Chapter 201: The Insignificant Sloan Family Is Beneath My Notice

Chapter 201: Chapter 201: The Insignificant Sloan Family Is Beneath My Notice

Estelle Lockwood paused her steps and turned around, spotting a stunningly handsome man she didn’t recognize.

"Do we know each other?"

The man nodded with a smile. "Not yet, but we will soon. Miss Lockwood, I heard you finally proved your innocence in the arson case. Consider this a congratulatory gift."

He produced an exquisite box from behind his back. Estelle raised an eyebrow, her gaze taking on a more scrutinizing edge.

The box contained a limited-edition piece from LD&Q’s current season. A single, small piece of their jewelry was worth an entire apartment in Crestfall. For a complete stranger to casually offer such an expensive gift... Estelle couldn’t help but take a step back.

"We have no ties to each other. Please take back such a valuable gift, sir."

The man behaved like a perfect gentleman. Hearing her refusal, he didn’t push the matter. Instead, he offered a graceful, polite bow. "My apologies, I was being presumptuous. However, this gift will forever be reserved for you, Miss Lockwood."

Estelle narrowed her eyes. This man seemed flawless, but his sudden appearance was inherently bizarre. Furthermore, he acted so gentle and appropriate, as if he expected nothing in return and had made this trip solely to hand her a present.

Yet, the less he appeared to want, the grander his hidden agenda likely was.

Not lingering at the entrance, Estelle turned and walked into the building, her eyes immediately meeting Nathaniel Sloan’s.

For a split second, Nathaniel and the man outside locked eyes, their gazes clashing in the air. Then, Nathaniel looked at Estelle. "Let’s go."

The man outside wasn’t annoyed. He quietly watched Estelle leave. Only when her silhouette completely disappeared did his assistant step forward.

"Young Mr. Lancaster, that Estelle Lockwood already has three children. If you want to get married, there are plenty of wealthy heiresses for you to choose from. Why bother with a married woman who has kids? Besides, she comes from a humble background and grew up in the countryside. How is she worthy of you!"

Theodore Lancaster cast a flat glance at his assistant. The feigned affection in his eyes had completely vanished.

"It doesn’t matter what kind of woman Estelle is. What matters is that she belongs to Nathaniel Sloan."

Everything Nathaniel had should belong to him, including the woman and the children.

Besides, if it hadn’t been for that illegitimate son Nathaniel, he would have been the one engaged to Estelle. Theodore let out a cold sneer. He was just here to take back what was rightfully his—was there a problem with that?

RING RING RING.

Just then, Theodore’s phone rang. When he answered, Laura Jennings’ cautious, fawning voice came through the line.

"Theodore, are you coming home for dinner tonight? I specifically made chicken soup for you today! Ethan said he’s planning to host a formal recognition banquet for you soon. What do you think..."

Theodore gave a casual sound of agreement, and Ms. Jennings was instantly thrilled.

Meanwhile, at the Sloan family’s home.

Ms. Jennings hung up the phone and practically sprinted toward the kitchen, bursting with excitement. Iris Sloan happened to witness this scene.

She lowered her eyes in deep thought. Ms. Jennings was physically and verbally abusive toward her own son, Nathaniel. She was always calling him a Jinx and an abomination, acting as though she wished her own flesh and blood would just die. She harbored an extreme disgust for Nathaniel’s children, too, even helping Noelle Lockwood abuse Christian in the past.

But now, when it came to the biological son of the legal first wife, Miranda Lancaster—Ms. Jennings, the mistress, was being incredibly attentive!

A terrifying speculation surfaced in Iris’s mind.

Upstairs, Nathaniel’s eyes flickered, his thoughts unreadable.

Theodore was clearly targeting Estelle. Did they... know each other?

Nathaniel feared nothing. He didn’t care about Theodore’s identity or whatever conspiracy the Lancaster family was brewing. The only thing he cared about was whether Estelle would look at him the same way those people did.

