Chapter 212: You Want to Kick Out the ’Jinx’? Okay.

Chapter 212: Chapter 212: You Want to Kick Out the ’Jinx’? Okay.

In that case, the ’only eldest daughter’ Ian Perry spoke of had to be Noelle Lockwood. After all, when Old Mr. Lockwood registered Noelle over a decade ago, she was the Lockwood family’s sole daughter.

The Charity Association’s memory of the Lockwood family was stuck more than ten years in the past. In their minds, wasn’t the so-called true eldest daughter Noelle?

Austin Lockwood revealed a satisfied smile. Beside him, Suzi Lowell immediately caught on. "Noelle, look! The Charity Association has acknowledged you!"

A blush spread across Noelle’s cheeks. Biting her lip, she said, "Don’t say that. Maybe the person they’re talking about is Estelle."

Suzi scoffed twice. "Noelle, you became an Angel Member over ten years ago. Where was Estelle Lockwood back then? The Charity Association doesn’t even know she exists!

"That’s exactly why they said you’re the only daughter of the Lockwood family. After all, Estelle was still playing the country bumpkin out in the sticks back then. The Charity Association probably has no idea who she even is!"

Hearing this, many others in the crowd also came to a realization.

Indeed, the phrase "the only true daughter" did not refer to Estelle Lockwood, but to Noelle Lockwood.

Because over a decade ago, Noelle was the sole daughter of the Lockwood family.

The Charity Association didn’t pay attention to wealthy society gossip, so it was perfectly understandable that they didn’t know the true daughter of the Lockwood family had been swapped. Therefore, the person they were referring to could only be Noelle.

Suzi looked incredibly smug. "Estelle, Noelle was kind enough to offer you a seat in the VIP section earlier, but you just had to refuse. Look now—Noelle is Mr. Lynch’s honored guest, and you are absolutely nothing. Aren’t you embarrassed?"

Rose Lowell chimed in, lecturing her from a high horse. "Estelle, Noelle meant well. You’re simply far too jealous. You’re always trying to compete with her over every little thing. Well, look at her now—she’s an Angel Member. Can you compete with that?"

Others didn’t want to be left behind and quickly began to flatter her. "Miss Noelle, I never expected you to be as kind-hearted as you are beautiful. No wonder the Lockwoods adore you so much."

"President Lockwood, Mrs. Lockwood, you truly raised your daughter well!"

Noelle was absolutely thrilled at the prospect of seeing Estelle’s reaction. She assumed Estelle must be going mad with jealousy.

"Please don’t say that, everyone. Estelle will be sad..."

"Noelle, why are you so kind? You still care about sisterly affection even now, but why don’t you think about how Estelle Lockwood treated you?!"

Suzi grew increasingly agitated as she spoke. She sprang to her feet, looked at Ian Perry on the stage, and shouted, "Mr. Perry, our Noelle is Mr. Lynch’s honored guest. Since she has been bullied, shouldn’t Mr. Lynch seek justice on her behalf?!"

Estelle propped her chin on her hand, popped a grape into her mouth, and curled her lips into a slight smile. "Mr. Lynch, what do you say?"

Nathaniel Sloan didn’t even glance at Noelle. Without batting an eyelid, he simply asked, "How much money do you want to scam out of the Lockwood family?"

Estelle drawled lazily, "The Lockwood Group is just an empty shell right now. They won’t be able to fork over too much. Let’s go with two hundred million—that’s exactly the amount of working capital Austin Lockwood just scraped together."

Nathaniel nodded. "Alright."

He casually raised his hand. Ian Perry gave an imperceptible nod, then looked toward Suzi. "Of course."

Seeing Ian’s attitude, Suzi couldn’t help but look elated. She aggressively pointed at Estelle and declared loudly, "It’s bad enough that this woman has been targeting Noelle all this time, but just now at the entrance, she actually questioned whether Noelle had an invitation and claimed she wasn’t worthy of entering the auction hall! But our Noelle is an Angel Member; she doesn’t even need an invitation! Noelle was the bigger person and didn’t hold it against her, but instead of apologizing, she just walked away!

