Chapter 222: Someone Knows Full Well Who the Illegitimate Son Is

Chapter 222: Chapter 222: Someone Knows Full Well Who the Illegitimate Son Is

That’s right! Old Mr. Lancaster’s eyes lit up. If the government was seizing the land, there had to be compensation!

"But..." someone interjected. "But that was an auctioned plot... The starting bid was only three billion."

In his bid to compete with Nathaniel Sloan, Theodore Lancaster had spent nineteen billion to secure the development rights.

However, that was a premium.

The starting bid for the development rights was three billion, which meant that even with compensation, the amount wouldn’t be much more than that.

After all, the rest of the money... so...

Old Mr. Lancaster gasped, clutching his chest as a dry cough wracked his body.

Theodore Lancaster’s expression finally changed. He could no longer maintain his gentle smile. His face fell, and he shot a fierce look at Nathaniel Sloan.

He saw Nathaniel Sloan leaning back leisurely in his chair, one eyebrow slightly raised. Catching Theodore Lancaster’s gaze, he even offered a polite nod.

Theodore Lancaster did not miss the look of absolute victory on Nathaniel Sloan’s face.

His expression turned thunderous!

Theodore Lancaster was no fool. If he hadn’t figured out what was happening by now, he’d have to be brain-dead.

’Nathaniel Sloan knew all along that the land couldn’t be developed. So why did he still participate in the auction? To lure me into his trap!’

The entire conference hall fell into a deathly silence. The shareholders exchanged glances, unsure if the meeting could even continue.

Five minutes ago, everyone was congratulating Theodore Lancaster. Five minutes later, he was the target of everyone’s scorn.

His current humiliation was as profound as the glory he had felt upon winning the development rights.

The shareholders silently seethed. ’So much for being "carefully groomed by the Lancaster family." So much for having "business genius that crushes Nathaniel Sloan." What a joke!’

He just had to compete for that land, driving the price up to nineteen billion, and now the entire investment was down the drain. Meanwhile, Nathaniel Sloan had backed out without losing a single penny.

Suddenly, a thought struck one of the shareholders. "Don’t tell me Mr. Sloan knew there was a problem with the land from the start?"

He knew all along?

Instantly, Ethan Sloan, Laura Jennings, and the others stared daggers at Nathaniel Sloan, as if their gazes alone could burn a hole through him.

Nathaniel Sloan took a sip of tea, his expression placid. A slow smile formed on his lips. "Yes, as a matter of fact."

...He knew.

...He knew!!

Theodore Lancaster’s hands clenched into fists. ’Nathaniel Sloan knew from the very beginning. His apparent interest in the land, his personal participation in the auction—it was all a trap he’d set, and I walked right into it like a fool.’

The sheer, crushing weight of this defeat made Theodore Lancaster slowly close his eyes.

Ethan Sloan’s eyes were practically popping from their sockets. "You knew all along, and you said nothing! Are you satisfied now, seeing the Sloan Group take such a loss?!"

Nathaniel Sloan slowly shook his head. "Not entirely. Who would have thought that while you talk a big game about doting on your favorite son, Father, the price you were actually willing to pay was so... meager."

Ethan Sloan was seething. He could feel everyone’s eyes on him, their gazes seeming to say he was a fool who couldn’t even best his own son.

"How has the Sloan family wronged you for you to plot against us like this!"

Nathaniel Sloan drawled, "You’re mistaken, Father. I did warn you and Ms. Jennings, did I not? I said the risk was too great. But at the time, you and Ms. Jennings said I was being petty, that I couldn’t bear to see others succeed and was just using scare tactics to force Young Mr. Lancaster to back down."

The shareholders, who had been filled with righteous indignation just moments before, now turned to glare at Ethan Sloan.

’So Mr. Sloan warned him after all!’

Ethan Sloan’s expression instantly soured. "The way you said it, who could tell you were being sincere! If you wanted to warn someone, you should have been more direct! What was that supposed to be? With a son like you, I must have had the worst luck in eight lifetimes!"

Laura Jennings, making a scene on the floor, shrieked, "Nathaniel Sloan, do you have no conscience! Theodore is your own brother! How could you—"

BOOM!

