Chapter 262: "But Estelle Is Not Your Biological Child!

Chapter 262: Chapter 262: "But Estelle Is Not Your Biological Child!

Estelle Lockwood emphasized the words "biological daughter." She watched Austin Lockwood’s face turn paler by the second, but her words were directed at Rose Lowell.

"After all, making sacrifices for the family is an honor for the Lockwood family’s biological daughter. Having accepted two billion dollars and countless betrothal gifts, she ought to take responsibility.

"If Ms. Lowell ends up backing out and canceling the wedding, she shouldn’t blame Princess Avery for being ruthless."

Princess Avery narrowed her eyes.

For some inexplicable reason, a wave of terror surged from the depths of Rose’s heart.

She didn’t know where this panic was coming from. She desperately reassured herself that Estelle was merely stalling in a futile final struggle. Everything was fine; everything had already been arranged.

But Rose still couldn’t hold back a scream. "Stop smiling! Stop it right now! Estelle, what on earth are you smiling at—"

"Since Ms. Lowell is so curious, allow me to answer that question for you."

BANG. The heavy doors of the manor were pushed open, and a few people walked in.

[Hey, these people look familiar. That old man looks like the director of Crestfall Private Hospital.]

[Yeah, and that lady seems to be Director Carson from the orphanage, right?]

[The others look familiar too, but I can’t recall them off the top of my head...]

[Hey!! Look, those two look like Rose’s parents!]

[Holy crap, I remember now. Didn’t Rose and her brother constantly bully Estelle? Their parents totally enabled it. How do those two old geezers even have the nerve to call themselves Estelle’s grandparents? What is going on now?]

[Weird. What are they here for?]

A few days ago.

Director Carson had agreed to testify and promised she had evidence in hand.

Director Rhodes from the hospital had initially been unaware of the situation. It wasn’t until Nathaniel Sloan paid him a visit that he looked into the records and discovered someone had indeed pulled off a massive deception at the hospital twenty-five years ago.

Being a responsible medical scholar, Director Rhodes naturally couldn’t let such an atrocity slide. After Nathaniel explained the whole truth—that someone had swapped babies to eventually sell the child—the director agreed to come without a second thought.

There was also the head nurse from the obstetrics and gynecology department. She could testify that Rose had given birth to a stillborn and that Austin had bribed the staff to alter the medical records. At the time, Austin had simply brought in a newborn infant. The head nurse had been terrified, suspecting Austin of abducting another family’s child, but he had threatened her. Shortly after, she was driven out of Crestfall entirely.

As for the final two—Old Mr. Lowell and Old Mrs. Lowell—their involvement was rather interesting.

As Rose’s parents, they obviously knew Estelle wasn’t Rose’s biological daughter. Austin had told them he brought a baby girl from a friend because he couldn’t bear to see Rose suffer the agony of losing her child.

Under Rose’s instigation, the elderly Lowell couple also came to despise Estelle, viewing her as a jinx. Furthermore, figuring that she wasn’t their daughter’s flesh and blood anyway, they naturally turned a blind eye to Rose’s abuse of Estelle.

As for Noelle Lockwood, the two elders only doted on her because Rose favored her.

But Nathaniel had brought them a paternity test proving that Noelle was the daughter of Austin and the mistress!

The audacity! Making their daughter raise the mistress’s child? As malicious as the Lowell couple was, they genuinely cared for their own daughter. Outraged, they immediately followed Nathaniel here.

Moreover, there was an even more crucial point. Nathaniel had told them, "You two, Estelle was stolen from her biological parents by Austin. You should be well aware of the legal penalties for child abduction. Austin is definitely going to prison.

"However, your daughter Rose has been kept in the dark from the very beginning. But if she insists on ’selling her daughter’ and forces Estelle to marry into the Avery Family, what do you think... will happen to Rose?"

Forcing a married woman who had no blood relation to Rose into another marriage...

The elderly Lowell couple immediately shuddered. That was a major felony!

Back in the present, Austin’s eyelid twitched as he watched these people walk in. "How dare you! Today is our private family gathering. Barging in uninvited is trespassing—"

"Chairman Lockwood, don’t get so worked up. These are all friends I invited," Estelle interrupted leisurely.

Austin kept a stony face. "Tell them to leave. I do not consent to this!"

Estelle maintained a calm expression. "Chairman Lockwood, what are you saying? Didn’t you claim I was your biological daughter and that today is a banquet to officially welcome me back to the family? As the guest of honor, do I not even have the right to invite a few friends?"

Austin’s face darkened completely. "Estelle Lockwood!"

Estelle shrugged. "Besides, Chairman Lockwood, your parents-in-law are here too. Are you going to kick them out as well? Come to think of it, it’s quite strange. Old Mr. Lowell and Old Mrs. Lowell are my ’grandparents,’ after all. Why didn’t you invite them to my welcoming banquet?"

Rose found it strange too.

Austin gritted his teeth furiously. What other reason could there be? He was simply terrified that these two old fossils would discover he had a mistress!

Old Mrs. Lowell rushed over to Rose’s side and desperately pleaded, "Rose, you can’t... you cannot let Estelle get married!"

Rose never expected that her parents, who usually supported her in everything, would actually try to ruin her plans for Estelle’s sake!

She furrowed her brows. "Mom, you’re not here to claim a piece of that two billion, are you? Fine, fine. I’ll save a little for you when the time comes."

Old Mrs. Lowell couldn’t believe this was how her daughter viewed her!

She burst into tears on the spot. "Rose! How could you think that? I’m doing this for your own good! Estelle absolutely cannot get married!"

Rose was annoyed to death. "Cry, cry, cry, that’s all you know how to do! Why shouldn’t Estelle get married? I’ve already accepted the betrothal gifts! If she doesn’t marry him, what am I supposed to do? Prince Avery won’t let me off the hook! Do you have the heart to watch me die? Estelle refuses to consider my position, and now you won’t even think about me either?"

[Is Rose Lowell mentally ill? She wants to embezzle the gifts, pocket the two billion, but refuses to bear any of the risks. And when Estelle refuses to marry, she gets berated for not being considerate of her?]

[So she expects to reap all the benefits in the world without lifting a finger? The sheer audacity!]

Old Mr. Lowell also wanted to chime in and persuade her, but Rose angrily rebuked them. "I’m doing this for Estelle’s own good! She’ll be a Princess Consort. How many people dream of such a blessing and never get it? What does she have to complain about?"

"But... but Estelle is already married..." Old Mr. Lowell mumbled meekly.

"So what if she’s married? I told you, I am her mother! They say marriage requires parental consent. Well, I do not consent to her marriage with Nathaniel Sloan! I only recognize Mr. Reno as my son-in-law! Is that not allowed?"

Estelle chuckled.

Old Mrs. Lowell subconsciously glanced at the bodyguard standing next to Estelle—she knew this bodyguard was actually Mr. Sloan in disguise.

Meeting Nathaniel’s gaze, Old Mrs. Lowell cowered. The words blurted out of her mouth before she could stop them—

"But Estelle isn’t your biological child!"