Chapter 269: Noelle Lockwood’s Downfall

Chapter 269: Chapter 269: Noelle Lockwood’s Downfall

What was finished? What did he mean they were finished? Why would they be finished!

In an instant, Old Mr. Lockwood recalled Princess Avery’s earlier threat. He realized it immediately. It had to be because Noelle refused to marry, which had enraged Princess Avery!

Old Mr. Lockwood, who had just been pondering how to protect his biological granddaughter, now stared at her with a predatory glint in his eyes.

"Noelle, Noelle, you heard her! Right now, you’re the only one who can save the Lockwood family! Be a good girl. Marry Mr. Reno first, and later... later, I promise I won’t mistreat you!"

Noelle stumbled back two steps. True panic set in. She had never imagined this fate would fall upon her!

She had meticulously sifted through countless options before selecting Mr. Reno, fully believing he would become Estelle’s personal hell. But... but why had things turned out like this?

First, her true identity was exposed. Then, her arson plot was brought to light. And now, she was being sacrificed to save the Lockwood family. On what grounds? Shouldn’t Estelle be the one doing this? Estelle was merely a stepping stone, while Noelle was destined to be the family’s lucky charm. What right did the Lockwoods have to abandon her?

Tears streamed down Noelle’s face as she shook her head frantically. "Grandpa, no, you can’t... I’m your biological granddaughter! You can’t, you absolutely can’t..."

Austin panicked as well. "Dad, Noelle is... she’s my biological daughter, after all. She grew up by my side. This... this..."

Rose shielded Noelle, tears and mucus streaming down her face. "I won’t allow it! Caleb Lockwood, you heartless bastard! How can you send Noelle to her death just for money? So what if the Lockwood family goes bankrupt? So what if your family company collapses? How could you sacrifice Noelle! All of you put together aren’t even worth a single strand of her hair!"

Though Noelle didn’t speak, her silence was agreement. She hid in Rose’s embrace, weeping uncontrollably.

Old Mr. Lockwood didn’t even spare Rose a glance. He turned to Princess Avery with a sycophantic smile. "Our Noelle is now in your hands."

Princess Avery shot a cold look at her bodyguards. Understanding the silent command, they stepped forward and clamped their hands down on Noelle’s shoulders.

"AH!!"

"Noelle!"

There was not a trace of sorrow in Old Mr. Lockwood’s eyes over losing his granddaughter—only the thrill of securing his wealth and fortune. "Rest assured, Noelle, Grandpa will always remember you. Your sacrifice is incredibly valuable!"

"No, I don’t want this!! Dad, save me!"

However, after weighing his options, Austin averted his gaze.

Did Noelle not know what kind of men Old Mr. Lockwood and Austin were? Of course she knew! She knew everyone in the Lockwood family was rotten to the core. But in the past, when she used Austin to deal with Estelle, she had only felt a deep sense of satisfaction. Fools like Austin and Old Mr. Lockwood, who only saw money, had absolutely no concept of familial love.

She used to think that it didn’t matter if Estelle was the true daughter. As the fake daughter, Noelle was blessed with the ultimate lucky charm and could bring far more resources to the Lockwood family. Why would Old Mr. Lockwood and Austin ever abandon her?

She had leveraged this fact to humiliate and torment Estelle to the absolute fullest. And she had indeed succeeded. Because of her "lucky charm" status, the Lockwoods had practically worshipped the ground she walked on. They ruthlessly suppressed their actual biological daughter, even attempting to take Estelle’s life without a second thought.

When Noelle later discovered that she was actually Austin’s illegitimate daughter and her biological mother came looking for her, she had known full well how ruthless Austin was. Yet, she still helped him dispose of her own mother and set that fire. Because in Noelle’s mind, a person without long-term worth should be squeezed dry of any remaining value and then kicked to the curb.

First it was Estelle... then Phoebe Hale... and now, it was her turn.

Why?! Why was it her turn?!

"Grandpa, don’t! I’m a famous star! I’m a designer... I... I can make money for the Lockwood family! Please, no!"

Noelle’s bitter weeping and pleading failed to elicit any pity.

[Now she knows to be afraid. Now she feels regret! When she was scheming against Estelle, why didn’t she consider that Estelle might be afraid too?]

[LMAO. Noelle was the one who handpicked Reno in the first place. Since that’s the case, isn’t it perfectly fitting that she marries him?]

[You reap what you sow. If she hadn’t tried to murder Estelle, would she have ended up in this state?]

[Even her biological mother stepped forward to expose her. This Noelle person is... beyond saving!]

Old Mr. Lockwood spoke with self-righteous indignation. "Noelle, what kind of nonsense is that? In the beginning, when you told Estelle to marry and sacrifice herself, didn’t you say that anyone who is part of the Lockwood family must be prepared to dedicate themselves to the family?

"Estelle isn’t even a Lockwood, yet you still demanded she dedicate herself to us. But you are different. You were born and raised in the Lockwood family. You, more than anyone, should sacrifice yourself for the Lockwoods!

"Noelle, the Lockwood family has raised you for so many years, yet you refuse to make this one sacrifice. Do you have no conscience at all!"

Noelle was going insane! These... these were the exact words she had prepared for Estelle!

Estelle propped her chin on her hand, watching with great interest as the Lockwoods tore each other apart like rabid dogs. She hadn’t even uttered a single word, yet Noelle was already on the verge of a complete breakdown.

Old Mr. Lockwood’s face was flushed with excitement. "Quickly, hurry! Tie Noelle up and send her to Mr. Reno! Princess Avery, the Lockwood family has kept our promise. Now... now you can..."

Princess Avery was satisfied. She waved her hand, preparing to order her subordinates to lift the threats against the Lockwood family.

However, before Old Mr. Lockwood could even celebrate, the subordinate on the other end of the phone roared once again, "Old Mr. Lockwood, we’re finished!"

A dead silence instantly fell over the surroundings.

Caleb Lockwood’s expression darkened with displeasure. "What do you mean, finished?! Noelle has already agreed to the marriage, and Princess Avery will no longer target the Lockwood family. We’re about to have immense wealth and resources. How can we be finished..."

"The live stream!" the subordinate finally bellowed. "Old Mr. Lockwood, this entire banquet today is being broadcast on a live stream!"

A live stream?! What did that mean? What did he mean the banquet was being broadcast on a live stream?!

The Lockwood relatives froze for a moment before the realization hit them. Their faces instantly drained of color! Noelle and Rose were also stunned for several seconds, but it was Noelle—the former celebrity—who first understood the gravity of what had happened.

A live stream... Someone had been live-streaming this entire recognition banquet from start to finish!

Having spent so many years in the entertainment industry, she knew exactly what a broadcast like this meant. If the outside world knew everything that had just transpired at the banquet, what would happen? And then there was Phoebe Hale accusing her of arson and attempted murder...

A live stream? All of it was broadcast? Everything had been seen by the public?!

Noelle finally realized that the word "finished" didn’t refer to the rest of her life being ruined by marrying Mr. Reno. Instead, her arson and attempted murder had been exposed. She was finished. Austin’s hands were stained with blood, and he had stolen a child. Austin was finished. And as for Old Mr. Lockwood and Rose...

The crimes of the Lockwood family were a litany of unforgivable sins, too numerous to count. And now, from the very beginning of the recognition banquet all the way to this exact moment, every single second had been broadcast live.

The ugly, hypocritical, and twistedly ferocious true faces of the Lockwoods had been seen by everyone.