Chapter 124: This Fire Won’t Be Hastily Closed Like the One Five Years Ago

Chapter 124: Chapter 124: This Fire Won’t Be Hastily Closed Like the One Five Years Ago

Nathaniel Sloan’s fingertips gently traced her brows and eyes, landing on a tiny scar at her temple.

The scar was barely noticeable, usually hidden by her hair. Zane Grant had said it was a post-surgical scar from plastic surgery. However, after reviewing her medical files, Nathaniel discovered that this scar had two layers—meaning she already had a scar there before the surgery.

How did she escape that fire five years ago? How much suffering had she endured? How much of her body was burned for her to have no choice but to undergo plastic surgery? And five years ago, he hadn’t been by her side.

Nathaniel slowly closed his eyes. "Estelle Lockwood..."

The two children who Noelle Lockwood claimed had burned to death were currently alive and well. The Estelle who Noelle claimed had wanted to commit suicide had returned five years later, and the very first thing she did was acquire the Lockwood Group. And Christian, whom Noelle claimed to have saved through immense hardship, actually despised her completely.

The Lockwoods claimed they were never biased, yet they weren’t even willing to properly investigate the fire that supposedly killed their own biological daughter. In the end, they pinned all the blame on Estelle and hastily closed the case.

Was Noelle telling the truth? Did Estelle really want to end her own life back then? And...

Nathaniel suddenly remembered the phone call he had with Estelle right before that fire.

Back then, when Noelle and Laura Jennings went on a trip, Noelle was assaulted and became pregnant. She didn’t know who the father was, yet she insisted on keeping the baby. To compensate Noelle, Laura publicly claimed that the child belonged to Nathaniel, all to protect Noelle’s reputation.

Noelle and Estelle were pregnant at the same time and were due at the same time. On that day, Noelle and Rose Lowell had shown up crying at his door, claiming that Estelle had pushed Noelle down the stairs, causing a miscarriage.

Reporters had surrounded the Evernight Group inside and out. With a major celebrity like Noelle showing up, the news spread immediately. Online and in real life, everyone was cursing Estelle as a useless Mrs. Sloan—a woman who, unable to win her husband’s affection, took her anger out on her sister.

Nathaniel had no choice but to stabilize Noelle’s emotions first and accompany her to the hospital. And then... one wrong step led to another.

At that time, Estelle must have been completely heartbroken. She had said goodbye to him over the phone, and after that, she truly disappeared from his life.

If she hadn’t wanted to take revenge on Noelle and the Lockwoods, she might never have returned to the country. In that case, the only thing she would have ever left for Nathaniel was that single "goodbye."

Nathaniel’s heart suddenly trembled.

"Nathaniel." KNOCK KNOCK. Zane knocked on the door from outside.

This hospital was Zane’s private high-end facility. He had arranged the quietest premium VIP ward for Estelle, ensuring that rabid fans couldn’t cause trouble here.

"I came to check on her," Zane said as he walked in. Checking the monitors, he frowned. "Logically, she should be awake by now. If she still doesn’t wake up, I’m worried..."

He left the sentence hanging. "Over at the Lockwood family, Rose Lowell is highly agitated and wants to condemn Yara. Austin, on the other hand, hasn’t made any moves."

Nathaniel’s eyes turned icy. "Rose really is desperate to protect her daughter."

Five years ago, while Nathaniel was still insisting on investigating the incident, Rose had privately gone to the police. She provided a pile of so-called evidence and, speaking with a mother’s tone, claimed that Estelle had long shown suicidal tendencies and had even said she would choose a crowded place to set a fire and kill herself.

With no other evidence, Rose and Noelle—these two so-called relatives—firmly insisted that Estelle brought it upon herself. Acting as the family of an arsonist, they went around apologizing and making amends to everyone involved. As a result, everyone believed that Estelle had set the fire to commit suicide. Otherwise, why would her mother and sister apologize and pay compensation?

After that, Estelle’s reputation was instantly ruined. Even in death, she was cursed by countless people. Noelle even took the opportunity to publicly declare herself Christian’s biological mother, hypocritically claiming she did it to protect the boy from getting hurt.

Zane also couldn’t understand what kind of magic potion Noelle had fed Rose. "Also, Mrs. Sloan isn’t backing down either. She caused a huge scene at Star, accusing everyone in the Star Group of being murderers..."

Nathaniel’s gaze darkened. He enunciated word by word, "Find someone to send her back to Sloan Manor. If she refuses, tie her up and drag her back.

"And assist the police with investigating the cause of the fire. The ignition point was right next to Estelle... Yara and Noelle. Find out if anyone else was near them at the time.

"I believe she wasn’t the arsonist. So, there has to be a clue."

Zane agreed. "Don’t worry. This time won’t be like that fire... getting brushed off so hastily."

After Zane left, Nathaniel checked his phone. Ignoring the countless notifications and the frantic texts flooding in from Laura Jennings, he read through the messages from Luke White. Then, he tossed his phone back onto the table and returned to the bedside.

She still hadn’t woken up. Why? Did she not want to wake up?

He gently leaned over and pressed a cherishing kiss to her lips, resting his forehead against hers. "Estelle, wake up, okay?"

Meanwhile, in her subconscious, Estelle felt as if she were drifting through a void.

She couldn’t see her surroundings clearly, only feeling that all the people and things were rapidly fading away. Raging flames engulfed her, making her feel like she couldn’t breathe. This was the second time she had been surrounded by fire. The last time, she had barely escaped with her life. What about this time?

She realized this was a dream—she was trapped in a nightmare.

The hideous faces of Rose and Noelle appeared before her, while Laura’s disgusted insults echoed in her ears. She saw doctors, nurses, patients’ families, netizens, and bystanders all pointing at her and hurling abuse. They asked her why she set a fire in the hospital, why she couldn’t just die cleanly, why she didn’t just die when the Lockwoods abandoned her, and why she had to come back to harm others.

Estelle seemed to be transported back to five years ago, reverting to her timid former self.

What had she done wrong? She hadn’t set the fire. She had returned to the Lockwood family only hoping for familial love. She had married Nathaniel because they had an arrangement. Noelle had usurped her place, stolen her husband, and tried to burn her to death. Why was she the one taking the blame in the end?

For the past five years, everyone had called her strong. She had fooled everyone else, and even herself. But it turned out that being thrown into a fire once again made her feel just as helpless and lost.

Estelle couldn’t understand it. In her dream, she crouched down and hugged her knees. The tough facade she had maintained for five years shattered in an instant. Ever since her grandfather passed away, it felt as if she had been completely alone. No one would stop for her, no one would stay by her side, and no one would care for her or fight for justice on her behalf.

Meanwhile, in reality.

Old Mr. Kendrick and Old Mrs. Kendrick caught the earliest flight. Mr. Kendrick and Mrs. Kendrick paused all their work, and Second Young Mr. Kendrick turned down two variety show invitations. All of them rushed back to Crestfall as quickly as possible.

Christian’s eyes were red from crying, Mia couldn’t stop whimpering, and Zachery had red-rimmed eyes as he cried while simultaneously arguing with people online.

Nathaniel had a good idea of what was weighing on her heart. Resting his forehead against hers, he spoke slowly.

"Estelle, so many people care about you. You’ve never been alone."