Chapter 182: The Reason Estelle Was Abandoned by the Lockwood Family...

Chapter 182: Chapter 182: The Reason Estelle Was Abandoned by the Lockwood Family...

Noelle Lockwood’s breath hitched. Her expression shifted slightly as she adopted a fragile, vulnerable look. She was about to step forward when Nathaniel Sloan’s icy voice cut her off.

"Seven years ago, Ms. Lowell solemnly swore that once Estelle returned to the Lockwood family, she would be the sole daughter of the house. When arranging the servant’s room for Estelle, Ms. Lowell also told me that the servant’s room was only temporary. Because Noelle Lockwood couldn’t move her things out in time, Estelle would have to make do for a while."

With every word Nathaniel spoke, Noelle and Rose Lowell’s faces paled a fraction more.

"It has been seven years. Has it really taken Miss Noelle seven years to move out of a single room?"

The entire villa fell into a dead silence. Rose’s lips parted and closed, wanting to retort, "Nathaniel, that... that’s not how it works..."

Austin Lockwood wanted to tell Rose to shut up, but Rose genuinely didn’t see the issue. She felt that since she doted on Noelle, the rest of the world naturally favored Noelle as well. Thus, wasn’t it only right for Estelle to yield to her?

Rose forced a smile. "It’s just... it’s just that Estelle is all alone. I was afraid she wouldn’t be used to living in such a large room! Besides, Noelle has been in this house for so many years. If we treated Noelle poorly and kicked her out the moment Estelle returned, what kind of people would the Lockwood family be?"

"Ms. Lowell makes perfect sense." Estelle nodded in complete agreement. "Kicking an adopted daughter out of her room just because the biological daughter returned would indeed make the Lockwood family seem rather heartless. But arranging for the biological daughter to live in the basement just because the adopted daughter is used to her room..."

Estelle looked at Austin with a half-smile. "If word of this got out, who knows what others would think. Chairman Lockwood, wouldn’t you agree?"

Her words drained the color from Austin’s face, leaving his expression stiff.

Fury rushed to Rose’s head, and her immediate instinct was to curse at her. However, Austin hurriedly covered her mouth and scowled.

"Noelle, Estelle is right. Your mother is acting foolishly, but are you going to be ignorant too? That room was never meant for you. Now that Estelle is back, you shouldn’t monopolize it!"

Noelle’s eyes brimmed with tears as she shook her head desperately. "I’m sorry... I’m sorry..."

Austin took a deep breath, forcing a strained smile at Estelle. "Estelle, your mother is ignorant and getting older, so she can’t distinguish right from wrong. I am absolutely on your side. Please be understanding of your mother and don’t stoop to her level."

Estelle chuckled softly.

This entire family was quite a spectacle. On the surface, Noelle was petty and vindictive, while Rose was sharp and short-tempered. Yet, every time those two exhausted all their schemes to make things difficult for her, Austin would always step forward, harshly reprimanding them while comforting Estelle.

But was Austin truly a ’good father’? Without his tacit indulgence, would Rose have ever dared to act out? Would Noelle?

Estelle scoffed, crossing her arms as she slowly raised her gaze. "Alright. Since Chairman Lockwood has spoken, did you hear him, Miss Noelle?"

Noelle bit her lip lightly, her eyes swimming with tears. "I heard..."

Before she could even finish, Estelle nodded in satisfaction. "Since you heard him, get packing."

Noelle trembled all over, looking as though she had just been subjected to the greatest humiliation of her life.

"By the way, Chairman Lockwood. Miss Lockwood just mentioned that there are no other spare rooms in the villa besides the servant’s quarters." Estelle offered a half-smile. "Surely you aren’t going to have a master bedroom cleared out for Noelle right now, are you?"

The veins on Austin’s forehead bulged, but he could only muster a sheepish smile. "Of course... of course not."

