Chapter 69: Why Does It Feel Like President Sloan Is the One Being Disdained?

Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Why Does It Feel Like President Sloan Is the One Being Disdained?

To the uninitiated, Estelle’s gesture made it look as though she were intimately hooking her arm around Nathaniel’s wrist.

Nathaniel’s expression remained unchanged. He allowed her to pinch him and gave a faint nod. "Yes."

Estelle let out a soft hmph. "Did you hear that, Miss Lockwood?"

Tears welled up in Noelle’s eyes. "Nathaniel..."

Nathaniel didn’t even spare her a glance. Utterly ignored and turning pale with anger, Noelle swayed on her feet before running off in tears.

Once Noelle was gone, the crowd broke into hushed whispers.

"This... she’s really letting his favor go to her head! Who does she think she is? The president’s new fling?"

"What’s Yara’s background anyway? Isn’t Noelle the Sloan family’s acknowledged daughter-in-law? I can’t believe Yara completely disregarded her!"

"Noelle has been talking about it for years, but we still haven’t seen her marry into the Sloan family. She might just be riding on his coattails to fake her status. If you ask me, President Sloan has zero intention of marrying her..."

"I wonder if Yara will take advantage of her proximity to win him over? I feel like she’s a much better match for President Sloan. I’m rooting for her!"

"Even if Yara is infatuated with the president, what’s the point? A woman like her... I bet the president is thoroughly disgusted by her."

Before those words could even settle, the crowd watched as Estelle released Nathaniel’s hand and stepped back three paces with a look of utter disgust. "Aren’t we getting food? Let’s go."

The crowd fell speechless.

Why did it feel like the president was the one she found disgusting?

Noelle’s face twisted into a vicious scowl. She was furious. But with Laura Jennings currently hiding indoors after being scolded by Iris Sloan, who else could help her vent her anger?!

Why did that bitch Yara get to have dinner with Nathaniel?! No, she absolutely would not allow this!

Gritting her teeth, Noelle suddenly had a flash of inspiration. She came up with a plan and hurriedly summoned her driver. "To Dewdrop Garden."

Meanwhile, at Dewdrop Garden.

Seeing them arrive, Iris broke into a warm, enthusiastic smile. "Yara, come here. Sit next to me."

Estelle nodded. "Okay."

"I ordered a few dishes, but I’m not sure if they suit your taste. Take a look, Yara, and order whatever you like. Nathaniel is paying anyway, so there’s no need to save him money."

Estelle obediently glanced over the menu. "These are all my favorites."

"That’s wonderful! I was worried your tastes might have changed!"

"Thank you, Aunt Sloan. I didn’t expect you to still remember my preferences."

Nathaniel’s throat felt a little dry. This was the first time he had seen such an obedient, docile side to this woman.

Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, his dark eyes flickered. "Even I don’t know what Yara likes to eat... How are you so well-acquainted with her tastes, Aunt Sloan?"

Everything about Yara kept telling Nathaniel that she was Estelle. Back in the day, Estelle and Iris had shared an excellent relationship. Iris remembered exactly what Estelle loved to eat and would frequently arrange special meals for her.

Iris arched an eyebrow. She naturally understood what Nathaniel was getting at. However, with that hypocritical white lotus still lingering around him unhandled, how could she let him discover the truth so easily?

It was precisely because Nathaniel lacked concrete evidence that the two of them were currently maintaining such a delicate balance. If he were to confirm that Yara was indeed Estelle...

Iris felt a pang of sorrow as she recalled the Estelle from five years ago—the woman who had seemingly died for this romance. Since Estelle didn’t want to remarry him, how could Iris push her back into that fiery pit?

So, Iris turned the tables on him. "Yara has been staying at Imperial Crest for so long. She’s Christian’s private doctor and now your business partner, yet you actually don’t know what she likes to eat?"

Nathaniel abruptly paused, suddenly feeling at a loss for words. "I didn’t mean..."

"If you had put even a little bit of effort into it and asked a couple of simple questions, you would know her tastes. And you have the nerve to question me?"

Nathaniel subconsciously tried to explain himself. "I was only curious as to why you knew..."

"Yara and I hit it off right away. We chatted for so long this afternoon, so of course I know her preferences. What’s so strange about that?" Iris cut him off, refusing to give him a chance to pry any further. "Alright, Yara. I’ll have them serve the food."

The manager didn’t dare dawdle, and the dishes were quickly brought out in full.

Among them was a steamed sea bass. Iris rotated the lazy Susan to place the fish directly in front of Estelle. "I remember you used to love this dish. Why aren’t you eating it now?"

Estelle sighed helplessly. Every single one of Iris’s actions proved that she had firmly identified her as Estelle. That was why she was asking why she no longer ate the food she had once loved. She had already lied to her aunt once and didn’t want to do it a second time, so she answered truthfully, "They don’t have this dish abroad. I haven’t eaten it for a long time, so I’ve gotten used to going without it."

Nathaniel sharply caught the words "used to." His eyes darkened. "Since you and Yara only hit it off today, Aunt Sloan, how do you remember what she ’used to’ love to eat?"

Iris’s hand paused mid-reach for some food. She frowned inwardly. Did her nephew really have to be this perceptive?

She was just trying to come up with an excuse when she saw Estelle speak up without batting an eye. "I met Aunt Sloan at a Kendrick family banquet in the past. What’s wrong with that? Do you have a problem with it, President Sloan?"

Nathaniel’s voice was husky. "Is that so? Aunt Sloan has been in Europea all these years, while the Kendrick family expanded in the USA. Did Aunt Sloan really attend a Kendrick family banquet?"

Estelle shot him a sidelong glance, her red lips parting slightly. "It was a banquet three years ago. If you’re suspicious, President Sloan, you can go investigate it yourself. Stop interrogating people while they’re trying to eat."

Nathaniel narrowed his eyes meaningfully. "Coincidentally enough, the people around me seem to be quite fond of you, Miss Lockwood."

Take Christian, for example, or Iris. One was Estelle’s son, and the other was one of the elders who doted on her the most. Both had expressed a strong affinity for Yara the moment they met her.

To his surprise, Estelle’s eyes widened in astonishment. "The people around you are all fond of me? The way you say that, President Sloan... could it be that in your eyes, Ms. Laura Jennings isn’t considered human?"

"PFFT—" Iris spat out a mouthful of tea.

It made sense. Laura was Nathaniel’s biological mother and harbored a deep hatred for Estelle. Yet, when Nathaniel made that statement, he clearly hadn’t factored her in.

Outsiders might not know the reason behind this, but as a member of the Sloan family, Iris was perfectly aware of the circumstances. She could only say that Laura had brought it upon herself. However, having finally gotten to see Nathaniel looking so deflated, there was no way she was going to explain things on his behalf.

It was just that...

Iris hesitated for a moment. Why did she feel like whenever these two spoke, an invisible barrier formed around them, making it utterly impossible for anyone else to get a word in edgewise? It was a difficult feeling to describe. If she had to explain it in a single sentence, it would be: Iris felt that they were a match made in heaven.

But Estelle had explicitly stated that she didn’t want to remarry...

Just then, a KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK sounded at the door. Estelle stood up to answer it.

Unexpectedly, as she rose, her ankle caught on the leg of her chair, and she pitched forward uncontrollably.

Nathaniel sprang up instantly, catching her in his arms and saving her from a fall!

Iris stared blankly for a moment, sensing that something was glaringly off.

Was this really what "not wanting to remarry" and "never seeing each other again" looked like?