Before her voice had faded, the doors to the conference hall were suddenly thrown open!

An elderly yet steady female voice drifted in.

"He’s your ’dear brother’ when you need something, but an ’illegitimate son’ otherwise. Laura Jennings, you have some nerve to be so two-faced!"

Laura Jennings’s expression stiffened. ’How did that old hag get out of her sickbed!’ she cursed inwardly.

Nathaniel Sloan’s expression softened. "Grandmother."

Estelle Lockwood looked over, her gaze meeting the old woman’s sharp eyes. She froze for a second. ’Is this... Old Mrs. Sloan?’

When she married Nathaniel Sloan, she’d heard that Old Mrs. Sloan was in poor health and spent her years recuperating at the Sloan Family estate, rarely returning to Crestfall. As a result, she had never met her.

Seeing her now, she realized the woman was not what she had imagined.

"Hmph." With a cold and noble air, Old Mrs. Sloan glanced at Ethan Sloan in disgust.

"I told you when you were eight years old that a mind like yours wasn’t suited to inherit the Sloan Group. What now? Nathaniel warned you, and you’re complaining it wasn’t obvious enough? Ethan Sloan, is that head on your shoulders just to make you taller? Do you ever bother to use it?"

"Nathaniel warns you and you don’t listen. Does he have to drag you by the ear for it to count as a warning? Good heavens, with a son like you, I must have had the worst luck in eight lifetimes!"

Everyone: "..."

Estelle Lockwood: "..."

Estelle Lockwood was shocked.

’Old Mrs. Sloan’s insults are so... well-practiced,’ Estelle thought.

Laura Jennings didn’t dare make a peep. Ethan Sloan’s face was beet red. "Mom! Nathaniel knew and watched him walk into a trap! Theodore..."

"What do you mean, ’watched him walk into a trap’? You keep talking like that and I’ll sue you for slander!"

Old Mrs. Sloan said nonchalantly, "Nathaniel was just putting too much faith in Theodore Lancaster. After all, Nathaniel assumed someone groomed by the Lancaster Family couldn’t be that much less competent than him. If he could spot the issue with that land, why couldn’t Theodore Lancaster?"

"So you see, Nathaniel was being too kind! He trusted that Theodore Lancaster could figure it out on his own. If he had warned him, what if he’d hurt the man’s pride?"

Estelle Lockwood was speechless. ’Is this what they call lying with a straight face?’

Theodore Lancaster clenched his fists, his expression a mask of restraint.

Old Mr. Lancaster couldn’t stand it any longer and snapped, "Nathaniel Sloan set this up deliberately to watch Theodore fall into the trap! Nathaniel Sloan must be held responsible for this!"

Hearing Old Mr. Lancaster’s words, Old Mrs. Sloan turned and sized him up from head to toe.

"No wonder the Lancaster Family’s precious, ’carefully groomed’ Theodore Lancaster is so unimpressive. It seems the fish rots from the head down. It was clearly his own short-sightedness, yet you insist on blaming Nathaniel’s scheming. So what if Nathaniel was scheming? Did Theodore Lancaster have to fall for it?"

Old Mrs. Sloan’s tone was one of utter, theatrical shock, as if she were marveling at a monkey in a zoo.

"Now I’m certain Theodore Lancaster is Ethan Sloan’s biological son. After all, the two of them are cut from the same brain-dead cloth. With a mind like that, he wants to inherit the Sloan Group? Old Mr. Lancaster, don’t tell me your brain is faulty, too?"

"..." No one dared to speak. Her words were too vicious!

Old Mr. Lancaster had never been berated like this before. He was used to being on top, and his head swam with rage. "What right does Nathaniel Sloan have to scheme against Theodore? He’s... He’s just an illegitimate son..."

Old Mrs. Sloan’s eyes instantly sharpened. Her piercing gaze swept over Laura Jennings, Ethan Sloan, and Yvonne Lancaster before finally landing on Theodore Lancaster.

Then, she let out a sneer. "That’s enough, Old Mr. Lancaster. We all know perfectly well who the real illegitimate child is here."