Chapter 185: Zachery: Watch Me Wreak Havoc
Chapter 185: Chapter 185: Zachery: Watch Me Wreak Havoc
Iris Sloan had no idea what the two kids were thinking and sighed with worry.
「Four hours earlier.」
...
The more Laura Jennings stayed at home and thought about it, the angrier she became. Because of Estelle Lockwood, her so-called friends were all secretly mocking her, and Ethan Sloan had ordered her to stay home, forbidding her from going anywhere.
Ever since marrying Ethan Sloan, Laura Jennings had grown accustomed to a life of luxury and deference. How could she possibly endure such humiliation?
While she was stewing over her conflict with Ethan Sloan, the butler announced that Miss Thea York had arrived.
"Thea!" Laura Jennings latched onto her as if she’d found a savior, rambling nonstop. "Thea, you’re finally here! Every single one of these heartless people wishes I were dead. You’re the only one who came to see me!"
Thea York’s eyes flickered, and then she offered a gentle smile. "How could that be? Auntie, you’re overthinking things. Nathaniel is just busy."
Laura Jennings was furious. "Busy with what?!"
Thea’s words were barbed, deliberately provoking Laura Jennings. "He has work to manage, a household to run, and those three children to look after. Nathaniel is very hands-on with everything, so of course he’s busy. Besides, Auntie, perhaps Nathaniel feels that since you’re the adult, he should prioritize the children."
As expected, Laura Jennings exploded. "I’m his mother! Is he just going to cast me aside now that he has kids?!"
Thea smiled. "Auntie, please don’t think that way. I find those three children quite adorable, especially Christian. It’s no wonder Nathaniel dotes on them. If I had a child as lovely as him, I’d want to take care of him all the time too."
Laura Jennings, still full of unvented frustrations, was about to speak when she noticed Thea’s smile fade.
"Unfortunately, I don’t have children of my own. If only I could have a son like Christian..."
Laura Jennings suddenly fell silent, an idea sparking in her mind. "Thea, you like Christian?"
Thea’s smile was effortless. "Of course. He’s so adorable, who wouldn’t? I sometimes wish I could just sneak him home with me when Nathaniel isn’t looking."
Laura Jennings slapped her thigh. "That can be arranged!"
She had been wondering how to make things difficult for Nathaniel Sloan, and an opportunity had just fallen into her lap.
Her eyes gleaming, Laura Jennings said, "Thea, if you like him that much, I’ll have Christian go stay with you for a few days."
Thea feigned surprise. "Oh, I don’t know. Would Nathaniel agree to that?"
Laura Jennings puffed out her chest. "Hmph. So what if he doesn’t agree? I’m his grandmother. My word is final!"
Thea put on a hesitant expression. "Well... alright, then..."
This had been Thea York’s plan all along. Why have Christian come to the York Family estate? Because Thea had done her research: Christian Sloan had been frail since birth and was withdrawn. A child like that, she figured, would shatter with the slightest push.
’If he can’t take it, then he might as well die.’
Before Thea York could marry Nathaniel Sloan, the York Family had to help her dispose of his three children. This would ensure that her future child would become the sole heir to the Sloan Group.
They absolutely could not let what happened to Stella York happen again!
Soon, Laura Jennings sent people to the Kendrick Family’s estate.
Mia pulled the other two into a corner to discuss the situation. "Why is that wicked woman, Thea York, so insistent on having Christian go to her house? She’s definitely up to no good. He absolutely can’t go!"
Christian agreed. ’All that talk about liking him? That woman’s eyes are full of schemes and plots. There’s no way she actually likes me.’
Besides, Christian knew more about the situation than the other two, and he immediately filled them in on the York Family’s sordid affairs.
Mia’s eyes widened in understanding. "Ohhh, I get it! So that wicked woman is an illegitimate daughter, and she saw Auntie Stella as an obstacle."
Christian nodded. "Mia, remember when we saw her at Daddy’s company? You could tell she has designs on Daddy, right?"
Mia, being quick-witted, understood at once, her face flushing with anger. "That wicked woman wants to have a baby with Daddy, and she thinks we’re in the way! All the more reason he can’t go!"
Christian added, "She’s asking for me because she’s probably heard that I’m physically weak and emotionally fragile, thinking a few taunts would be enough to make me do something drastic. The reason she wants me to come alone is likely to pick us off one by one, or perhaps because she thinks I’m the easiest to manipulate."
Mia’s heart ached for him. ’Her brother had grown up in such a toxic environment, never receiving any kindness from people like Noelle Lockwood or Rose Lowell. It’s no wonder he can instantly detect malice from others.’
Mia said, "Come on, let’s go refuse them. By the way, Zachery, you little goofball, why have you been so quiet?"
The other two looked at Zachery.
In the corner, Zachery’s eyes lit up, and a mischievous grin spread across his face. "Heh heh, Christian, Mia... actually, it’s not out of the question for him to go."
Mia: "?"
Zachery cleared his throat twice. "Based on what you said, that wicked woman is making a big production out of picking Christian up. If anything were to happen to him at the York estate, Daddy would never let them hear the end of it. So, she won’t dare to do anything obvious."
"She specifically asked for Christian because she thinks he’s ’emotionally fragile and easily provoked,’ hoping to taunt him into hurting himself... But I’m not fragile!"
His tone shifted as he puffed out his chest, his face alight with a mix of excitement and a touch of bashfulness from boasting. "Everyone says I’m super thick-skinned. No matter what that wicked woman says, it won’t get to me."
Mia: "..."
’Is it possible,’ she thought, ’that when people say you’re "thick-skinned," they’re just politely calling you an idiot? What are you getting all shy for?!’
Zachery pressed on, "If we refuse today, she’ll be back tomorrow. Even if Daddy stops her, won’t that wicked woman just find another way? She’ll just keep playing the ’I’m your daddy’s best friend, I’m your godmother’ card. If she wants Christian at the York estate so badly, then let’s give her what she wants!"
With that, he started pulling Christian upstairs. "Come on, let’s go! I’ll disguise you!"
Christian still thought it was too dangerous, but Mia nodded in agreement. "Zachery’s right. If we refuse today, there will always be a next time. We might as well give Thea York a little shock right now!"
Half an hour later, Laura Jennings was growing impatient when she finally saw the three kids coming back downstairs.
She forced a smile at ’Christian’. "Christian, dear, your Auntie Thea wants to take you to the York estate to play for a couple of days. Do you remember? Chairman York even held you when you were only six months old!"
Zachery was speechless. ’This woman is crazy,’ he thought. ’What kind of kid remembers anything from when they were six months old?’
Zachery cleared his throat. "But Daddy told me to be good and stay at the Kendrick estate and not to go off with strange people."
Laura Jennings’s expression twitched.
Thea York stepped forward with a smile. "Christian, do you remember me? I’m your godmother. Don’t you worry, Nathaniel won’t mind if you come to my house. He and I are best buds, you know."
"BLECH—" Zachery pretended to gag, shooting a look at Mia and Christian that said, ’Stand back, I’m about to bring the house down!’