Chapter 139: Where Is Nathaniel Sloan? Get Him on the Phone

Chapter 139: Chapter 139: Where Is Nathaniel Sloan? Get Him on the Phone

Zachery’s face scrunched up. Was he imagining things, or was Grandpa Chapman’s speech entirely off-base? At first glance, it sounded like he was comforting Mommy, but every word revealed just how special Noelle Lockwood was to their scumbag of a father. Wasn’t this just adding fuel to the fire?

The more Zachery thought about it, the angrier he got. That scumbag had abandoned Mommy once again. What was the point of trying to play matchmaker? He simply wasn’t worth it!

Zachery marched straight upstairs, pushed the door open, and began packing away their disguise kits. "There’s a change of plans. We’re not playing matchmaker anymore, Young Master. We won’t need to swap identities from now on, either."

Christian was taken aback. "Zachery, what’s wrong?"

Zachery bit back his frustration. Both he and Christian were currently in disguise. He washed his face and changed his clothes, revealing his true features.

"The whole point of getting them together was so Mommy could be happy, not so she’d have to suffer grievances. Nathaniel Sloan might be a hot commodity, but if he’s out of our league, then we won’t bother. As for the fact that he’s our biological father, I’ll have to ask you to keep that a secret, Young Master.

"From now on, we can continue to be friends, but there’s no need to be brothers. I don’t want Mommy to be forced to stay with that man just because Mia and I exist!" Zachery declared as he began helping Christian change out of his disguise.

Christian was completely bewildered, unable to process what was happening. They had decided to tell Mommy the truth today, which was why they had swapped identities so early in the morning. But now, as Zachery pulled at him to change his clothes back, panic set in. "Zachery, tell me what happened! Where is Daddy?"

Zachery curled his lip. "Who knows? Probably in Noelle Lockwood’s bed."

Christian’s eyes slowly widened. He wondered where his father really was.

"Done," Zachery said after he finished helping Christian dress. "We don’t need to pretend anymore. Anyway, I figure it won’t be long before Mia and I move out of Imperial Crest. I’ll cherish the time we spent together, Young Master."

Zachery knew his mother’s personality well. After this incident, she definitely wouldn’t want anything more to do with Nathaniel. Once she got her revenge, she would pull out and leave for good.

Christian’s bright, clear eyes were filled with sheer disbelief.

His father had gone to look for Noelle, and Zachery was going to leave...

Shaking his head, he slowly backed out of the room. Then, his pace quickened until he broke into a sprint, rushing into the master bedroom.

Nathaniel wasn’t there. He really wasn’t there!

His daddy wasn’t home!

It was bright and early in the morning, yet his father was nowhere to be found. He could hear what Chapman was saying downstairs clear as day, and his heart clenched tight.

The joy from last night and the helplessness of this morning intertwined, and tears began to slip down his cheeks. They fell faster and faster. He wondered why things had turned out this way. Everything had been going so well, and they were already at the final step...

It was Noelle. It was Noelle again. Why was it always her?!

Christian clutched his chest. A sudden, uncontrollable wave of sorrow flooded his mind. His chest tightened, and his breathing grew rapid and shallow.

"Christian, why are you... Christian?!" Estelle gasped in surprise. She hurried over, her expression turning grave. "What happened?"

Christian’s eyes were red and swimming in tears. "Daddy, Daddy..."

As a child psychologist, Estelle knew that Christian was experiencing heart palpitations brought on by extreme emotional fluctuations. Seeing him like this absolutely broke her heart.

"Baby, you’re looking for your daddy, right? Okay, don’t panic. I’ll call him right now."

Christian wept silently.

Estelle dialed Nathaniel’s number, waiting for a full forty seconds before the call connected.

However, the voice that came through the receiver wasn’t Nathaniel’s!

"Hello, who is it?" came a delicate, cloying voice from the other end. It was Noelle—the very same woman who had supposedly suffered a life-threatening heart attack.

In a hospital ward.

BEEP BEEP BEEP. Nathaniel’s phone was sitting on the windowsill, ringing incessantly.

Noelle caught a glimpse of the caller ID. Her expression twisted viciously for a split second before her eyes darted around as a brilliant idea sprang to mind.

She picked up the phone leisurely. "Hello, who is it?"

Estelle’s face darkened. "Noelle."

Noelle acted as if she had only just realized who it was. "Oh, it’s Yara! Why are you calling, Yara? Are you looking for Nathaniel?"

Before Estelle could get a word in, Noelle continued in a boastful tone. "I’m sorry, Yara, but Nathaniel is busy taking care of me right now and doesn’t have time for you. How about you call back later if you need something?"

Beside her, Christian had clearly heard every word, and his tears fell even faster.

Estelle was in no mood to trade sarcastic jabs with Noelle. "Where exactly is Nathaniel? Put him on the phone!" she demanded bluntly.

Sensing that Estelle was angry, Noelle gloated. "I already told you, Nathaniel is taking care of me. If there’s nothing important, stop calling and bothering us, okay, Yara? People should really have some self-awareness!

"We’re enjoying our private time together, and here you are trying to interrupt. Aren’t you just cheap? I’m the most important person in his heart. Even if the sky is falling on your end, it can wait."

The more Noelle spoke, the smugger she became. She reveled in the thrill of trampling over others. Before, it had been Estelle, and now it was Yara. Both of these women were nothing but stepping stones to her!

Estelle covered Christian’s ears and said coldly, enunciating every word, "I said, give him the phone!... Christian, Christian, it’s fine. Don’t worry."

The latter half of her sentence was directed at Christian. Although she spoke softly, Noelle still caught it.

Noelle immediately sneered. "Christian? Are you out of tricks, Yara? Are you dragging Christian into this to provoke me? Or do you actually think Nathaniel will care about you just because Christian is taking your side?

"Children can always be replaced, but I am the only one he truly loves. Do you think Nathaniel will soften up just because you’re making Christian Sloan fake an illness?

"I suggest you drop the act, Yara. What do you and Christian Sloan even amount to in Nathaniel’s heart? I’m the one who matters most to him, so just let him go, alright?"

Christian’s breathing grew more and more erratic.

"You’re putting on quite a convincing show," Noelle mocked. "You’ll really resort to the lowest tricks just to steal Nathaniel from me. Enough, stop pretending. Even if Christian were truly sick, so what? The person Nathaniel cares about the most is me!"

BEEP BEEP BEEP... Estelle hung up the phone without another word.

"Christian, don’t be afraid. We’re going to the hospital right now."

Back in the hospital ward, Noelle felt utterly satisfied at the thought of the deflated look on Estelle’s face.

"Noelle, who was that on the phone?" Rose asked.

Noelle bit her lip, looking thoroughly wronged. "Mom, it was Yara. She sounded really angry and purposely claimed that Christian was sick to make Nathaniel hurry back."

"What? That bitch!"

"Mom, I didn’t want things to be like this, but Yara is going too far. She actually used Christian to threaten me. Christian isn’t her pawn! She can’t just do that."

Noelle put on a show of magnanimity. "If Nathaniel finds out about this, he’ll probably blame Yara. Mom, don’t mention this phone call to him."

Rose scoffed disdainfully. "Some women will resort to absolutely anything to get their hands on a man. Shameless things..."

Before she could finish, the sound of footsteps echoed from the hallway, and Rose snapped her mouth shut.

The next moment, Nathaniel pushed the door open, his emotionless eyes sweeping over the two of them.