"Mr. Perry, tell us, shouldn’t this kind of woman be kicked out to give your Angel Member a proper explanation?!"

Suzi thought about what her parents had told her—how they had taken Joseph to Dewdrop Garden for a meal a few days ago, only to be kicked out and thoroughly humiliated by Estelle.

After all, Joseph was the sole heir to the Lowell family lineage!

The more Suzi thought about it, the angrier she became. Her fingers trembled as she roared, "Mr. Perry, I suggest you kick Estelle Lockwood out! She is a Jinx! If you keep her here, she will bring death and misfortune to everyone around her!"

The crowd fell silent, exchanging uneasy glances.

A Jinx? A harbinger of bad luck? What era were they living in to still believe in such things?

However, due to Suzi’s outburst, some people quietly distanced themselves from Estelle.

Estelle cast a glance at Suzi. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t warned Suzi not to let Noelle use her as a pawn, but Suzi was dead set on defending her.

The Lowell family was likely extremely patriarchal; otherwise, they wouldn’t constantly blather about how Joseph Lowell was their family’s lineage. Yet Suzi, the very victim of this misogyny, was just as obsessed with calling him their lineage and lifeblood.

For Noelle, she would charge into battle. For Joseph, she would scream herself hoarse. Yet, the girl never seemed to spare a single moment to fight for herself.

Estelle shifted her gaze away from Suzi.

Ian’s smile did not reach his eyes. "A Jinx? So, you all believe that the eldest daughter of the Lockwood family is a Lucky Star and an Angel Member, while the other is a Jinx?"

Suzi failed to catch the underlying meaning in Ian’s words. "Of course!"

Rose thought Suzi had spoken well, but Austin sharply furrowed his brows.

He got the feeling that there was a hidden meaning behind Ian’s words.

But as things stood, Austin couldn’t backtrack now. He let out a heavy sigh.

"Mr. Perry, don’t listen to Suzi’s nonsense. There’s no such thing as a Jinx... However, it’s likely that Estelle simply isn’t compatible with the Lockwoods. When this daughter of mine was at home, our family members were constantly falling ill, and the family business suffered.

"But during the first eighteen years she was away from home, and prior to her return... Sigh, everyone has seen the results for themselves. So, Suzi might just be a bit extreme in her phrasing."

Rose also put on a hypocritical act. "Perhaps this is just my fate. My daughter is destined to never be close to her family."

Many people cast sidelong glances at Estelle in the corner.

During the eighteen years she was away, the Lockwood family had skyrocketed to become one of Crestfall’s wealthy elites. Now that she had returned, the Lockwood Group was failing to make ends meet. It looked glamorous on the surface, but didn’t everyone know the Lockwood Group was just an empty shell that would collapse at the slightest breeze?

Looking at it that way, she really did seem like a Jinx.

Estelle’s lips curled up. Wasn’t that the truth? Eighteen years ago, the Lockwood family inexplicably came into a windfall, so she was sent away, and Noelle became the Lockwood family’s daughter. Now, she had returned for revenge, and the Lockwood Group was in decline.

Yes, in a sense, she truly was the Lockwood family’s bane.

Suddenly, Nathaniel gently squeezed her hand.

Estelle slightly raised an eyebrow.

Then she heard Nathaniel’s deep, husky, yet exceptionally firm voice. "Don’t listen to their nonsense."

The man’s eyes were gentle, carrying an inexplicable, soothing strength.

Estelle had stopped caring about the Lockwoods a long time ago, so she hadn’t paid their words any mind. But now, with Nathaniel comforting her, an abrupt wave of grievance inexplicably swelled in her heart.

In the past, she never dared to feel sad or hurt because she knew no one would comfort her even if she did. But now...

Right at that moment, Ian spoke from the stage. "So that’s how it is. Since you all have made your decision, I will ask the other daughter of the Lockwood family to leave shortly. Now, Miss Lockwood, please come up to the stage."