Chapter 254: Estelle Lockwood’s Parents Are Someone Else

Chapter 254: Chapter 254: Estelle Lockwood’s Parents Are Someone Else

Not long after, Director Carson returned with a small box.

It was evident she was still somewhat hesitant, but eventually, she spoke up.

"Estelle, I found you by the side of the road back then. It was cold. Being abandoned outside as an infant, whoever left you there certainly didn’t expect you to survive."

Estelle listened quietly.

Director Carson’s voice grew fainter. "After I took you in, I met your mother... I-I thought she was your mother at the time. She told me to mind my own business and just throw you away. I said that was murder, that leaving a baby outside to die was a crime. But Rose Lowell replied, ’She is my daughter. If I want her dead, she dies.’

"Rose snatched you away and threw you out again. I went out looking for you but couldn’t find you. Just as I was considering whether to call the police, Chairman Lockwood arrived. He brought you back in his arms."

Estelle raised an eyebrow.

Director Carson continued, "Chairman Lockwood came with two babies. One was you, and the other... the other was..."

Estelle chimed in with a nod, "It was Noelle Lockwood."

"Yes, yes, Noelle. Chairman Lockwood left both of you at the orphanage and told me that someone would come to adopt Noelle shortly. I asked about the other child—wasn’t she also his? Was he really just going to leave her at the orphanage?

"He told me to mind my own business.

"A week later, Rose and Chairman Lockwood returned to the orphanage and adopted Noelle.

"The more I thought about it, the less sense it made. Chairman Lockwood had personally brought Noelle to the orphanage, so why formally adopt her again? And why would they so blatantly neglect you, their biological daughter?

"It was then that I stumbled upon Noelle’s birth certificate. Chairman Lockwood had been careless; he had left yours and Noelle’s birth certificates together and forgot to take them back. When I saw them, I was shocked!

"It turned out Noelle was Chairman Lockwood’s daughter with another woman! Meanwhile, the parents’ section on your certificate had been viciously scribbled out with black ink! I tried everything to decipher it and could only make out that your father’s last name was also Lockwood, but it definitely wasn’t Austin.

"So, Estelle, your biological parents aren’t Chairman Lockwood and his wife. Your real parents surely had no idea he had dumped you at the orphanage!

"When Chairman Lockwood found out what I knew, he warned me to keep my mouth shut. He gave me a massive sum of hush money and sent me away from Crestfall..."

Having finished her tale, Director Carson opened the box. "This was hanging around your neck back then. I quietly took it off without letting Chairman Lockwood see. Perhaps it’s something your biological parents left for you."

Estelle glanced at it. It was a ruby.

The gemstone was large and dazzlingly red—definitely not something an ordinary person could possess.

She wondered, if her father’s last name was also Lockwood... was he related to Austin? Could the Lockwood family of over twenty years ago even afford such a jewel?

"E-Estelle," Director Carson stammered, looking a bit terrified. "I’ve told you everything. As for the rest, could you... could you..."

After all, Director Carson knew that Austin dumping someone else’s daughter at an orphanage was tantamount to kidnapping—a serious crime. She had known the truth but failed to report it, deliberately concealed the facts, and even accepted a bribe. If Estelle wanted to hold her accountable, she would definitely go to prison!

As for forgiveness, Estelle was no bleeding heart. But as for holding a grudge, Director Carson wasn’t the true culprit here.

Thus, Estelle merely said, "The children are still waiting for you. Find a lawyer to coordinate with mine and get the twenty-million-dollar donation properly registered."

Director Carson was at a loss for words, her eyes turning red.

Only after Estelle had left did she finally cover her mouth and burst into tears.

Austin had stolen another family’s child, causing Estelle to be separated from her biological parents for over twenty years. Though she wasn’t the mastermind, she had been an accomplice!

Once in the car, Nathaniel asked softly, "Why have you been so quiet?"

"I just can’t quite figure out Austin’s thought process." Estelle rested her chin on one hand and gazed out the window. "Since he threw me away in the first place, he shouldn’t have ever planned on bringing me back. So why did he track me down when I turned eighteen?"

At eighteen, just as Grandpa passed away suddenly and Estelle was at the most lost point in her life, Austin had appeared, claiming to be her biological father.

But Austin had absolutely no reason to do that back then. Doing so only compromised his real daughter, Noelle—right, Director Carson had just confirmed that Noelle was his illegitimate child.

Austin had pulled a bait-and-switch, bringing his illegitimate daughter home to be raised as the eldest miss. Wasn’t that precisely so she could legitimately enjoy the Lockwood family’s resources?

Once Estelle returned, Noelle became the "fake heiress."

Was it really necessary?

Unless bringing her back wasn’t Austin’s idea to begin with, but rather...

Estelle suddenly thought of someone who had always been hiding behind the scenes.

Old Mr. Lockwood.

What if Old Mr. Lockwood was the one who had ordered Austin to bring her back to the Lockwood family? If so, what was his motive?

Regardless, one thing was certain: the Lockwood family harbored ulterior motives.

At the very least, right now, despite clearly not being Austin’s daughter, she could still be married off as a Lockwood heiress to bring benefits to the family.

Austin had played his hand well—using another family’s child to secure advantages for the Lockwoods.

RING RING RING...

Right at that moment, Henry Kendrick called.

"Estelle, I’ve made some headway on what you asked me to investigate. The hospital records confirm that Austin’s mistress and Rose were pregnant at the same time. Rose’s actual baby was secretly swapped out by Austin early on and has been dead for a long time."

Estelle pursed her lips. "Can the hospital prove Noelle’s true identity?"

"Yes, I’ve already obtained the paternity test report."

"Good," Estelle replied with a hum of acknowledgment.

No sooner had Henry hung up than Austin’s call came in, ringing incessantly like a harbinger of doom.

"Estelle," Austin spoke first.

It was very quiet on the other end of the line—so quiet that Estelle felt as though several people were holding their breath, listening in.

She let out a light chuckle. "Chairman Lockwood."

"Ahem, Estelle, I’m your father. Why are you being so formal? I’ve arranged all the requests you mentioned last time. When the day comes, we’ll hold your bridal reception at the manor under the Lockwood family’s name. All the relatives will be there, and we’ll arrange for reporters to cover it.

"However, this is a family matter, after all, so having the reporters cover it from the perimeter will be enough. We won’t invite them into the banquet itself. What do you say?"

Estelle understood immediately.

After all, Austin intended to use this banquet to force his already-married "biological daughter" to wed a prince’s eldest son—a man with the intellect of a six-year-old and a sadistic streak.

If that were reported, how could the Lockwood family ever show their faces again?

So, arranging for reporters inside was absolutely out of the question.

"Estelle, the family truly feels we owe you an apology. You’ll definitely come to the banquet, right?"

As long as Estelle showed up, Princess Avery could take her away.