His voice was dry and devoid of emotion. "Stay away from him."

"Okay," Estelle murmured, then asked, "Who was that man just now?"

Nathaniel fell silent.

After a brief pause, he asked, "You don’t know who he is?"

"No idea," Estelle replied candidly.

Nathaniel cleared his throat lightly. "That was Theodore Lancaster."

Estelle raised an eyebrow, her interest immediately piqued. "The rumored legitimate son of Chairman Sloan?"

It finally clicked for her. No wonder she thought the man looked a bit familiar—he looked just like Ethan Sloan!

This Theodore had popped up out of nowhere. Before this, no one had ever heard that Miranda Lancaster had left behind a son, and the Lancaster family had kept it completely under wraps.

Yet Nathaniel didn’t seem surprised in the slightest.

A faint smile touched Nathaniel’s lips. "It’s not hard to figure out Theodore’s existence."

Estelle suddenly understood. That made sense. If Nathaniel hadn’t been born with an innate mind for business and the sheer willpower to survive Ms. Jennings’ torment, he would either be dead right now, or forced out of the Sloan family by Ethan, buried in debt and entirely unqualified to compete with Theodore.

Then there was Liam Sloan. From a young age, Ms. Jennings had intentionally raised him to be useless, sending him to study abroad under the guise of "toughening him up." In reality, she just wanted to keep him far away from the center of power in the Sloan Group.

Maliciously targeting one son and deliberately ruining the other—who was it all for?

Estelle hadn’t known the reason before, but now the answer was self-evident: Theodore Lancaster.

Nathaniel had probably known about this man’s existence for a long time.

But... a legitimate son? The Lancaster family didn’t care whether Miranda lived or died. Would the Second Miss Lancaster, an illegitimate daughter herself, really care about Miranda’s son?

It was genuinely hard to say whether Theodore had actually come from Miranda’s womb.

Nathaniel chuckled softly. "You’re quite clever, Mrs. Sloan."

Estelle arched an eyebrow. Did that mean she had guessed correctly?

Just then, before Luke White even had time to knock, Ethan Sloan barged into the room.

"Nathaniel Sloan, do you not understand the words coming out of my mouth? I told you to make a trip to the Sloan Group. Did you really think you could avoid it by hiding?!"

Nathaniel narrowed his eyes and asked methodically, "What exactly am I avoiding?"

"Do I even need to say it?" Ethan snapped impatiently. "Avoiding your status as an illegitimate son, of course! Nathaniel, I used to think you were my only heir, which is why I indulged you a bit!

"But let’s get one thing straight. As a bastard, you have absolutely no right to inherit the Sloan Group! Now that Theodore has returned, none of us want things to get too ugly. Nathaniel, I am your father, and I am willing to give you a chance!

"Go to the company right now and publicly admit that you will no longer interfere with the succession of the Sloan Group. Otherwise, the Lancaster family will not let you off the hook! For a bastard like you to grow up safely is already a mercy from the Lancaster family!"

Estelle watched with keen interest.

Ethan emphasized the words "illegitimate son" in every single sentence. But didn’t he realize that the more he stressed it, the more guilty it made him look?

Nathaniel shot him a sidelong glance and offered a breezy smile. "Father, I believe you have misunderstood something."

Ethan frowned. "What?"

"After I turned fifteen," Nathaniel said slowly, "You, Chairman Sloan, along with Ms. Jennings, kicked me out of the Sloan family. In all these years, I have never touched a single dime or resource belonging to the Sloan Group."

Ethan’s expression stiffened. Letting others hear that he had kicked his son out at the age of fifteen wasn’t exactly a glorious look. "What exactly are you trying to say?"

"I’m saying," Nathaniel began, his tone dripping with mockery. "Chairman Sloan, you are far too confident in the Sloan Group. The petty little Sloan family is simply beneath my notice."