Chapter 255: The Recognition Banquet Begins, Preparing to Settle Accounts

Chapter 255: Chapter 255: The Recognition Banquet Begins, Preparing to Settle Accounts

Austin Lockwood didn’t think Estelle would refuse.

After all, when eighteen-year-old Estelle first returned to the Lockwood family over seven years ago, she had been absolutely desperate for familial love. A person’s true nature didn’t just change; Estelle was still the same Estelle.

Sure enough, Austin heard the person on the other end of the line chuckle.

"Alright," Estelle chuckled softly. "Then I’ll see you at the banquet. I’ll be there."

Hanging up the phone, she looked at Nathaniel Sloan with a half-smile. "Mr. Sloan, mind lending me a reporter?"

Nathaniel narrowed his eyes, his voice gentle. "You want to go?"

Estelle shrugged. "Of course. I already promised Chairman Lockwood, and I’m not one to break a promise."

Nathaniel toyed with a lock of her hair. "Princess Avery isn’t exactly reasonable. If you go, she won’t let you leave."

"Says who?" Estelle’s eyes crinkled with a smile. "You’re going to help me, aren’t you, Mr. Sloan? Even if she is a royal princess, this is Crestfall. It’s your territory."

Resting her chin on her hand, she gave him a meaningful look. "It should be more than easy for Mr. Sloan to arrange a few extra men at the banquet, right?"

Nathaniel remained noncommittal.

As soon as Austin hung up the phone, Princess Avery raised her chin and asked disdainfully, "Did Estelle agree?"

Austin gave an awkward laugh. "Of course, of course. She’ll be at the banquet. Once it’s over, you can take her away."

Rose Lowell chimed in eagerly, "Yes, exactly! Estelle is our daughter. She does whatever we tell her to do."

The princess scoffed coldly. "That would be for the best."

A flicker of excitement flashed through Noelle’s eyes.

Mr. Reno might be the prince’s eldest son, but he had the intellect of a six-year-old. Furthermore, he was cruel by nature and notoriously fond of tormenting women. Countless women had died at his hands, yet because of his status, the prince and princess always managed to protect him. Now, he had grown bored of British women and set his sights on Estelle.

If Estelle married him, she would likely be dead within days. Once that happened, Noelle could finally marry Nathaniel without any lingering worries!

Besides, Estelle’s marriage was worth a staggering two billion. Her parents treated her so well; they would undoubtedly spend that entire sum on her.

"Oh, Estelle," she mused to herself, "who told you to have such a miserable fate? You were born to be my stepping stone. Trading your life for my endless wealth and glory is your honor.

"Because of you, I lost my position as the eldest daughter of the Lockwood family, and I lost Nathaniel. Making you marry Mr. Reno is nothing less than the retribution you deserve!"

At this thought, Noelle offered a gentle smile. Staring right at Mr. Reno’s hideous, pig-like face, she praised him without batting an eye, "Mr. Reno is so noble and handsome. How could Estelle ever refuse a man like him? I’m honestly a little jealous of her!"

Meanwhile.

Nathaniel looked at her intently. "I can arrange the reporter, and I can arrange the men at the banquet. If you want to go, I’ll agree to it, but I have only one condition."

Estelle asked curiously, "Which is?"

"Let me accompany you," Nathaniel said calmly. "I don’t feel at ease letting you go alone, so let me go with you."

Estelle didn’t see what there was to worry about. The manpower, the reporter, the bodyguards—everything was already arranged. Even if Princess Avery wanted to snatch her away, she would have to actually pull it off first.

But beneath Nathaniel’s calm exterior, Estelle caught a fleeting glimpse of fear in his eyes. She wondered what he was afraid of.

It didn’t take long for it to dawn on her. He was terrified that she would disappear again. The five years she had been gone weren’t just a trauma for her; they had left a deep, lingering wound on his heart as well. Because of that, Nathaniel would never again allow Estelle to walk into any potential danger.

"Of course you can come with me, but I doubt Austin would allow it."

After all, Austin’s ultimate goal was to marry her off to Britain. As her legal husband, why would Austin ever allow Nathaniel to ruin his carefully laid plans?

Nathaniel didn’t hesitate. "I can disguise myself as your bodyguard. I remember Zachery is skilled in disguises."

That was actually a good idea.

With the matter settled, Nathaniel tracked down a professional reporter.

The reporter assured her, "Don’t worry, Miss Lockwood. I used to do undercover investigations. Broadcasting live without being detected is my specialty. When the time comes, Mr. Sloan and I will both pose as your bodyguards and enter with you."

Estelle shook his hand lightly. "I’ll be counting on you."

She found herself rather curious: if word got out that a dignified royal princess had colluded with the Lockwood family to force a married woman into an overseas marriage in Britain, what kind of uproar would it cause? Would Austin be able to handle the ’surprise’ she had in store for him?

A few days later, the day of the Lockwood family’s reunion banquet arrived.

The event was held at one of the Lockwood family’s manors. Noelle had visited this estate countless times. As the family’s most doted-upon daughter, this property would one day be hers. Loaning it to Estelle for her reunion banquet today was truly letting her off cheap.

Princess Avery was indeed a woman of her word. Not only had she provided the two billion, but she had also presented numerous rare treasures as part of the bride price. Noelle stared at the world-class valuables with shining eyes, already calculating how she would divide them up for herself.

"Miss Noelle," Princess Avery suddenly called out.

Noelle smiled shyly. "Your Highness, Estelle hasn’t arrived yet."

"I’m not looking for Estelle; I’m looking for you," Princess Avery said languidly. "To be honest, I admire you. If Estelle wasn’t Austin’s biological daughter, I would have wanted you to be my daughter-in-law."

Noelle’s expression stiffened. Who would ever want to be Princess Avery’s daughter-in-law? Taking that title meant she would have to marry a stupid, ugly, pig-headed man like Mr. Reno!

Despite her inner revulsion, Noelle maintained her gentle smile. "It would be my honor."

After all, the princess had her sights set on Estelle, not her. There was nothing to be afraid of.

Princess Avery chuckled softly. "Do you know why I praised you for being smart?"

Noelle’s cheeks flushed slightly. "I don’t know."

"Because of that photo." Princess Avery offered a slow, deliberate smile. "Ringing any bells?"

Noelle’s face instantly drained of color.

Why had Mr. Reno, the prince’s eldest son, traveled thousands of miles from Britain all the way to Crestfall in Innerland, specifically demanding Estelle?

It was because Noelle had observed Mr. Reno for a long time before finally infiltrating his social circle. She had exhausted every trick in the book just to show him a photo of Estelle.

Sure enough, Mr. Reno had fallen in ’love at first sight’ with her, begging the princess to come to Innerland and ’propose’.

Princess Avery had never explained why he strictly had to marry Austin’s biological daughter. However, since the woman Mr. Reno fancied just so happened to be Austin’s actual daughter, she simply played along with the situation.

But the princess was no fool, either. She knew the sudden appearance of that photo was no accident. After a quick investigation, she discovered it was, as expected, Noelle’s doing.