Chapter 336: Perhaps She Can Accept the Yeats Family

Chapter 336: Chapter 336: Perhaps She Can Accept the Yeats Family

Old Mr. Yeats watched the scene in silence. He found it incredibly strange. That feeling surfaced once again—when he looked at Estelle, he had a strong premonition that this was Eleanor’s child, a child related by blood to both Eleanor and himself. There were many things he hadn’t fully considered before. For instance, could the Yeats family truly produce an idiot like Claire?

The guests didn’t dare gossip about the Yeats family’s internal affairs. Seeing Evan Yeats actually contradict Old Mr. Yeats for Claire’s sake, they were dying to speak but held their tongues, their faces contorted from the effort.

When Evan saw the old man remain silent, his heart skipped a beat. However, remembering Claire’s tears and how she had repeatedly cried about Estelle’s ruthlessness, an inexplicable surge of courage filled him.

"Grandpa, am I wrong? Estelle started targeting Claire before she even returned home, all because Claire was the only girl in the family! She’s jealous of Claire, so she tried every possible way to frame her!

"You claim that Claire can’t tolerate Estelle and that’s why she slandered her and wanted her dead, but think about the current public opinion!

"Why is the supposed vicious abuser being universally condemned? It’s all because this is entirely Estelle’s scheme!"

This sophistry drew a cold sneer from Old Mr. Yeats. "As an elder, I shouldn’t interfere in the affairs of you younger generations. But Evan, you seem to have forgotten everything I’ve taught you since you were young. Since you want to leave now, then—"

"Evan!" An angry female voice suddenly rang out from outside the banquet hall. The woman likely didn’t realize Old Mr. Yeats was speaking, or she wouldn’t have interrupted him so directly.

She was dressed in an elegant evening gown and high heels, draped in a fur coat, looking flawlessly put together down to the very last strand of her hair. Estelle noticed that all the woman’s accessories were made of South Sea Golden Pearls. In high society, many wealthy ladies looked down on diamonds, considering them tacky. Instead, they preferred natural, exceptionally rare gemstones with rich colors, jadeite, or expensive pearls. South Sea Golden Pearls were an extremely expensive variety of the latter. This woman’s status was clearly extraordinary, and sure enough, Estelle’s guess was confirmed the very next moment.

"Where did you learn such nonsensical rhetoric?! What do you mean Estelle is jealous of Claire? What on earth would Estelle be jealous of? Is she jealous that Claire isn’t as pretty as her, isn’t as highly educated as her, has a worse background, a less successful career, or a less happy family?!

"Current public opinion? If Estelle hadn’t been smart enough to see through Claire’s schemes, what do you think the public opinion would be like right now?!"

The woman didn’t hold back, shooting a glacial glare at Claire. "Old Mr. Yeats cares about you younger generation and wants to save some face for our third cousin, but I certainly won’t! Get out!"

Claire’s face instantly drained of color. Evan shielded the swaying girl, his expression awful. "Mom, what are you saying? You want to kick Claire out?"

Estelle nodded in realization. So this truly was Quentin and Evan’s mother, the current Mrs. Yeats, and her... aunt?

Mrs. Yeats retorted coldly, "Weren’t you the one who wanted to take her away? I really can’t fathom how I gave birth to such a stupid son. Can’t you see she’s using you?!"

"How is that possible? Claire is clearly..."

Mrs. Yeats looked at Claire and scoffed, as if looking at a piece of trash that offended her eyes. She then turned to Old Mr. Yeats. After a polite greeting, she said, "Dad, today’s banquet must go on. Estelle’s first banquet since returning home cannot be ruined by these two idiots. As your daughter-in-law, I’ll take charge and kick them out first. What do you think?"

Old Mr. Yeats was very satisfied with this daughter-in-law and gave a nod of approval. Mrs. Yeats turned her head and scoffed, "Quentin, drag your brother out."

"Mom? Mom!" Evan couldn’t wrap his head around it. In the end, his own mother was the one throwing him out!

As Evan’s voice faded into the distance, Claire became the sole target of everyone’s scrutiny. Biting her lower lip, she fled with a flushed face.

Once the eyesores were gone, Mrs. Yeats swept her gaze over the surroundings before smiling and taking Estelle’s hand. She slipped a bracelet off her own wrist. "This is my first time meeting you, and I didn’t prepare a proper greeting gift. Here, put this on and let me see."

As the wife of the Family Head, Mrs. Yeats held immense authority. Now, other than the Head of the Yeats who was currently in Capital City, Old Mr. Yeats, Mrs. Yeats, and the Young Master had all shown their acceptance and goodwill toward Estelle. This sent a clear message to the outside world: the most important figures in the Yeats family had acknowledged her, making Estelle the only recognized daughter of the Yeats family.

Knowing that Mrs. Yeats meant well, Estelle replied, "Thank you."

"Oh, you sweet child." Mrs. Yeats gently raised her hand and cupped Estelle’s cheek. Whatever crossed her mind suddenly made her eyes turn red. She quickly covered her face, wiped away a tear, and said with a smile, "Good, good. Seeing you is like seeing Eleanor when she was young."

For some reason, it felt as though Estelle’s heart had been gently struck. Old Mr. Yeats cared for her, Quentin protected her, and Mrs. Yeats doted on her. Everyone in the Yeats family treated her so well. In just this one day, they had made her feel a long-lost sense of kinship. Perhaps one could say the Yeats family was fiercely protective of their own, favoring blood over reason, but Estelle truly loved it. She loved having people protect her unconditionally, especially someone like Mrs. Yeats, whose smile was so sincere and full of nostalgia. Estelle couldn’t help but think that perhaps she could lower her guard and try to accept the Yeats family. The Yeats family and the Lockwood family were probably completely different.

***

The banquet continued, filled with the clinking of glasses. However, Mrs. Yeats whisked the star of the banquet away.

Mrs. Yeats’s eyes were brimming with affection, never once leaving Estelle. Estelle couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. "What are you looking at?"

"If you don’t mind, Estelle, you can call me Aunt." Mrs. Yeats then explained, "You look so much like your mother. But I’ve never seen Eleanor at your age, so I want to look at you a little longer."

Estelle was amused by this explanation. "Are you treating me as a stand-in for my mother?"

"Oh, what are you saying!" Mrs. Yeats laughed. She then looked off into the distance, her thoughts seemingly drifting far away.

"Estelle, we’ve been searching for your mother’s whereabouts all these years. None of us believe she and your father are dead. We need to see them if they are alive, or find their bodies if they aren’t. But it’s as if she vanished into thin air. During your time with the Lockwood family..." Mrs. Yeats looked at her expectantly. "...Did you ever hear anything?"

Estelle froze. She didn’t know why Mrs. Yeats would ask her about this. Before she returned to the Yeats family, a complete file of all her information should have already been delivered to the family’s authorities. Therefore, Mrs. Yeats should know that there had never been anyone named Eleanor Yeats in Estelle’s past. Estelle had mistakenly believed she was Austin and Rose’s daughter, so naturally, she wouldn’t have gone looking for her biological mother.

"Ah, right, right..." Mrs. Yeats didn’t wait for her to speak, seemingly realizing her mistake. She was about to say something else when the sound of footsteps suddenly approached from behind.

Nathaniel Sloan’s cello-like voice rang out. "And who might this be? Estelle, won’t you introduce us?"