Chapter 223: Where Did the Local Specialties Sent Every Year Go?

Jasper Sterling: "So, the thing I asked of you—you’re sure you have no problem with it?"

What he was asking her to do might put her in a difficult position.

Nina Jacobs was deferential and a little fearful. "No problem! I’ll do whatever you ask!"

As she spoke, she lifted her head, and her hair fell away, revealing the somewhat grim scar on her face.

Shirley Lane looked at her and couldn’t help but feel it was a shame. Nina Jacobs had delicate features; if she dressed up, she’d easily be a pretty young woman.

But the scar not only ruined the beauty of her face, but it also made her appear somewhat timid.

She wasn’t an old acquaintance of Nina Jacobs; the two had met by chance outside the villa community here.

At the time, Nina had been accompanied by an old man—her grandfather.

The two of them were carrying large and small bags of local produce, saying that their farm back home had a good harvest and they had specially brought some for Miss Lancaster to try.

They didn’t know the Lancaster family’s exact house number and pleaded with the security guard to either let them in or help deliver the goods, but the guard accused them of being salespeople and chased them away.

Shirley Lane, who had overheard the whole thing, couldn’t bear it and helped the grandfather and granddaughter pick up the local produce that had scattered all over the ground.

It was only through casual conversation that she learned the two were here to repay Nina Jacobs’s savior.

Back then, Grandpa Jacobs worked as a janitor at a certain high school, and Nina would often go there to wait for her grandfather to go home.

But three years ago, an accident occurred one evening. Nina was taken hostage by a criminal, along with two other girls.

The man had a knife and was mentally unstable, rambling that taking so many girls with him to the grave would be worth it.

Nina’s face was slashed, and she was stabbed several times. Blood pooled on the floor, and for a moment, she thought she was really going to die.

But then her savior appeared just in time. She fought with the criminal, then used all her strength to grab him and jump from the building, trading one life for three and allowing the girls to survive.

For three years, the grandfather and granddaughter had come almost every year, bringing some local produce they had grown themselves.

For the first two years, they were able to get the items delivered. Although the Lancaster family never came out to meet them, the grandfather and granddaughter were still happy, content as long as the family could make use of their gifts.

When they heard that their savior had woken up this year, they were thrilled. Thinking that their savior hadn’t been able to use the gifts from the first two years, they had come several times this year.

But they hadn’t expected to be turned away at the gate every time.

’This is too strange. Could it be that our savior doesn’t want to see us? But even if she won’t meet us, she should at least accept the gifts.’

The grandfather and granddaughter were deeply worried, wondering if they should stop coming and bothering them. Causing trouble for others was never a good thing.

It was Shirley Lane who came up with the idea to test the waters by sending a bouquet of flowers first. If they wouldn’t accept local produce, surely they would accept a bouquet.

Coincidentally, she had also been worrying about how to get into the villa community, right until Jasper Sterling’s people found her.

——

Jane Lancaster stared at the elegant handwriting on the card, then raised a hand and swept the dishes from the dining table onto the floor.

With a loud CRASH, the cook jumped in fright.

Jane Lancaster: "Talk. Where did all the local produce they sent every year go?"

The cook’s heart clenched. She looked up at Jane Lancaster’s expression and knew she couldn’t hide it any longer.

"M-Miss, it had nothing to do with me!"

Without Jane Lancaster even needing to press her, it all came tumbling out.

"It was Mrs. Everett’s idea! When the property management office called, she was the one who answered the phone, and she made the decision to accept it! She said the stuff wasn’t worth much, and since they’d brought it from so far away, it would be inconvenient for them to take it back, so we might as well just take it."

"I thought she would tell the young masters, but instead she claimed she’d brought the produce herself. I couldn’t just expose her, could I?"

"That family sent things a few more times after that, and Mrs. Everett said the same thing every time."

"But I can guarantee, most of it was cooked for the young masters to eat! Only a small portion... Mrs. Everett and I split it between us in private..."

’At the time, she had thought, ’Well, Mrs. Everett is taking the lead, so I might as well take some for myself.’

’Who would have thought that Mrs. Everett would be kicked out of the Lancaster family, and that a bouquet of flowers would bring this whole thing to light?’

She had just seen Jane Lancaster standing on the roof, and the sight had scared her out of her wits.

Unsure of what Jane had seen or how much she knew, how could the cook dare hide anything now?

Mama Knight was furious. "Are you two insane? How dare you get greedy with a heartfelt gift meant for the young miss?"

Jane Lancaster said in a calm voice, "Go to the butler and settle your wages. I’ll give you an extra month’s pay. Don’t come back tomorrow."

The cook’s face paled. "Miss Lancaster, please, don’t make me leave!"

’It’s just some local produce, isn’t it? Why is she blowing it so out of proportion?’

"Miss Lancaster, I was wrong! I was really wrong!"

"I can pay you back, okay? I really only took a tiny part!"

Jane Lancaster was unmoved. "No."

The cook looked at her icy expression and felt as if she had been plunged into a frozen cellar.

She had thought confessing would earn her forgiveness, but she never expected Jane to be so heartless, leaving no room for negotiation.

’How can a woman be so cold and hard-hearted?’

Since it had come to this, she felt she had nothing left to lose. ’It’s not like I can’t find a job somewhere else, right?’

Watching the cook pack her things and leave, the rest of the Lancaster family’s staff were so scared they didn’t dare to breathe.

’But why is Miss Lancaster firing another servant? Is this ever going to end?!’

——

When Julian Lancaster returned home from work that evening, he handed his things to the butler and walked straight to the dining room.

In the past, he had neglected his meals due to his busy work schedule, which led to stomach problems. Lately, he had been taking medication and making a conscious effort to eat three regular meals a day.

The dining table was empty. Bare.

"What’s going on? Did no one cook dinner tonight?" Julian Lancaster couldn’t help but frown.

The butler whispered, "Miss Lancaster fired the cook."

"What?" Julian Lancaster thought he must have misheard.

"Brother." Adrian Lancaster walked in from outside, rolling up his sleeves as he went. "You must be hungry. Give me a few minutes, I’ll cook you a steak."

A dozen or so minutes later, the steak was served. It was beautifully plated, a feast for the eyes and nose.

But Julian Lancaster had no appetite.

"What exactly happened?" he pressed, frowning.

Adrian Lancaster wore a placid expression. "I don’t know. Everything was fine this evening. Then she received a bouquet of flowers, and this happened."

As an entertainer, he had to manage his physique and rarely ate dinner. He was used to having the cook prepare a salad for him after the main meal, but he was surprised to come downstairs to a cold kitchen.

The butler had already started arranging for someone else to cook, but Adrian Lancaster stopped him.

He did it on purpose, wanting his older brother to experience firsthand just how tyrannical and unreasonable Jane Lancaster could be.

"If this keeps up, I’m afraid everyone in the Lancaster family will soon be walking on eggshells," he added with a scornful laugh.

Julian Lancaster’s frown deepened. "Call the cook and tell her to come back."

"That’s not it! It’s because the cook and Mrs. Everett got greedy and took the local produce that was sent for Miss Lancaster. That’s why she got angry!" Mama Knight couldn’t help but rush over.

She had seen Julian Lancaster come home and was planning to explain things to the eldest young master, but she hadn’t expected the third young master to go and tattle first.

"That Miss Jacobs—she was one of the hostages the young miss saved all those years ago! Her family has been grateful to her all this time, traveling a long way every year to bring local produce, but Mrs. Everett and the cook intercepted it all! Mrs. Everett passed some of it off as her own, and the two of them secretly split the rest!"