Chapter 239: Noelle Lockwood, Forsaken by All

Chapter 239: Chapter 239: Noelle Lockwood, Forsaken by All

Kian Winslow subconsciously looked at his phone—

He was clearly stunned.

’Wait, what is going on?’

Kian Winslow wasn’t an idiot. Noelle clearly knew the children were at his house, yet she was on Weibo pretending to know nothing!

She claimed she didn’t understand how the children went missing. She said she was just minding her own business at home and didn’t know who she had offended. She said she hadn’t been in contact with the children for a long time and had no idea about their whereabouts.

She claimed someone had staged the whole thing, hiding the children to frame her.

But now, a video of Kian Winslow forcibly taking the three children from the kindergarten had gone viral online.

Noelle Lockwood’s fans were all saying that this was all Kian Winslow’s doing. That he had deliberately kidnapped the children, that Noelle was innocent, and that Noelle didn’t even know Kian Winslow well.

So, everyone started pointing their fingers at Kian Winslow. Even the Winslow Group was affected.

But Kian Winslow really hadn’t thought it would go this far. The only reason he had agreed to help Noelle was that he considered her a friend. He genuinely believed she was doing it for the children’s own good!

Who knew that so much trouble would follow after he took the kids!

Nathaniel Sloan glanced at Kian Winslow’s pale face and asked flatly, "You’ve seen it?"

"I... I..." Kian Winslow was speechless for a moment.

"So, either you kidnapped the children, or Noelle Lockwood is framing you."

Nathaniel Sloan sat on the sofa, his legs crossed. "I don’t have much time. Choose."

Kian Winslow couldn’t choose at all.

He would never kidnap anyone, let alone Nathaniel’s children. He was really just...

’But... but Noelle...’

RING RING RING! An urgent phone call shattered Kian Winslow’s train of thought. "Young Mr. Winslow! What were you thinking, kidnapping Mr. Sloan’s children? Do you have any idea how much trouble you’ve caused the company?!"

"No one says anything when you’re usually just fooling around, but now you’ve resorted to kidnapping!"

Being berated by one of his family’s shareholders, Kian Winslow retorted, "I didn’t kidnap anyone!"

"Enough! Noelle Lockwood said with her own mouth that you hold a grudge against Estelle Lockwood and kidnapped her children to teach her a lesson. What else is there to explain? You’ve ruined the company!"

Kian Winslow froze for two seconds, disbelieving. "You’re saying Noelle... said I hold a grudge against Estelle Lockwood?"

’Why would I hold a grudge against Estelle Lockwood? Wasn’t it because Noelle said Estelle was always bullying her?’

But why did it seem like Noelle Lockwood had now completely vanished from the situation?

The shareholder hung up angrily. Kian Winslow scrambled to check the stock market, and sure enough, the Winslow Group’s shares had taken a huge hit!

’I was just trying to help. Why did it turn out like this?’

"Young Mr. Winslow, have you made up your mind?" Estelle Lockwood asked, smoothing her hair.

Kian Winslow’s lips twitched. He hadn’t yet recovered from his dejection, but he knew that everything he had was given to him by the Winslow Family. He couldn’t do anything to harm the Winslow Family’s interests.

He looked at his parents and opened his mouth. "Na-Nathaniel... about this, I..."

"Kian!"

Suddenly, a woman’s voice called out from the doorway. Noelle Lockwood ran in, looking anxious. "Kian, are you okay? I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I never thought my fans would do this. I came specifically to apologize to you..."

Kian Winslow’s eyes lit up. "Noelle!"

’I knew it,’ he thought. ’Everyone must have misunderstood Noelle. There’s no way she’s that kind of person.’

Kian Winslow’s smile had barely blossomed for two seconds when he saw Noelle Lockwood say with tears in her eyes, "Kian, I’m truly sorry. I originally wanted to take the blame for you, but I never expected the video of you kidnapping the children would already be all over the internet..."

Kian Winslow froze abruptly.

’Why is it that I recognize every word Noelle is saying, but when they’re strung together, I can’t understand them?’

Noelle Lockwood knew Estelle Lockwood was livestreaming, so she intentionally spoke loudly, tears streaming down her face. "Kian, please don’t blame me. I don’t know how the video got out either. Really, I’m so sorry..."

[See, I told you Noelle was innocent! Turns out she was taking the fall for this Kian guy!]

[Who the hell is this Kian Winslow? He has a problem with Estelle Lockwood, so he kidnaps her kids, fine, but then he even frames Noelle! What would we do if something happened to our Noelle!]

No matter how slow he was, Kian Winslow finally understood. His face went white, and his voice trembled. "Noelle... are you saying that I deliberately kidnapped them today?"

Tears streamed down Noelle Lockwood’s face as she shook her head helplessly. "Kian, it’s nothing you can’t admit to."

With that, she turned to the three little ones, crying with what seemed like genuine emotion. "Christian, I’m sorry. Aunt Noelle was too late. If only I could have talked Kian out of it sooner, you wouldn’t have had to suffer like this. It’s all my fault..."

Rose Lowell quickly chimed in, "Noelle, how could this be your fault! You were just caught in the crossfire. Sigh! If you ask me, Estelle is the one who’s offended too many people. If she hadn’t offended Young Mr. Winslow, why would he do something like this!"

Noelle Lockwood quickly said, "No, it’s my fault. Kian was doing it for me..."

She looked at Kian Winslow with tear-filled eyes, her words heavy with implication. "Kian, the children are safe and sound. You’re Nathaniel’s friend, so he won’t do anything to you. You should just apologize to the children."

Apologizing would be a tacit admission that he had planned this kidnapping.

Kian Winslow understood the meaning behind Noelle Lockwood’s words, but he refused to believe Noelle would pin everything on him. His voice trembled slightly as he held onto a sliver of hope for her.

"Noelle... do you have any idea how much the Winslow Group has been affected since the kidnapping video came out?"

He had done all of this for Noelle Lockwood. If she had any conscience left, she wouldn’t continue—

"Kian, there’s no use running from it."

But Noelle Lockwood just shook her head helplessly, as if she were deeply disappointed.

’She was annoyed to death. How could Kian Winslow be so clueless? At a time like this, he was still worried about some minor loss for the Winslow Group. Was the Winslow Group more important than her?’

Noelle Lockwood sighed. "Kian, just admit it first. This matter needs a resolution. Afterward, I’ll compensate you, okay?"

’Doesn’t Kian Winslow like me? When the time comes, I could deign to be with him. That should satisfy him, right?’

Who would have thought that Kian Winslow’s eyes would suddenly fly open as he took a step back, as if Noelle Lockwood were some kind of monster.

Noelle Lockwood was annoyed that Kian Winslow wasn’t admitting his guilt fast enough. Although her fans were desperately trying to control the narrative online, most of the comments were from bystanders expressing doubt.

So Noelle Lockwood frowned impatiently. "Kian, you did something wrong, and you’re not even willing to admit it? Do you have any idea how much this has affected me...?"

Kian Winslow subconsciously glanced at Estelle Lockwood.

Estelle Lockwood had told him long ago that he was an idiot. At the time, he just thought Estelle disliked Noelle and was lashing out at him because of it.

But looking at it now, Estelle wasn’t lashing out at all. She was being completely sincere. He really was an idiot.

Just now, he told Noelle that the Winslow Group was affected, and she blamed him. Now, she was forcing him to confess because *she* was affected.

’...How can a person have such a double standard?’

"Kian..." Noelle Lockwood started to say something more.

"Hmph." A light scoff came from nearby. It was Mrs. Winslow. "Kian, do you see this woman’s true colors now?"