Chapter 248: Stella York, the True Eldest Miss of the York Family

Chapter 248: Chapter 248: Stella York, the True Eldest Miss of the York Family

"Mom, you’re really going too far!" Thea York cried, acting as if she were choosing righteousness over family ties. "You told me last time that you had given up on this idea! But now... what you’ve done... how am I supposed to face anyone?"

Estelle Lockwood watched Thea’s performance in silence.

Thea sobbed uncontrollably. "Nathaniel, Estelle... I didn’t know my mother would do something like this. As you know, my mom became the mistress and married into the family. Even though it’s been so many years... I just don’t know how to get her to change her ways..."

Estelle raised an eyebrow.

Thea was truly ruthless. Wasn’t she just telling everyone that her mother was a mistress who wanted her own daughter to be a mistress too? That it was all her mother’s fault and that she herself was innocent? It was clearly Thea who wanted to climb the social ladder, yet now she was pushing all the blame onto Mrs. York.

Wasn’t this a perfect example of a loving mother and a filial daughter?

Mrs. York looked on in disbelief. But... this was her daughter, after all. With so many people watching, how could she let Thea bear the reputation of being a mistress?

A drop of cold sweat slid down Thea’s forehead. She had made it so obvious; would her mother understand?

Under Thea’s continuous hints, Mrs. York finally covered her face. "Yes, yes, I acted on my own! Actually... Thea never had any intention of doing this! It’s all my fault!"

"So, what you’re saying is," Estelle drawled, "Thea had no intention of ruining my marriage. It was you, her mother, who hoped your daughter would inherit your legacy because you were a mistress yourself?"

Mrs. York’s expression stiffened. But at this moment, she had no choice but to admit it. "Yes, yes..."

"Alright then," Estelle said, smoothing her hair. "Nathaniel, call the police."

Mrs. York was shocked. "I’ve already admitted it! Why are you still calling the police?!"

"It’s exactly because you admitted it that we need to call the police," Estelle replied with a faint, mocking smile. "Driven by your intentions, you tampered with the security cameras, secretly met with my children, and threatened them. How could I not call the police?

"At first, because there was no surveillance footage and no other witnesses, I couldn’t do anything to you.

"But now," Estelle leaned in and said slowly, "you’ve admitted it out of your own mouth. You confessed to having malicious intent. Tell me, shouldn’t I call the police?"

Mrs. York stiffened completely as realization finally dawned on her.

This was Estelle’s trap! She had fallen right into it! By forcing Thea to confess, Estelle knew that she, as a mother, would definitely take the blame for her daughter. And then, Estelle would have a valid reason to call the police!

If the police got involved in this... No, no, no!

Mrs. York slumped to the ground, desperately shooting pleading glances at Thea, but Thea merely looked away. None of her plans for the day had succeeded. Now, she couldn’t even show off her new bag in front of Estelle. All of this was caused by her brainless mother!

And she expected her to save her? Keep dreaming!

Ultimately, Mrs. York was taken away in a police car on charges of threatening children.

As the farce came to an end, a figure flashed past the doors of the beauty salon not far away.

Estelle raised an eyebrow.

"Did you see someone?" Nathaniel asked calmly.

Estelle smiled. "No one. I probably just saw things."

After Nathaniel took the three children home and Estelle said goodbye to Penelope Sullivan, she returned to the beauty salon alone. She recalled what a wealthy lady had mentioned earlier. This beauty salon used to be the property of the York family’s original wife, but it eventually fell into the hands of Mrs. York and Thea.

However, since it was something the original wife had left for Stella York... it wasn’t surprising that she would appear here.

KNOCK KNOCK. Estelle knocked on the door. "Miss York, care to have a chat?"

The person behind the door seemed to have been waiting for her. The woman who opened the door bore a slight resemblance to Thea, but her features were much sharper.

It was the daughter of the York family’s original wife, the true eldest daughter of the York family—Stella York.

"Miss Lockwood, I’ve been waiting for you for a long time. Please come in," Stella said.

Estelle raised an eyebrow. "Rumor has it that Miss Stella York is disregarded by the York family and suffers from depression. They say you aren’t as cheerful and outgoing as Thea, and that you are withdrawn and boring. But seeing you today, I really don’t think someone with such sharp eyes could be depressed."

Stella narrowed her eyes slightly and chuckled. "I like talking to smart people."

Estelle got straight to the point. "So Mrs. York wasn’t supposed to be here today. She was lured here by you."

Stella sighed again in satisfaction. She really loved talking to smart people. Estelle was indeed a smart person.

Estelle said calmly, "Mrs. York’s beauty appointments are fixed every week. It was originally scheduled for tomorrow, but today, her beautician called to say she would be taking tomorrow off and asked Mrs. York to come in today instead. And when Mrs. York arrived, she ran into my three children."

Estelle’s smile gradually turned cold. "So, Miss York, you didn’t just scheme against Mrs. York. You also schemed against my three children."

Stella shrugged. "Nothing happened to them, did it? Besides, I was watching the whole time. I wouldn’t have let that woman bully them. Furthermore..."

Stella wore a complicated expression. Who on earth spread the rumor that Christian Sloan was weak and sickly? He was an expert at infuriating people, and even more of an expert at beating them up.

No, now wasn’t the time to be thinking about this.

Stella looked at Estelle. "Actually, you noticed my presence a long time ago. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have forced Eliza Quincy to admit in public..."

Stella’s fists clenched slightly. Eliza Quincy was Mrs. York. She took a deep breath and finished her sentence.

"Otherwise, you wouldn’t have forced Eliza Quincy to publicly admit that she was a mistress and that she had threatened the original wife."

In the past, Eliza was incredibly good at putting on an act. Stella’s mother had died early, leaving her to survive under the thumb of the mistress and her illegitimate daughter. As for the public’s opinion, the mistress could spin the narrative however she pleased.

Before this, people even accused Stella of being ungrateful.

"Your stepmother treats you so well! How has she ever wronged you?"

"If you ask me, it’s just you and your mother who don’t know what’s good for you. Was she really a mistress stealing her way to the top? Your mother was severely ill, and she was just taking care of your father! You people are too unappreciative!"

Stella had heard such remarks countless times, to the point where she had grown numb to them. Now, Eliza had become Mrs. York, and Thea had become the eldest daughter of the York family.

It seemed everyone had forgotten about her, the true eldest daughter, and forgotten about her mother, the true original wife. They praised the mistress and the illegitimate daughter for being gentle, magnanimous, and understanding. Yet, they never considered that everything those two had was built on the blood and flesh of Stella and her mother!

But today, Mrs. York had publicly admitted it...

She admitted that she was a mistress! Admitted that she had intentionally climbed the ranks! Admitted that she had schemed against the original wife! Stella had already recorded her words on video and leaked them!

And all of this was thanks to Estelle.

Stella was someone who always repaid her debts of gratitude. She got straight to the point. "Miss Lockwood, I won’t take this favor for nothing. I have a secret here regarding you."