Chapter 173: As the Daughter-in-Law, Doesn’t She Know to Serve Me?

Chapter 173: Chapter 173: As the Daughter-in-Law, Doesn’t She Know to Serve Me?

Thea York was a somewhat famous internet influencer. Unlike most influencers, her Weibo account was officially verified as the eldest daughter of the York Group. She frequently shared updates about her daily life, and her fans loved seeing the luxury goods and vacation photos she posted. Almost everyone knew Thea as the York Group’s eldest daughter; few realized that the true eldest daughter was actually Stella York.

Now, with her millions of followers, Thea posted a new update: "Everyone must be brave when facing extortion scammers! By the way, I met a new friend today~" Attached was a photo showing a woman’s profile from behind.

Estelle Lockwood narrowed her eyes sharply. That was a photo of her! When had Thea taken that?

Her fans, already aware of her return to the country, immediately flooded the comments with concern.

"Was our Thea scammed? There are too many bad people out there right now. Please be careful, Thea!"

"What kind of new friend did you make?"

"Thea wasn’t the one being scammed! I actually saw her today. Another woman was being targeted by scammers, and Thea stepped in to help. The woman in the photo is the lady she rescued."

"So you became friends after you helped her? She really owes you a huge thanks!"

"Speaking of which, the aquamarine bracelet on that woman’s wrist looks like the new release from Star. I remember it was limited to fifty pieces, and their chief designer kept one for herself. So this woman... must be Star’s chief designer, Estelle Lockwood."

The name Estelle Lockwood was not unfamiliar to the public. After the massive scandal involving the superstar Noelle Lockwood, everyone naturally learned the name of the other key figure in that drama.

"Thea and Estelle became friends? I thought Thea and Mr. Sloan had always been good buddies."

"Doesn’t that just prove how beautiful and kind-hearted Thea is? She became good friends with her buddy’s wife, and the wife doesn’t resent her at all. It shows that Thea treats people with genuine sincerity, unlike Noelle."

"Exactly! Noelle only got close to Mr. Sloan to be the mistress. The fact that Thea can be good friends with Mr. Sloan’s wife is proof enough that she has no ulterior motives."

"Wishing their friendship lasts forever!"

Estelle closed Weibo with a faint, mocking smile. She wondered if Thea was already starting to market their "everlasting" friendship.

Her phone rang. "Miss Lockwood, I’ve investigated the current situation of the York family," the caller reported. "Stella York holds thirty percent of the York Group’s shares. Chairman York wants to make Thea his heir, but he can’t bypass Stella. That is why he is so desperately hoping to arrange a marriage between Thea and Mr. Nathaniel Sloan."

Leaning back against the sofa, Estelle half-closed her eyes. "What benefit does this bring to the Sloan family? Why are Ethan Sloan and Laura Jennings pushing for it so urgently?"

"I apologize, but we haven’t found the answer to that," the person on the other end replied. "In theory, this arrangement offers absolutely no benefit to the Sloan family. The York family’s business cannot provide any support to Mr. Sloan. Given his current status, a marriage alliance holds no strategic value for him."

Nathaniel Sloan had climbed too high. Even if he were to enter a marriage alliance, he would be the one propping up the other party; the woman’s family could offer him very little in return. Therefore, Nathaniel had no real need for such an arrangement. It would make sense if a brainless fool like Laura Jennings pushed for an unprofitable venture, but why would Ethan do it?

Estelle tapped her fingertips lightly on the table, her expression languid. "Ethan Sloan wouldn’t agree to a bad deal."

The private investigator on the line, who was trained by the Kendrick family, thought for a moment. "Miss Lockwood, there is indeed one strange detail. When you mentioned Julian Jacobs earlier, I looked into him in passing. Julian is an incompetent good-for-nothing, but his mother is Chairman Keaton’s highly favored mistress. As a result, Julian’s status as an illegitimate son rose drastically, and a few years ago, his mother was legitimized as the lawful wife.

"Thea and her mother share the exact same background. They started as a mistress and an illegitimate daughter, eventually rising to power after outlasting the original wife. Or rather, those original wives didn’t die of natural causes. Though their deaths were officially recorded as illnesses, they could have been driven sick by sheer distress, deliberately made ill, or denied medical treatment once they fell sick—all of which would ultimately result in death from illness."

Estelle narrowed her eyes, feeling as though a string in her mind was slowly connecting the scattered clues.

"It might just be a coincidence," the investigator added. "I couldn’t find anything else."

Estelle hummed in acknowledgment, said her goodbyes, and made a mental note of the information. She wondered how it could be such a coincidence. When there were too many coincidences, it ceased to be one. Besides, how had Nathaniel even met and befriended Julian and Thea? If the York family truly fell into Thea’s hands, then the lifeline Mrs. York had sacrificed her life to leave for Stella would be severed.

Estelle pursed her lips. It wasn’t that she was overflowing with benevolence; she simply wanted to help Stella because the girl had a good mother. Her own mother wished she were dead, whereas Stella’s mother had died for her. She just couldn’t bear to see that mother’s final hope completely destroyed.

Early the next morning, as Estelle walked downstairs, she heard a man’s voice.

"I’m just asking you to help Thea out. It would only take a single word from you. Is it really that difficult?"

It was Ethan. Estelle’s eyes immediately narrowed.

Thea’s gentle persuasion followed. "It’s fine, Uncle Sloan. If Nathaniel doesn’t want to help, it doesn’t matter. Stella is a member of the York family too, so she also has the right to inherit. If Nathaniel helps me, it will only invite gossip."

Ethan grew even more agitated. "Look at her! Do you see how understanding Thea is? Nathaniel, the York Group is Uncle York’s life’s work. Do you really have the heart to watch his hard work fall into the hands of an outsider?"

Taking a sip of his tea, Nathaniel spoke slowly. "Thea just said it herself. Stella is also a member of the York family. Handing the company to her doesn’t count as letting it fall into an outsider’s hands."

"That’s pure sophistry!" Ethan choked out. "Stella might not be an outsider by blood, but she is one in terms of relationships. Her heart is entirely with her dead mother; she doesn’t care about Uncle York or Thea at all. Giving her the York Group is practically driving Thea to her death!"

"No one can take away the shares Chairman York holds," Nathaniel replied indifferently. "Even if the York Group changes its chairman, Chairman York won’t suddenly become too poor to support his wife and daughter."

That wasn’t what Ethan meant at all. "You—!"

Half-dead with anger once again, Ethan felt a wave of dizziness wash over him as he thought of the current situation in the York family, as well as how the Keaton family’s shares were already firmly controlled by the legitimate eldest son. He wasn’t acting out of the goodness of his heart to help Thea and Julian. He just... he just...

The backgrounds of those people all shared one common trait! Only by supporting their rise to power could he eventually...

The look in Ethan’s eyes as he stared at Nathaniel slowly turned sinister.

"Uncle Sloan, please don’t argue with Nathaniel over me." Thea seemed a bit anxious. "Nathaniel is right. I don’t want to fight with my sister, Stella. It’s fine if I don’t inherit the York Group. Uncle Sloan, quickly sit down and have some tea. Ms. Riddle, please bring a cup of tea—"

However, Ms. Riddle did not respond for a long time.

Nathaniel spoke up at a leisurely pace, "Ms. Riddle took the day off today. If you want tea, Father, you can pour it yourself."

Ethan choked indignantly. "Now you won’t even give me a cup of tea? If Ms. Riddle isn’t here, what about Estelle? I’ve been here as an elder for so long, so where is she? As a daughter-in-law, does she not know she should come out and serve me?!"