Chapter 68: Nathaniel Said, What I Mean Is What He Means

Chapter 68: Chapter 68: Nathaniel Said, What I Mean Is What He Means

Estelle froze, her hand subconsciously brushing against her cheek. "You might have mistaken me for someone else."

Iris walked over. "I sent Nathaniel out. It’s just the two of us in this office."

The implication was clear. She could tell the truth.

But Estelle simply lowered her head gently. "Ms. Sloan, I’m sorry. My name is Yara. I might look a bit like the Estelle you’re talking about, but I am not her."

Iris halted in her tracks, letting out a soft sigh. It took a long moment before she finally spoke in a resigned tone. "I saw you at the Kendrick family banquet three years ago."

Estelle’s head snapped up.

"Because you were in a fire and suffered facial injuries, you had to undergo plastic surgery. The Kendrick family has kept your past completely under wraps. Even though they never explicitly said anything, I’m not a fool," Iris said.

Estelle pursed her lips.

She desperately wanted to admit her true identity. After all, Iris had treated her so well back then. How could she bear to keep this a secret from her? However, she had returned to seek revenge against the Lockwood family, Nathaniel, and even the Sloan family. If Iris found out, she would undoubtedly be put in a difficult position.

But she had to get her revenge. No one could change that. Besides, there was one more crucial reason...

The current Yara would do anything for revenge and personal gain. She didn’t want Iris to know that the obedient, good girl from five years ago had turned into this.

Turning her head away, Estelle tried her hardest to suppress the choke in her voice. "I’m sorry, I’m really not her."

Iris studied her quietly for a moment before dropping the subject. "Alright."

She was already certain in her heart. But seeing that Estelle didn’t want to talk about it, she decided not to press the issue. At the end of the day, she was back. Seeing Estelle safe and sound was enough to put Iris’s mind at ease.

Thinking back to five years ago, Iris felt a pang of pity while simultaneously feeling an even deeper disdain for Nathaniel. He had lost such a wonderful wife, and now it served him right that he couldn’t win her back!

She wasn’t stupid; she could naturally tell that Nathaniel was also suspecting Yara’s identity. The difference was that Iris had been to the Kendrick family’s home and knew many of the inside details, whereas Nathaniel was relying entirely on guesswork. As long as Yara vehemently denied it, there was nothing Nathaniel could do.

At that thought, Iris’s expression softened a bit. She broke into a smile. "Then how about I call you Yara? Mrs. Kendrick and I are friends, so I can be considered your elder. You can call me Aunt Iris."

Estelle nodded, but before she could even utter the word...

Iris excitedly asked, "Yara, are you single right now? I know plenty of outstanding young men I can introduce you to. Do you want to see their photos? I’ll send them to you right now!"

Nathaniel originally hadn’t intended to eavesdrop on their conversation. However, he had left an important document in the office, so he had come back for it. Just as he approached, he caught that exact sentence.

Estelle cleared her throat. "Aunt Iris, I’m focusing on my career right now. Plus, I have two children. I don’t want to date, nor do I want to get married."

"Oh, I see," Iris replied, not looking disappointed at all. "It’s good for a woman to focus on her career. Look at me—I never got married because I felt none of those men were worthy of me. In that case, I’ll introduce a few business projects to you instead."

She paused, then seemingly directed her next words at the person outside the door, her tone pointedly sarcastic. "Having money to rely on is the most important thing. Once you have money and your horizons broaden, you’ll realize men ain’t shit!

"Take my nephew, for example. He might look decent on the outside, but even he isn’t good enough for you!"

Nathaniel was speechless. Feeling the conversation was getting increasingly absurd, he simply pushed the door open and walked in. "Aunt Iris, I’ve arranged a welcome dinner at Dewdrop Garden. Would you do me the honor of attending?"

Iris scoffed coldly. "I have no interest in a welcome dinner. I don’t want to see that irritating bunch from the Sloan family."

Nathaniel knew his aunt didn’t get along with his parents. "My father doesn’t know about it. It’ll just be me... and Yara."

Upon hearing Estelle’s current name, Iris agreed without a second thought. "Alright then."

Nathaniel narrowed his eyes, deep in thought.

When it was time to get off work, the employees began to leave in twos and threes.

Iris felt that walking alongside Nathaniel would attract too much attention, so she headed to Dewdrop Garden first.

After wrapping up her work for the day, Estelle took the elevator downstairs and was about to hail a cab when Nathaniel’s voice rang out from behind her. "What are you doing?"

Estelle didn’t even look up as she opened a ride-hailing app on her phone. "Are you blind? I’m getting a cab."

Nathaniel’s eyelids lifted slightly, his gaze placid. "Miss Lockwood, we are having dinner together."

Estelle let out a soft murmur of confusion. "What about it?"

Nathaniel couldn’t tell if this woman was truly dense or just deliberately trying to annoy him. "We are both leaving from the company and heading to Dewdrop Garden. Doesn’t Miss Lockwood think it would be more convenient to just ride in the same car as me?"

Estelle’s fingertips paused over her screen, her elegant brows knitting together at the prospect of going to Dewdrop Garden with Nathaniel. Forget it. Because of Iris’s sudden appearance today, she was feeling a bit down and didn’t want to face him right now.

Just as she was about to refuse, she caught sight of Noelle hurrying toward them out of the corner of her eye. Estelle raised an eyebrow as an idea suddenly flashed through her mind.

"Nathaniel, Mrs. Sloan said she’d be bored eating dinner alone and wanted us to keep her company at Sloan Manor—"

"Sure, let’s take the same car."

The two women’s voices rang out simultaneously. In an instant, a pin-drop silence fell over the lobby.

Estelle curled her lips into a smirk and quickly spoke up again before Noelle could. "Miss Lockwood wants to have dinner with Nathaniel? I’m sorry, but he already invited me first. The restaurant is already booked."

Noelle glared at Nathaniel and Yara. Knowing they had spent the entire afternoon together filled her with so much bitter jealousy that she felt like she was going to throw up! She had gone through so much trouble to find an excuse to see him, only for this Yara to act so shamelessly!

Forcing herself to stay calm, Noelle put on a sorrowful expression. "Nathaniel, Mrs. Sloan is your mother, after all. She wants you to go back and visit her..."

"But Nathaniel and I already made plans," Estelle said, feigning a coy, whiny tone. "I’m Nathaniel’s business partner, so tonight isn’t just a simple dinner. We definitely have work matters to discuss. I’m sure even if Mrs. Sloan knew, she would approve."

The onlookers were dumbfounded. What on earth was going on? How could Yara be so brazen?

Noelle was furious, her eyes turning red. "Nathaniel, then let me go with you..."

"That’s a no-go, Miss Lockwood." Estelle tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. As she parted her red lips, she looked every bit the stereotypical vixen. "Nathaniel said he belongs solely to me tonight. How about you get in line? Besides, didn’t you say Mrs. Sloan is bored eating alone? This is the perfect chance for you to go keep her company."

"Yara!" Noelle finally snapped. A whole day’s worth of pent-up anger erupted, causing her usually gentle and refined facade to nearly shatter. "I am speaking to Nathaniel. It’s not your place to interrupt."

"But Nathaniel said that my words represent his." Estelle looked at Nathaniel. Suddenly, in a blind spot where no one else could see, she reached out and gave his arm a vicious pinch. "Isn’t that right?" she asked in a soft, eerie tone.