Chapter 222: Someone Knows Full Well Who the Illegitimate Son Is

Chapter 222: Chapter 222: Someone Knows Full Well Who the Illegitimate Son Is

"That’s right!" Old Mr. Lancaster’s eyes lit up. "If the government reclaims the land, there’s no way they won’t offer compensation!"

"But..." someone muttered, "but that land was bought at an auction... The starting bid was only three billion."

To compete with Nathaniel Sloan, Theodore Lancaster had spent nineteen billion to secure the development rights for the plot. However, this was a massive premium. Since the starting bid for the development rights was only three billion, even with compensation, the payout wouldn’t exceed three billion by much. After all, the rest of the money...

Old Mr. Lancaster suddenly couldn’t catch his breath. He clutched his chest, coughing dryly.

At this moment, Theodore’s expression finally changed. Unable to maintain his gentle smile, his face darkened as he shot a sharp glare at Nathaniel.

In contrast, Nathaniel was leaning back comfortably in his chair. He raised an eyebrow slightly, meeting Theodore’s gaze, and even offered him a polite, mocking nod. Theodore didn’t miss the look of utter certainty on Nathaniel’s face. His expression turned pitch-black. He was no fool. If he hadn’t figured out what just happened, he might as well be dead!

Nathaniel had known all along that the land couldn’t be developed. So why did he still bid on it? To bait him into a trap!

The entire conference room plunged into a deathly silence. The shareholders exchanged uncertain glances, wondering if the meeting could even continue. Just five minutes ago, everyone had been congratulating Theodore. Now, five minutes later, he had become the target of public criticism. The glory Theodore had basked in upon winning the development rights was now matched only by his current humiliation.

The shareholders gritted their teeth in secret. They thought, "So much for being meticulously groomed by the Lancaster Family! So much for having a business acumen that completely crushed Nathaniel’s! What a joke!"

He had insisted on fighting for that land, forcefully driving the price up to nineteen billion, only to lose everything. Nathaniel, on the other hand, had walked away without a single scratch.

Suddenly, a shareholder had an epiphany. "Could it be that Mr. Sloan knew there was a problem with the land all along?"

He knew all along?

Instantly, Ethan Sloan, Laura Jennings, and the others locked their eyes onto Nathaniel as if trying to burn a hole through him.

Nathaniel took a sip of his tea. With a calm expression, he slowly curled his lips into a smile. "Yes, indeed."

He knew. He actually knew!

Theodore clenched his fists. Nathaniel had known from the very beginning. His supposed interest in the land and his personal participation in the auction had all been an elaborate trap, and Theodore had foolishly swallowed the bait. This crushing defeat made Theodore slowly close his eyes.

Ethan glared so hard his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "You knew all along, yet you didn’t say a word! Are you satisfied now that you’ve watched the Sloan Group suffer such a massive loss?!"

Nathaniel slowly shook his head. "Not entirely satisfied, no. Who would have thought that a father who claims to love this son the most would only be willing to fork out such a meager sum?"

Ethan was furious. He could feel the gazes of everyone around him, as if they were silently calling him an idiot for being outsmarted by his own son. "How has the Sloan Family ever wronged you to make you plot against us like this?!"

Nathaniel spoke in a slow, unhurried tone. "You’re mistaken, Father. I did warn you and Ms. Jennings, didn’t I? I said the risk for this land was too high. However, you and Ms. Jennings told me that I was being petty, that I couldn’t stand seeing others succeed, and that I was just fear-mongering to force Young Mr. Lancaster to back out."

The shareholders, who had been brimming with righteous indignation a moment ago, instantly shot hostile glares at Ethan. So Mr. Sloan had already warned them!

Ethan’s expression immediately turned ugly. "Who could tell you were giving a genuine warning with the way you said it back then! If you wanted to warn us, you should have been more explicit! What kind of nonsense is this? I must be cursed with eight lifetimes of bad luck to have a son like you!"

