Chapter 117: New Boyfriend? I Can Be Your New Boyfriend, Too

Chapter 117: Chapter 117: New Boyfriend? I Can Be Your New Boyfriend, Too

Whatever the person on the other end of the line said next amused Estelle Lockwood. "Okay, got it. Bye-bye."

The phone call ended, and Nathaniel Sloan’s face tightened slightly. "Who were you on the phone with?"

Estelle answered without a second thought, "My family. Is there a problem?"

Nathaniel recalled the word ’baby’ and Estelle’s gentle tone. An itch rose in his throat, and he parted his lips to speak in a slightly hoarse voice. "Family? As far as I know, Miss Yara Lockwood has no relatives. Where did this ’family’ come from?"

Estelle was about to argue that the Kendricks were indeed her family. However, when she turned around, she met Nathaniel’s indifferent, self-possessed gaze, which carried a trace of bloodshot intensity. Her interest was immediately piqued.

She deliberately flashed a sweet smile and gave an ambiguous answer. "Mr. Sloan, families come in two types: the family you’re born into, and the little family you build later in life.

"What you investigated was my birth family. Yes, I was born without parents. A grandpa picked me up, and I grew up relying on the kindness of strangers. Now that he has passed away, I indeed have no blood relatives. But..."

Estelle had studied acting for a few months under Second Young Mr. Kendrick, a superstar in the entertainment industry. While her acting might not be award-winning, it was more than enough to fool Nathaniel.

"But... who says I don’t have a little family that I built later on?" Estelle gave him a meaningful look. "I already have two kids. Mr. Sloan, the person on the other end of the line is also a guardian to my children. Tell me, who was I just on the phone with?"

Mrs. Kendrick was her guardian, which meant she was also a guardian to Mia and Zachery. The logic was flawless!

Nathaniel clenched his fists, his expression darkening bit by bit.

The car drove through the rainy night, accompanied by the PITTER-PATTER of heavy rain against the windows.

After a long while, Nathaniel slowly looked up and spoke hoarsely. "Miss Lockwood, if I remember correctly, you said that the grass on the grave of Mia and Zachery’s ’father’ is already three feet high."

Estelle tutted. "I already told you, that was a metaphor. Didn’t Liam Sloan tell you that my ex-husband and I never divorced?"

Nathaniel caught the loophole. "Even if you aren’t divorced, the fact that you call that man your ex-husband is enough to prove you wouldn’t be on a call with him."

Estelle frowned, suddenly realizing her lie was riddled with holes. She decided to just make things up on the spot. "Actually, I was lying to you. The person I was on the phone with just now is my new boyfriend from abroad. He knows about Zachery and Mia, but he doesn’t mind. Once I divorce my ex-husband, I’ll marry my new boyfriend right away. So it’s completely fine for me to call him a guardian to Zachery and Mia, right?"

Nathaniel closed his eyes sharply. Fine. Just fine.

This woman would truly go to any lengths to hide the truth. She had even fabricated a ’new boyfriend.’

He gave a cryptic half-smile. "I see. In other words, the person you were on the phone with just now isn’t Zachery and Mia’s biological father either."

Estelle felt this conversation was getting weirder by the second. "What does it have to do with you?"

Nathaniel rubbed his fingertips together and suddenly said something astonishing. "Since he’s a new boyfriend, it means you’re not married yet. Everyone still has a chance.

"Miss Lockwood... why not consider me?"

Estelle’s eyes widened in shock. "What?"

Nathaniel acted as if he didn’t realize how scandalous his words were. "Since Miss Lockwood’s goal is to find a father for Mia and Zachery, I consider myself a pretty good catch. I should be much more competitive than your ’new boyfriend,’ don’t you think?"

If Liam Sloan were here, he would definitely say Nathaniel was hopelessly love-struck!

Estelle was equally stunned. She coughed twice. "I know you really like Zachery and Mia, but people are already saying that I deliberately brought them to approach you, just so the richest man in Crestfall could take on my baggage."

"Well, I am willing," Nathaniel replied unhurriedly.

Estelle was momentarily left speechless. She furrowed her brows. "Even if they aren’t your children?"

Nathaniel gave a calm nod.

Right at that moment, the car arrived at Imperial Crest. Estelle had originally wanted to piss Nathaniel off, but now it seemed she was the one caught off guard. She hurriedly got out of the car and ran back to the villa without looking back.

Nathaniel remained deep in thought for a long time, watching Estelle’s retreating figure. The person he wanted was Estelle, so he didn’t care who Zachery and Mia’s biological father was.

But... seeing how fiercely Estelle protected them, Nathaniel couldn’t help but think of the two children who had died in the fire five years ago.

Everyone said Estelle had started that fire. She had even left a suicide note, proving she wanted to take her own life. People had cursed her—if she wanted to die, fine, but why harm others? Why drag her children into death with her? They said the woman was definitely insane, and it was no wonder the Lockwood Family disliked her.

But...

"Sir, we’ve arrived," the driver reminded him.

Nathaniel snapped back to reality and got out of the car without batting an eyelid.

The next day.

Estelle dropped the three munchkins off at the kindergarten. Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly heard other parents whispering nearby.

"She intentionally placed her kids here to play and go to school with Young Mr. Sloan. So calculating..."

Estelle narrowed her eyes.

"Who knows whose spawn those two little deadweights are. She’s blatantly trying to make Mr. Sloan take on her baggage. Tsk, tsk."

"But Yara Lockwood is indeed gorgeous. No wonder she has Mr. Sloan completely mesmerized."

"She still shouldn’t be bringing two little bastards along! Mrs. Sloan has already stated that she will absolutely never allow this woman to marry into the Sloan Family."

Estelle cast a nonchalant glance in their direction, and the gossiping parents immediately scattered. Her phone buzzed twice. Seeing a message from Penelope Sullivan, she let out a cold sneer.

It turned out that after returning home yesterday, Noelle Lockwood and Laura Jennings were still bitter. They deliberately spread rumors claiming that she had not only stolen Noelle’s place as the future Mrs. Sloan but was also planning to drag two deadweights into the Sloan Family. They called her shameless and insulted Zachery and Mia too.

Estelle made a call. "The plan has changed. I’m making my return." She paused to listen. "Yes, as ’Estelle Lockwood’."

The person on the other end was surprised. Estelle chuckled. "What’s there to be shocked about? How is the acquisition of the Lockwood Group coming along?"

Whatever the person said over the next two minutes made Estelle curl her lips into a smile. "Good."

Inside the kindergarten.

Most of the children were innocent, and Mia was incredibly popular among them. Despite the parents’ gossiping, it hadn’t affected the kids at the kindergarten. However, Mia had still figured out the whole situation.

She curled her lips and muttered softly, "Since we’re trying to set Daddy and Mommy up, don’t you guys think we should test Daddy first?"

"Huh?" Zachery asked.

Mia explained, "Since everyone is saying we’re some wild man’s kids and calling us burdens, we might as well see what Daddy thinks about it.

"If Daddy is disgusted by us too, then we shouldn’t try to set them up."

Zachery asked worriedly, "But your fortune-telling said we have to set them up!"

Mia was utterly fearless. "Then that just means my skills aren’t up to par!"

Zachery was speechless.

When it came to her ’subpar skills,’ Mia had evolved from a little crybaby into someone who owned it with absolute confidence. What on earth had she gone through?!

Still, Zachery thought Mia’s idea was viable. His eyes darted around as he pondered. "How should we test him?"