Chapter 281: Nathaniel Sloan’s Reminiscence

Chapter 281: Chapter 281: Nathaniel Sloan’s Reminiscence

Estelle Lockwood could imagine what kind of life Miranda Lancaster and Nathaniel Sloan were living at the time.

The entire Sloan Family was beaming with joy, harmonious and happy, as they prepared to welcome their new matriarch.

Laura Jennings and Ethan Sloan were constantly in and out.

However, Miranda, the true original wife, could not return to the Lancaster Family and remained an incredibly awkward existence in the Sloan Family. Everyone knew she was there, but out of deference to Laura, they all deliberately ignored her.

Miranda was like an invisible person, a ghost wandering through Sloan Manor.

Yet, there was another "ghost" just like her—the true legitimate son, Nathaniel Sloan, who had been branded as "the mistress’s illegitimate child."

In the massive Sloan Manor, on a howling rainy night, these two completely neglected people had surprisingly shared many words through a door.

Nathaniel didn’t know if Miranda had known his true identity back then.

He only knew that when he was too afraid to make a sound, biting his lip in fear, a gentle knock suddenly sounded outside the door.

This could never be Laura Jennings. Whenever Laura faced Nathaniel, she would only hurl abuse, acting crass and contemptuous.

But this knock was gentle and cautious, as if afraid of disturbing the child inside.

Nathaniel hesitated for a moment before walking to the door.

Miranda’s soft voice drifted in. "Don’t be afraid."

At those words, Nathaniel’s heart instantly settled.

Miranda had felt compassion for the child. A four-year-old boy was thrown into the attic and left completely unattended. Aside from three meals a day, Laura wouldn’t even let him out to see the sun.

In Miranda’s mind, even if she believed he was Ethan Sloan’s illegitimate child, she probably couldn’t bring herself to resent him.

It was obvious she felt deeply for him.

Miranda’s food and clothing at Sloan Manor were severely restricted, not to mention entertainment. She had only one book on hand. Upon learning that Nathaniel hadn’t yet attended kindergarten or learned to read, she huddled with him in the attic and taught him herself.

It was the only book she possessed, and she eventually left it to Nathaniel.

Hearing this, Estelle was still curious. "What exactly was the book Ms. Miranda left you?"

Nathaniel’s expression stiffened slightly before he glanced sideways at her. "Do you really want to know?"

Estelle nodded. "I’m curious."

Since Nathaniel mentioned that the box left by the previous Mr. Lynch had a password, and then brought up this book, the password was clearly related to it.

She wondered what kind of book could be used as a cipher.

Nathaniel fell silent for three seconds before spitting out a title. "Well, it’s *Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland*."

Estelle was speechless.

A little girl’s bedtime story?

"That was the only book she had on hand, so she could only use it to teach me how to read," Nathaniel said calmly. "Over time, all the contents and words in the book were entirely etched into my mind."

A four-year-old child didn’t understand the grudges between adults. He only knew who treated him well and who didn’t. Thus, he frequently looked forward to Miranda visiting him.

Miranda had become a ghost in this villa. Ethan was slowly wearing down her will, intentionally ignoring her to worsen her "depression" and create the illusion that she had "died of melancholy."

But with Nathaniel’s companionship, Miranda actually started to improve day by day.

Therefore, Nathaniel knew very well that she definitely hadn’t died of melancholy. How could a woman full of hope for life, with a child by her side who needed taking care of, commit suicide?

Hearing this, Estelle asked, "So, when you were young, it was Ms. Miranda Lancaster who accompanied you as you grew up?"

Nathaniel’s eyes remained unchanged. "Yes."

"Then, the password Mr. Lynch left behind..."

Nathaniel closed his eyes slightly, as if recalling the past, or perhaps reminiscing.

"When I was eighteen, someone suddenly approached me, asking me to succeed the position of ’Mr. Lynch’ at the charitable foundation. I naturally refused such an unearned benefit falling into my lap."

Nathaniel was cautious enough; refusing was perfectly normal.

The person seemed to understand and took out a token.

Nathaniel said, "Before Miranda passed away, I suddenly couldn’t find that book anymore. She told me it was just a book. If it was lost, then so be it, and that we would see it again if it was meant to be.

"After she passed, I realized with a start that she hadn’t been able to leave me anything.

"But when I was eighteen, I saw that book again. It was the exact same copy of *Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland* from my childhood."

Estelle narrowed her eyes, roughly understanding the situation. "The very same one you read as a child?"

"Yes..." Nathaniel’s voice grew hoarse. "Exactly the same."

Thus, he figured the charitable foundation was left to him by Miranda.

It was only after taking over that he learned the founder of the foundation was called Mr. Lynch. The founder was actually a woman who didn’t want to expose her identity, so she went by Mr. Lynch to the public.

But Miranda did indeed leave him some things.

"That letter—"

"She once taught me a very simple cipher. It requires a book that both people have read.

"If the cipher says 22-25-5, it means the twenty-second page, twenty-fifth line, fifth word. It’s a very straightforward form of encryption."

Estelle nodded. It was indeed simple. As long as one had the book and the patience, anyone could decipher the message.

But the prerequisite was knowing which book to use.

Others wouldn’t know, but Nathaniel did. The only book he and Miranda had read together was that yellowed copy of *Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland*.

Because of this, Nathaniel quickly cracked the code.

The person by Mr. Lynch’s side said it was something Miranda had entrusted her to leave for Nathaniel.

After decrypting the message... Nathaniel fell silent, yet he found it perfectly logical.

The cipher was simple, and the contents of the letter were just as simple. Miranda told Nathaniel that she was his mother.

Nathaniel didn’t know when Miranda had discovered the truth, but he had never doubted it.

It turned out his childhood attachment to her was because she was his biological mother.

It wasn’t that Nathaniel hadn’t suspected it before, but Miranda’s letter gave him the definitive answer.

Estelle pursed her lips, suddenly feeling a pang of heartache for the man before her.

"According to Scott York, Young Mr. York offended a man surnamed Sloan. Then this man is highly likely Theodore Lancaster."

Nathaniel knew his origins, so wouldn’t Theodore know his own?

He probably knew long ago who his biological parents were and why the Lancaster Family had raised him.

As a result, Theodore had long considered himself the heir to both the Sloan Family and the Lancaster Family! If that was the case, claiming his surname was Sloan to outsiders seemed entirely normal.

So...

"Young Mr. York offended Theodore and wound up dead. Did he somehow possess evidence, or..."

"I lean more toward it being because of his identity."

Nathaniel said calmly, "The Lancaster Family and the Sloan Family have done an impeccable job keeping this a secret. Even if outsiders discovered Theodore’s true identity, they would only assume he is the son of Ethan Sloan and Miranda Lancaster. They wouldn’t suspect his connection to Laura Jennings."