Laura also threw a tantrum, slumping onto the floor. "Nathaniel, do you have any conscience at all?! Theodore is your own flesh and blood, how could you—"

BANG!

Before she could finish, the conference room doors were suddenly thrown open. An elderly yet steady female voice rang out.

"When you need something, they’re brothers. When you don’t, he’s just an illegitimate child. You really are the master of double standards, Laura Jennings!"

Laura’s expression froze. She cursed inwardly, wondering how that old hag had gotten out of her sickbed.

Nathaniel’s expression softened. "Grandma."

Estelle Lockwood looked over, meeting the elderly woman’s sharp gaze. She was momentarily taken aback. Was this... Old Mrs. Sloan?

When she married Nathaniel, she had heard that Old Mrs. Sloan was in poor health and spent most of her time recuperating at the Sloan Family estate. She rarely returned to Crestfall, so Estelle had never actually met her before. Seeing her now, the woman was quite different from what she had imagined.

"Mm," Old Mrs. Sloan replied, her cold eyes carrying an air of nobility. She shot a look of pure disgust at Ethan.

"I told you when you were eight years old that a brain like yours isn’t fit to inherit the Sloan Group. What, Nathaniel warned you, and you still think he wasn’t clear enough? Ethan, did you grow a head just to add to your height? Do you never use your brain?

"Nathaniel warned you, but you refused to listen. Does he have to grab you by the ear for it to count as a warning? Good heavens, I must be cursed with eight lifetimes of bad luck to have a son like you!"

The crowd fell speechless. Estelle was equally speechless. She was simply astounded. Old Mrs. Sloan really had a way with words when it came to insulting people!

Laura didn’t dare make a peep, while Ethan’s face flushed a deep crimson. "Mom! Nathaniel knew clearly what was happening, but he still left him for dead! Theodore..."

"What do you mean, left him for dead? Keep spouting nonsense like that and I’ll sue you for slander!" Old Mrs. Sloan drawled nonchalantly. "Nathaniel simply had too much faith in Theodore. After all, Nathaniel figured that someone groomed by the Lancaster Family couldn’t be far behind him in skill. If he could discover the problem with the land, wouldn’t Theodore have discovered it too?

"So Nathaniel was just being too kind! He believed Theodore could handle it himself. If he had insisted on warning him, what if he ended up hurting the boy’s pride?"

Estelle fell silent. Was this what they called lying through one’s teeth?

Theodore clenched his fists, forcing himself to swallow his anger. Old Mr. Lancaster, unable to contain his fury, snapped coldly, "Nathaniel set a trap on purpose to watch Theodore take the fall! Nathaniel must take full responsibility for what happened today!"

Hearing Old Mr. Lancaster’s words, Old Mrs. Sloan turned her head and looked him up and down.

"No wonder the meticulously groomed Theodore turned out to be so lackluster. The apple really doesn’t fall far from the tree in the Lancaster Family. You’re clearly just shortsighted, yet you insist on blaming it on Nathaniel’s scheming. What, even if Nathaniel did set a trap, did Theodore have to walk right into it?"

Old Mrs. Sloan sounded incredibly astonished and amused, speaking in a tone one might use when marveling at a performing monkey.

"Now I am absolutely certain that Theodore is Ethan’s biological son. After all, the father and son share the exact same brain damage. And they actually want to inherit the Sloan Group with brains like that? Old Mr. Lancaster, you don’t happen to have a problem with your brain as well, do you?"

Everyone was too afraid to speak. This woman’s tongue was far too venomous!

Old Mr. Lancaster had never been insulted like this before. He was used to acting high and mighty, and the sheer rage made his head spin. "What right does Nathaniel have to scheme against Theodore?! He... he’s just an illegitimate child..."

Old Mrs. Sloan’s eyes instantly sharpened. Her piercing gaze swept slowly past Laura Jennings, Ethan Sloan, and Yvonne Lancaster, before finally landing on Theodore Lancaster.

Then, she let out a scoff. "Cut it out, Old Mr. Lancaster. Everyone here knows exactly who the real illegitimate child is."