Chapter 284: Estelle Held Hostage

Chapter 284: Chapter 284: Estelle Held Hostage

But now, the sensation of the poison flaring up surged through him once more.

He couldn’t see or hear. This specific toxin only flared up if a secondary dose was administered, and Nathaniel was always extremely careful in his daily life. Who could have poisoned him? With the poison taking hold, how was he supposed to protect Estelle?!

Estelle also noticed Nathaniel’s abnormal state. However, as she watched the men slowly closing in on them, it was clearly not the time for medical treatment.

"Nathaniel? Nathaniel?" she called out softly.

He didn’t answer.

Estelle had handled cases like this before. When the poison activated, the victim would go completely blind and deaf, their perception of the outside world dropping to near zero. That meant she had to face these assassins entirely on her own.

Estelle grabbed the gun from Nathaniel’s hand and aimed it directly at the dark muzzles pointed their way. However, the men didn’t pull their triggers.

"Miss Lockwood, if you want him to stay safe, you’ll have to come with us."

Estelle shielded Nathaniel behind her. "Who are you?"

"If you want him to live, don’t ask so many questions."

Estelle’s gaze turned sharp. "How do I know he’ll be safe if I leave with you?"

The leader pressed the cold barrel of his gun against her temple. "Besides coming with us and taking that gamble, what other choice do you have?"

Estelle pressed her lips together. He was right. She didn’t have a choice. They were surrounded by a group of armed assassins, while Nathaniel was currently blind and deaf. Left alone with a single gun, she was no match for them.

Even if she tried to stall for time...

"Don’t even think about stalling, Miss Lockwood. If you don’t move in five minutes, my gun won’t be so forgiving."

She tightened her jaw. It would take Luke White at least twenty minutes to get here, so...

Her eyes remained calm. "Have your men fall back. Everyone leaves first. Only you stay behind to escort me."

The leader raised an eyebrow. He hadn’t expected her to be so composed, negotiating terms instead of crying in fear. "Why should I agree to that?"

Estelle’s voice grew even steadier. "You want me to go with you, which means the person pulling your strings wants to see me. There were two groups of assassins just now. One group was clearly out for my life, but your men took them out. That means you need me alive.

"Since your boss values me so much, surely you wouldn’t refuse such a minor request?"

The leader clapped his hands. "You really are smart, Miss Lockwood. Fine." He waved a hand, and the subordinates behind him retreated, leaving only a few men behind. With a pointed look, the leader gestured. "Please get in the car, Miss Lockwood."

"You first," Estelle insisted. "Put your guns away."

The leader ordered his men to holster their weapons.

Estelle pursed her lips. The best course of action right now was to leave with these men to maximize Nathaniel’s safety. As for Nathaniel... Luke would be here soon. She trusted him to protect Nathaniel. Therefore, stepping into that car was the best choice she could make.

"A smart woman indeed. After you."

The car roared away.

Though blind and deaf, Nathaniel acutely sensed that the surrounding danger had vanished. But what about Estelle? The poison drained the last bit of his strength, preventing him from speaking. His eyelids fluttered heavily shut. "Estelle..."

Laura Jennings answered her phone, her face draining of color as panic set in. "W-What? You failed?"

"Mrs. Sloan, you really can’t blame us. There was another group present, and they drove our men off. We genuinely couldn’t find an opportunity to take out Estelle Lockwood."

Laura was furious. They had failed. They had actually failed! How was Estelle so incredibly lucky?

"Young Mr. Lancaster, Madam is resting inside. You—" The maid’s voice abruptly cut off as Theodore Lancaster barged into the room. The maid had no choice but to step aside.

Seeing her biological son, Laura immediately plastered on a smile. "Theodore, what brings you here? Come, sit."

"Mrs. Sloan," he greeted coldly. Refusing to acknowledge this idiot as his mother, Theodore sneered. "I told you I was claiming Estelle Lockwood. What exactly are you playing at, Mrs. Sloan?"

Laura choked on her words. A cold sweat broke out across her forehead as she played dumb. "W-What do you mean? I don’t understand."

"Drop the act, Mrs. Sloan. You sent those assassins, didn’t you?" Theodore’s voice turned sharply menacing. "I have a great use for Estelle. If anything happens to her, I’ll be holding you accountable!" Having said his piece, he coldly ordered the staff, "Mrs. Sloan is ill. Keep a close eye on her for the time being, and don’t let her run around!"

Laura’s face fell. "Theodore, what are you doing? How can you restrict my freedom? I-I’m your..."

Unfortunately, she couldn’t say the rest of that sentence. She couldn’t help but resent the Lancaster family and Ethan Sloan. It was their fault she couldn’t openly acknowledge her own son! Besides, she just wanted Estelle dead! Why wouldn’t Theodore agree to it? Why?!

After getting into the car, Estelle’s hands and feet were bound. The leader even blindfolded her.

She let out a mocking laugh. "So secretive. I’ll be meeting the man pulling your strings soon enough anyway. Once I know who he is, all of this will have been pointless."

They only blindfolded her because they didn’t want her memorizing the route.

"Cut the crap."

The blindfold remained securely in place. About an hour later, Estelle felt the car come to a halt. Soon after, two men guided her out of the vehicle. It wasn’t until she was led indoors, a door shutting behind her and the presence of the men fading, that she finally pulled off the blindfold.

Having been in darkness for so long, her eyes struggled to adjust to the sudden light, leaving her momentarily disoriented. She raised a hand to shield her eyes, taking a moment to adapt before observing the room.

She was in a high-end manor. The decor featured a cold, minimalist style. Cool white light spilled from above, and the faint, lingering scent of men’s cologne drifted through the air. Where was this? It looked like someone’s private residence.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Estelle examined the layout of the room, calculating her chances of escape. However, a glance out the window revealed she was about three stories up—jumping was out of the question. With guards stationed below and the sheer size of the sprawling estate, she could never make it out on foot. Deciding to conserve her energy, she abandoned the idea of struggling. Perhaps she could find an opportunity to call for help. If Nathaniel woke up...

Footsteps suddenly echoed outside the door. Estelle narrowed her eyes, staring guardedly at the entrance. Just as she suspected, a bodyguard was stationed outside.

"Sir, welcome back. Miss Lockwood has been in the room the entire time."

Then, a man’s voice rang out. "You’re dismissed."

That voice! Estelle’s eyes widened in shock, an instant chill washing over her body. Theodore Lancaster?!

Sure enough, the man who pushed open the door was someone Estelle had met but didn’t know well—the rumored legitimate son of the Sloan family, who was actually Laura’s biological son, Theodore Lancaster.