In truth, the Lockwood villa was massive. Finding a decent room for Noelle would have been more than easy. However, in her attempt to humiliate Estelle, Noelle had explicitly claimed that only the servant’s room remained. If they were to arrange a master bedroom for Noelle now, wouldn’t it just give others more fuel for gossip?

Austin finally voiced his ultimate goal, his tone cloying. "Estelle, now that you’re back home, remember to help the family out when you have time. We’re all one family, wouldn’t you agree?"

Estelle smoothed her hair. "Depends on my mood."

With that, she cast a glance at Nathaniel and turned to walk out of the villa.

Inside the villa, Rose trembled with fury, pointing at the front door as she shrieked curses. "So what if Estelle had to stay in the servant’s room?! If she hadn’t shamelessly clung to Nathaniel and forced him to marry her, she wouldn’t even be qualified to be a servant in our house! It’s not like we mistreated her! Noelle can’t handle hardship, but Estelle is used to it. What’s wrong with making her suffer a little more?!"

The more she spoke, the angrier she became. Rose screamed viciously, "Estelle is nothing but a wild brat! Have you forgotten what the fortune-teller said back then? We threw her away, but that stubborn old fool insisted on picking her up and raising her! Look what happened! She’s ruined all the fortune of the Lockwood family! Noelle is the Lockwood family’s Lucky Star, and Estelle is a complete Jinx—"

SLAP!

Austin delivered a vicious slap right across Rose’s face.

Her tirade was abruptly cut short. She flinched, suddenly realizing what she had just said. Her face drained of color, and she quickly shut her mouth, muttering meekly, "Anyway... anyway, why do we have to be so nice to her? There’s absolutely no need."

Austin’s face darkened, his voice menacing. "I don’t care what you and Noelle do behind closed doors. But in public, you will fake it and act like you dote on Estelle. Otherwise, don’t blame me for showing no mercy!"

With a flick of his sleeve, he stormed off.

Rose felt incredibly wronged. Wasn’t everything she did for the sake of the Lockwood family?

The moment Estelle was born, the Lockwood family had faced a terrible crisis. Later, they heeded a master’s advice, abandoned Estelle, and adopted Noelle. Sure enough, the family had miraculously bounced back from the brink. Now that Estelle had returned home, the Lockwood family was plunged into a storm of public opinion, and their stocks had plummeted.

If she wasn’t a Jinx, then what was she?!

...

Stepping out of the villa, Estelle paused. "Why did you come, Mr. Sloan?"

Nathaniel nodded. "The Lockwood family clearly had no intention of making things easy for you. Since I knew that, of course I came."

Estelle raised an eyebrow, suddenly thinking of something else. "How did you know... that Ms. Lowell assigned me to the servant’s room seven years ago?"

Seven years ago, Nathaniel rarely visited the Lockwood home. On the rare occasions he did, Rose would pretend to dote on Estelle excessively. She would bring her up from the basement to create a façade for outsiders, making it seem like the Lockwood family cherished her dearly.

Nathaniel’s expression remained calm. "I noticed some discrepancies and questioned Ms. Lowell. She didn’t dare hide the truth. However, at the time, I truly believed she had turned over a new leaf. I’m sorry. If I had paid more attention back then, they probably wouldn’t have dared to bully you like that."

Estelle pursed her lips. Thinking it over carefully, Nathaniel hadn’t done anything wrong. It was simply that she had been too weak back then. She hadn’t even dared to tell anyone about being bullied by her biological mother and banished to the basement by the adopted daughter, terrified that speaking up would cost her her family’s love.

Having ’died’ once, Estelle had grown up a lot. She shook her head, not wanting to dwell on the topic. "I don’t blame you. Nathaniel, I’d like to go visit Old Mr. Lockwood. Are you free?"

A gleam instantly flashed across Nathaniel’s cool eyes. This was the first time Estelle had invited him anywhere since the truth about the suicide note incident had come to light.

Nathaniel nodded, his voice gentle. "Of course. It would be my honor. However..." He was somewhat curious. "What do you need to see Old Mr. Lockwood for?"