Chapter 476: It’s Exactly Because of Ill Intentions

Chapter 476: Chapter 476: It’s Exactly Because of Ill Intentions

But the more things seemed this way, the more unsettling it was.

Henry Kendrick disapproved. "Estelle, it’s obvious these people are up to no good. Why let them in?"

Estelle Lockwood took a sip of her wine, her expression placid. "It’s exactly because they’re up to no good that I need to keep her right under my nose.

"Five minutes ago, Claire Yeats was acting all humiliated, looking like she wanted me dead. Then, five minutes later, she clings to me, insisting on ’celebrating my birthday.’ Aren’t you curious why she had such a drastic change of heart in just five minutes?"

"I am, but..." Henry said.

"Then that’s all that matters. Lighten up." Estelle raised her glass to him. "After all, we still have to watch Miss Yeats’s performance next."

Henry was speechless.

The birthday banquet continued.

The doors of Tidal Pavilion were closed, and no one mentioned the minor incident from earlier.

Just then, a loud KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK echoed through the hall.

Everyone instinctively turned around, only to see the main doors of Tidal Pavilion shoved open. A man broke through the security guards’ barricade and charged frantically into the banquet hall.

The crowd was stunned. They wondered who this man was. Was he a guest too? But judging by his clothes and demeanor, he clearly didn’t belong to their social circle.

They wondered if he was Miss Lockwood’s friend.

Nathaniel Sloan narrowed his eyes. Sensing something was off, Liam Sloan was just about to order someone to stop the man when he suddenly lunged at Estelle!

Everyone gasped in shock.

Penelope Sullivan frowned so deeply her brows were practically knotted together. She wondered who this guy was. He was so ugly, yet his eyes brimmed with misplaced confidence. Looking at his movements, was he trying to hug Estelle? But who on earth was he?!

She got her answer soon enough.

The man gulped. A greedy expression surfaced on his greasy face as he chuckled excitedly, staring at Estelle and preparing to lunge again.

"Wife! Estelle! I’ve finally found you! I didn’t expect you to be so rich now, hehe..."

What?!

Everyone instantly looked at Estelle, their faces filled with sheer disbelief and shock.

What did this man just call her?

Wife?!

Did he even know what the word "wife" meant in modern society?

Nathaniel’s icy gaze landed squarely on Claire’s face. He realized this must be the "good show" Estelle had mentioned.

Estelle raised an eyebrow.

The greasy man’s face twisted into a scowl. "What, you don’t recognize me anymore?! I heard you’re rich and powerful now, so you’re going to abandon the husband who went through thick and thin with you? Don’t forget how you used to beg for my affection!"

Combined with his oily expression, his hideous features, and his fat-layered face, those words were too much. Two wealthy heiresses couldn’t hold back their disgust. "Ugh..."

Estelle, however, remained unfazed. "Don’t just let anyone run a scam in here."

"A scam?!" the greasy man roared, pointing right at her nose. "How dare you say that! Why didn’t you say that when you were beneath me? Or when you were pregnant with my child! Hmph, Estelle Lockwood, do you want me to tell everyone who provided for you during those five years you were abroad? Whose money were you spending?!"

Henry was bewildered.

Mrs. Kendrick was completely baffled.

The greasy man continued. "Now that you’ve become the wealthy heiress of a rich family, you’re pretending not to know me? That’s completely unreasonable!"

The expressions of the onlookers shifted.

The man’s words were full of holes. Many people knew that during the five years Estelle was abroad, she had been taken in by the Kendrick family. This guy clearly had no connection to the Kendricks whatsoever, yet here he was, spouting such easily debunked lies right in front of them.

But the man’s sole purpose was to spread rumors and sling mud.

Everyone present knew Estelle was being slandered, but so what? Who could guarantee that the people here wouldn’t go back and gossip with their friends and family? Once a single detail was miscommunicated in the retelling, this greasy man’s smear campaign would be halfway to success. Later on, as time fermented the rumor and more people talked about it, the lie would naturally become widely accepted.

After all, people only cared about the gossip; few would actually bother to investigate the truth behind it. That was how things often worked. It was easy to start a rumor, but hard to dispel one. Unless Estelle spent the rest of her life constantly clarifying it, the whispers would never truly die down. In three to five years, the actual truth wouldn’t even matter anymore.

It was a very cheap trick, but highly effective.

Having said his piece, the man charged forward to grab Estelle’s hand.

Henry mercilessly kicked him away.

Nathaniel gently grasped Estelle’s hand.

The greasy man instantly bellowed in rage. "Fine! No wonder you insisted on leaving me—you’ve hooked up with another man, haven’t you! Does he know how you used to beg for mercy in my arms? I provided for you for five years, and you abandon me just like this?

"You returned to the country without a word, and I searched for you for a whole year! Do... do you even have a conscience?!"

Old Mrs. Yeats’s eyes darted calculatingly, and she shot a pointed look at Third Aunt Yeats. Catching on immediately, Third Aunt Yeats hurried forward.

"Oh my, you’re Estelle’s husband? Heavens, the child never mentioned any of this! If it’s true, then Estelle has indeed wronged you. We are her family. If you have suffered any grievances, please, just tell us. Even though we are her family, we won’t allow her to behave like this, nor will we cover up for her!"

The man was deeply moved. "That’s wonderful! Estelle, she..."

"Third Mrs. Yeats!" Henry snapped angrily. "What does Estelle have to do with you? Stop flattering yourself! Do you really think Estelle’s affairs are any of your business?

"This man is spewing nothing but lies. Everyone here knows that during her five years abroad, Estelle was the adopted daughter of our Kendrick family. Don’t tell me the Yeats family doesn’t know this? If you didn’t know, it just proves you so-called ’relatives’ don’t care about her at all.

"If you did know, then what are your true intentions?

"It’s truly bizarre. Even if you didn’t know the truth, just listening to this man makes it painfully obvious that he doesn’t have Estelle’s best interests at heart—he wants to ruin her!

"You relatives, who usually ignore her, are now condemning her without even asking a single question.

"Third Mrs. Yeats, is this because your daughter lost face earlier, so you hold a grudge against Estelle? Or do you think Estelle is in your daughter’s way and you wish she were dead?

"Or perhaps, this man is just an actor the Yeats family hired? All for the sake of destroying Estelle? Am I right, Old Mrs. Yeats?"

Third Aunt Yeats choked on her words. She froze for two seconds, instinctively looking toward Old Mrs. Yeats.

What? What did he mean? What did he mean Estelle was the Kendrick family’s adopted daughter while abroad? That wasn’t what the old lady had told her before they came!

Estelle suddenly found the situation quite amusing.

Why did it feel like Third Aunt Yeats was completely in the dark? If she was being used as a pawn, shouldn’t the pawn at least have a little bit of brains...?

Old Mrs. Yeats, however, remained entirely composed and full of confidence. "Although Estelle did spend those five years with your Kendrick family, can you guarantee she was under your watchful eye the entire time? If she wasn’t, what’s so strange about her meeting a man on the outside?"