Chapter 264: Estelle Lockwood Has Nothing to Do With the Lockwood Family

Chapter 264: Chapter 264: Estelle Lockwood Has Nothing to Do With the Lockwood Family

"Chairman Lockwood," Director Rhodes began, "you might not know me, but you’ve surely heard of the hospital under my name.

"Does Crestfall Private Hospital ring a bell?"

Austin Lockwood and Old Mr. Lockwood’s expressions shifted at the exact same time.

"It’s fine if you don’t answer, Chairman Lockwood. However, you must have heard about the case of a baby girl who went missing from my hospital twenty-five years ago, right?" Director Rhodes continued. "Back then, all evidence pointed to one of our hospital staff. Later, that staff member mysteriously vanished, and the baby girl was never found. Don’t you think it’s a coincidence, Chairman Lockwood? Our hospital lost a baby girl exactly twenty-five years ago, and twenty-five years ago, you just happened to find a baby girl to take the place of Rose Lowell’s daughter?"

The implication was far too obvious. Not only the audience in the livestream, but even the people at the scene realized what he was saying.

Austin’s face darkened. "I have no idea what you’re talking about! There are countless baby girls born at the exact same time in this world. Twenty-five years ago wasn’t exactly a special date. What does your hospital losing a baby girl have to do with me? Estelle Lockwood is my daughter—don’t you think I’d know my own child?!"

"If that’s the case, could you explain why our missing staff member had multiple interactions with you before he ’fled to escape justice’?" Director Rhodes pressed. "And why did you transfer one million into his bank account?"

Austin choked on his words, his expression faltering slightly. "He was just a friend. When a friend is in trouble, of course I’d help."

Director Rhodes nodded. "It seems Chairman Lockwood is truly a man of honor and loyalty. However, I believe everyone here knows just how much one million was worth twenty-five years ago. It’s truly astonishing that you would go to such lengths for a ’friend.’"

Austin didn’t catch the implication, but Estelle did. When Director Rhodes said *everyone here knows*, he was directly addressing the audience in the livestream.

"Just how deep was your friendship with this man for you to hand over a million?" Director Rhodes asked.

Austin’s lips paled. "What does any of this have to do with what’s happening today?!"

"It has everything to do with it," Director Rhodes said, shaking his head. "After that staff member ’fled to escape justice,’ he vanished for over twenty years. However, the police recently discovered that the man died a long time ago. Your best friend passed away, Chairman Lockwood. Do you have nothing to say?

"Or perhaps, Chairman Lockwood, you’d like to know what your best friend left behind before he died?"

Austin’s expression instantly turned grim.

He wondered, "Damn it, what did that orderly leave behind?!"

"It’s completely understandable if you don’t want to know, Chairman Lockwood. After all, this is your scandal." Director Rhodes’s voice suddenly turned ice-cold. "He confessed to the entire process—how you bribed him to steal the baby girl, complete with the exact time and place! That baby girl’s mother had absolutely no connection to you. There is no possible way that baby girl was your illegitimate daughter! Austin Lockwood, do you know the penalty for child abduction?!"

Stolen... Estelle was stolen by Austin?!

She wasn’t his illegitimate daughter?!

[I’m getting more and more confused...]

[If Estelle isn’t his illegitimate daughter, why spend so much money to steal her and bring her home? What about her biological parents?!]

[I suddenly remembered something. About twenty-five years ago, Old Mr. Lockwood was acting crazy, saying he found some secret that would make the Lockwood family soar to greatness. Plus, Rose Lowell is incredibly superstitious, always talking about some ’Master’...]

[Austin went through all that trouble to steal Estelle, even spending a million, and then that orderly died under mysterious circumstances...]

[That means there was a very important reason for Austin to steal this baby girl. Combined with the Lockwoods’ usual superstitions... wait, did the Lockwoods set up some kind of sacrificial ritual back then?!]

[Right, right! Austin said he brought his ’illegitimate daughter’ home for selfish reasons. But less than a year later, Estelle was abandoned. She barely survived back then. Why? Because the Lockwoods never wanted her to live in the first place!]

[So, the Lockwoods got a Master to tell their fortune, found out they needed to sacrifice a baby girl for the family to achieve soaring success, and Austin did everything he could to steal someone else’s child!]

Seeing Austin’s pale face and absolute silence, Old Mr. Lockwood finally tore off his hypocritical mask.

"Alright, I admit it. Director Rhodes guessed everything correctly." Old Mr. Lockwood looked at Estelle. "Estelle, don’t blame your grandfather for being ruthless. After all, the prosperity of a great family always requires someone to make a sacrifice. You were the sacrifice I carefully hand-picked. The Lockwood family will use your fortune and imprison your soul underground. That way, you can serve the Lockwoods for all eternity."

[Ah! That’s disgusting!]

Yet, Old Mr. Lockwood actually sounded regretful. "However, it’s a bit of a pity that you didn’t die. You were rescued by someone. You survived over twenty years ago, so now, it’s time to make a sacrifice for the Lockwoods again, isn’t it?

"Do you know why I agreed as soon as Mr. Reno took a liking to you? I did it to complete the sacrifice I failed to finish over twenty years ago!"

Old Mr. Lockwood looked like a kindly old man, but his words made everyone’s blood run cold.

"If we can’t hide it, then we won’t. Yes, Estelle, you have absolutely no blood relation to my son. But so what? This is the Lockwood family’s territory. Your surname is Lockwood. Whether you marry or not isn’t up to you.

"You don’t really think those two bodyguards of yours can protect you, do you? You’re far too naive."

Old Mrs. Lowell was completely horrified. "You... you people... You stole Estelle! You Lockwoods, are you even human?!"

Old Mrs. Lowell and Old Mr. Lowell still had a conscience, but Rose Lowell had none at all.

Rose had truly become a ’Lockwood’; her way of thinking perfectly mirrored theirs. "Mom, keep your voice down. So what if she was stolen? That’s just her bad luck. Otherwise, with so many baby girls out there, why was she the only one taken?"

Old Mrs. Lowell clutched her chest, staggering back a step. "You... you..."

How could her daughter turn out like this? What kind of man-eating monsters were the Lockwoods?!

"In-law, what kind of talk is that?" Old Mr. Lockwood revealed his true, predatory nature, his smile turning sinister. "After all these years, Rose has finally learned how the world works. Why are the two of you still so naive? Don’t you know that birds die for food, and men die for greed? The two billion is just a bonus. What we really want is the Star Group in Estelle’s hands.

"Of course! Of course!" Old Mr. Lockwood suddenly grew excited, his eyes practically gleaming. "Of course, I promise to split this two billion equally among everyone! Two billion, in-law, don’t you want it? Me accepting this betrothal gift is for everyone’s good. Even if Estelle isn’t a Lockwood, so what?"

Estelle sneered. "You’ve calculated everything perfectly, Old Mr. Lockwood. The ones who reap the benefits are the Lockwoods, but the one sacrificed is me—a complete stranger with no ties to your family."