doused with cold water first thing in the morning chilled him to the bone, completely ruining his mood.

Adrian Lancaster was about to lose it. ’Why would Alvin mistake me for a bad guy? It’s so weird. Aren’t I his favorite little brother?’

Julian Lancaster sighed and comforted his brother. "Alvin’s condition is unstable right now. Try to be more patient with him."

After a pause, he added, "I discussed the Hughes family’s marriage proposal with Father. He doesn’t seem to have any objections."

Adrian Lancaster lowered his hands, looking at him in surprise.

"Father... doesn’t object?"

Julian Lancaster nodded.

Old Mr. Hughes had personally called Timothy Lancaster.

It was unclear what was discussed, but the Hughes family must have made a very sincere offer. Rumor had it that Jean Hughes was so infatuated with Jane Lancaster that he was willing to transfer half the shares of one of his projects to the Lancaster family.

This was no small sum. The Lancaster family stood to gain billions, perhaps even tens of billions.

Even Julian Lancaster was tempted by the offer. Jean Hughes was certainly being generous.

For some reason, Adrian Lancaster felt a faint sense of unease.

His whole life, he had been jealous of how his sister monopolized their father’s affection, and he had always worked hard just to get their father’s attention.

In his eyes, his father’s doting on his sister was the purest form of fatherly love—a love that couldn’t be diminished, no matter how many other children he had.

’In Father’s eyes, no amount of profit should be more important than his sister.’

But now, his father was willing to trade his sister away for billions... Suddenly, that fatherly love no longer seemed so pure.

"Chase, what’s wrong? You’re not happy about this?" Julian Lancaster asked, keenly aware of the shift in his mood.

Adrian Lancaster put on his sunglasses, his composure restored. "No."

He paused before adding, "Maybe Father asked Jay for her opinion first."

’What if Jane Lancaster was greedy for the Hughes family’s power and status? What if she wanted to social climb?’

’Jean Hughes wouldn’t be this obsessed with her for no reason. What if Jane Lancaster deliberately seduced him...?’

He knew it was low-class to speculate about a woman like that, but it was honestly the most logical explanation.

’If Jane Lancaster didn’t agree to it, our father would never marry her off to someone she didn’t like, not even for billions.’

——

Jane Lancaster was still trying to figure out what Alvin had meant. When she saw a text message that morning, she suddenly had her answer.

There was no need to guess anymore. Jean Hughes really did want to marry her.

Butler Forbes had sent her a long text message last night.

In short, the Hughes family had called Timothy Lancaster, made a very sincere offer, and expressed their wish for her to marry into their family.

The terms included dropping the matter of Alvin injuring Jean Hughes, taking Alvin to Solara for treatment, and even handing over collaboration projects worth tens of billions.

Butler Forbes concluded by saying that Timothy Lancaster hadn’t agreed to anything; it was all up to her.

Jane Lancaster couldn’t help but laugh. ’Maybe I’m just cynical,’ she thought, ’but it doesn’t feel like they’re giving me a choice.’

On the surface, they were giving her a choice, but in reality... it was emotional blackmail.

If she refused, it would mean a complete falling out with the Hughes family. They would never let the incident with Alvin go, and she, his sister, would become the villain of the story.

"The old ones are always the craftiest," Jane Lancaster sighed.

Without looking up at the man standing before her, Jane Lancaster said, "What do you want? Hoping for another slap?"

The man flinched and took a few steps back.

But then he remembered why he was here and composed himself.

’Jane Lancaster wouldn’t slap me again. After all, this is wonderful news; she’s probably overjoyed.’

"Miss Lancaster, our Young Master would like to invite you over for a visit."