Chapter 218: The Netizens Heard It All

When Jane Lancaster woke up the next day, it was still raining outside.

It was another gloomy, overcast day.

She felt a little dazed, and for a moment, she couldn’t quite tell where she was.

In her dream, it was as if she were a child again, visiting a family in a large house with several courtyards with her father.

But they weren’t allowed to go inside.

The winter rain was damp and frigid, the wind chilling her to the bone, yet she had to sit under the drafty eaves in a thin gauze skirt, playing the erhu.

After playing for a long time, her fingers nearly frozen stiff, someone from inside the house finally sent money out, but suggested that the gauze skirt wasn’t suitable and that she should wear a cheongsam next time.

The cheongsam was even colder. This time, she wasn’t even allowed to wear leggings or tights underneath because it wasn’t aesthetically pleasing.

Jane Lancaster frowned. ’What a strange dream. It must have combined my childhood experiences of busking on the streets with the original owner’s experience of attending banquets.’

The memory of freezing in her youth must have been too profound. Even though she was warm and comfortable now, she was still having such nonsensical, strange dreams.

A faint light shone from behind the nearby screen, and someone peeked their head out.

"Miss Jane, you’re awake?" Mama Knight hurriedly put down the things in her hands.

She turned on all the lights, and the room instantly brightened, making even the air feel more alive.

Jane Lancaster saw that Mama Knight’s eyes were a little red and swollen. "Mama Knight, were you crying?"

Mama Knight couldn’t help but wipe her tears. "Miss Jane, you were so reckless. Such beautiful hands... to end up like this. We don’t even know if there will be any lasting effects."

The more she thought about it, the more her tears flowed. ’What other young lady her age has as many scars as our Miss Jane?’

"I’m fine, please don’t cry," Jane Lancaster reassured her.

"How could you be fine? Your old wounds always ache in this damp, cold weather. Don’t think I don’t know."

The rain had been incessant lately. Perhaps because of the heavy humidity, her healed wounds were faintly aching, causing Jane Lancaster to toss and turn at night, unable to sleep well.

A knock sounded at the door, and Jasper Sterling pushed it open. "Jay, you’re awake?"

Willow Summers followed him in. "Jane, let me help you get cleaned up."

The two of them escorted Jane Lancaster to the bathroom.

Jasper Sterling started to take a step, but he restrained himself and stayed where he was, not following them.

Mama Knight hadn’t come the previous night, so he had taken it upon himself to help Jane Lancaster wash her face and brush her teeth.

After dinner, Jane Lancaster had become drowsy, likely due to the day’s intense stress and her blood loss.

Jasper Sterling was first-rate at taking care of people—gentle and meticulous. By the time he was finished, Jane Lancaster had already fallen asleep leaning against him.

She was completely unguarded, but Jasper Sterling’s heart couldn’t help but race. He found himself irresistibly wanting to kiss her eyes, her nose, her cheeks...

But he could only think about it in his mind; he couldn’t act on it.

Two minutes later, he abruptly stood up and called Willow Summers, who was lingering by the door, to come inside.

Willow Summers had been wondering if Jasper Sterling would deliberately take his time...

Seeing him come out, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. ’Okay, I’ll admit he’s a gentleman, for now.’

He wasn’t like the other men she’d dealt with before, who, no matter how charming they were in public, couldn’t help but get handsy in private, having no idea what the word "respect" even meant.

She had even met one weirdo who, after just two meetings, demanded she sleep with him to prove her love.

Willow Summers thought about how she used to endure all sorts of freaks just to marry into a wealthy family. Looking back, it felt like something she should report to the police and file for a workplace injury claim.

Now, she had seen the light. The returns weren’t worth the investment. It was better to just make her own money.

In the afternoon, Willow Summers had to leave the hospital for an appointment.

Jane Lancaster was a bit tired of lying in bed all day and wanted to move around, so she walked downstairs with her.

The bodyguards sent by Jasper Sterling followed at a distance, careful not to disturb their conversation.

"Jay."

Hearing the voice, Jane Lancaster looked up calmly. "Brother, you’re here."

Julian Lancaster was walking briskly, followed by his team of advisors. His brow was furrowed with a hint of exhaustion, and it was only upon seeing his sister that a trace of warmth seemed to appear in his expression.

But it only seemed that way.

As he got closer, it became clear that it was just a carefully constructed facade.

Willow Summers had been about to leave, but seeing the situation, she stopped and turned back.

"Young Master Julian, what a coincidence." She walked over to Julian Lancaster and gave him a small smile.

Julian Lancaster nodded at her. "Hello."

It was polite yet distant, his attitude anything but warm.

Willow Summers said, "I’ve always admired you, Young Master Julian. After all, you’re the best of our generation. It’s only natural for people to look up to you..."

Julian Lancaster couldn’t help but frown. He was no stranger to women making advances on him, and hearing this familiar opening line, he felt a surge of impatience.

"Excuse me." The bodyguard next to him caught his glance and stepped forward to block her.

Jane Lancaster sensed trouble. "Willow, if you have to go, you should hurry."

She wanted to get Willow Summers away from Julian Lancaster.

’In the novel, Willow Summers incurred Julian Lancaster’s disgust by claiming to be his fiancée. He and Jim Jenson then forced her to leave Stratton and marry an old widower in the countryside...’

’Surely the plot isn’t being forced back on track, is it? Haven’t I already changed Willow Summers’s story?’

Julian Lancaster’s gaze on Willow Summers turned to one of disgust.

He naturally paid some attention to Jane Lancaster’s circle of friends. Knowing she was close with Willow Summers, he had of course investigated her.

He knew she was a social climber who loved to hook up with rich heirs...

He didn’t mind someone like that being friends with Jane Lancaster, but if she dared to covet him, he would only find it disgusting.

Julian Lancaster cut Willow Summers off stiffly. "Sorry, I don’t have time right now."

His tone was so cold he couldn’t even be bothered to maintain his usual poise and good manners.

Willow Summers’s smile didn’t falter. "Is that so? Then you certainly are busy, Young Master Julian."

After a pause, her tone shifted. "I just wonder what you’re so busy with that you don’t even have time to show up when your own sister is in danger. Perhaps you’re busy signing a partnership agreement with the Hughes family? That’s right, today was supposed to be your scheduled signing day."

Willow Summers was still smiling, but her words were razor-sharp.

The color drained slightly from Julian Lancaster’s face. "How do you know that?"

For a moment, he suspected Jane Lancaster had told her, but one doesn’t air their dirty laundry in public. What good would it do her to say something like that?

"Why are you looking at Jane?" Willow Summers raised an eyebrow. "You said it yourself on the phone. All the netizens heard you."

Jane Lancaster sighed silently in her heart.

’Sigh. You really are an idiot. Jean Hughes was blatantly trying to drive a wedge between us, and you just had to fall for it.’

’And now look. It was broadcast live for everyone to see.’

’Right now, everyone online is focused on condemning Jean Hughes and demanding a full investigation into her. But if this doesn’t die down, sooner or later someone will dig up the fact that you sold out your sister for personal gain.’

’All the benefits you gained back then from your "doting older brother" persona are probably going to backfire on you soon, aren’t they?’

’All your competitors have to do is seize on this point and attack the Lancaster siblings’ discord. Your image collapsing is a small matter, but the impact on the company’s stock price will be huge.’

Julian Lancaster’s expression turned cold.

He hadn’t expected things to become so serious. He was vaguely aware of the loud wave of online condemnation, and it was indeed quite severe.