Chapter 284: Estelle Held Hostage

Chapter 284: Chapter 284: Estelle Held Hostage

But now, the sensation of the poison flaring up surged through him again.

He couldn’t see. He couldn’t hear. This particular poison only flared up when a second dose was administered. Nathaniel Sloan was always so careful; who could have poisoned him?

’The poison’s flaring up,’ he thought. ’How can I protect Estelle now!’

Estelle Lockwood also noticed something was wrong with Nathaniel, but as she watched the men slowly closing in, she knew this was hardly the time to treat him.

"Nathaniel, Nathaniel?" Estelle called out softly.

Nathaniel did not answer.

Estelle had handled cases like this before. When the poison flared, its victims went blind and deaf, their perception of the outside world diminishing to nearly nothing.

’So now, it’s just me. I have to face these assassins alone.’

Estelle took the gun from Nathaniel’s hand and faced the dark muzzles pointed at them.

However, the men didn’t shoot—

"Miss Lockwood, if you want him to be safe, then come with us."

Estelle shielded Nathaniel. "Who are you?"

"If you want him to live, Miss Lockwood, you’ll stop asking questions."

Estelle’s gaze sharpened. "How do I know he’ll be safe if I go with you?"

The man in the lead pressed the dark muzzle of his gun against Estelle’s temple. "Right now, besides coming with us and taking a gamble, what other choice do you have, Miss Lockwood?"

Estelle pressed her lips together.

’It’s true,’ she thought. ’I don’t have a choice.’

She and Nathaniel were surrounded by assassins, all armed. With Nathaniel blind and deaf, she was left alone with a single pistol. She was no match for them.

’Even if I try to stall—’

"I wouldn’t think about stalling, Miss Lockwood. In five minutes, if you’re still here, this gun of mine might just go off. And bullets don’t have eyes."

Estelle pressed her lips together. ’Luke White will take at least twenty minutes to get here... so...’

Estelle’s eyes were cold and calm. "Have your men leave first. All of them. You can stay behind and leave with me."

The leader raised an eyebrow. He hadn’t expected Miss Lockwood to be calmly negotiating with him instead of breaking down in tears.

"Why should I agree to that?"

Estelle grew even calmer. "You want me to come with you, which means the person behind you wants to see me. A moment ago, there were two groups here. One was clearly trying to kill me, but you dealt with them. In other words, you want me alive."

"Since the person behind you wants me, you wouldn’t refuse such a small request, would you?"

The leader applauded. "Miss Lockwood, you are indeed clever. Very well."

The man waved a hand, and his subordinates retreated, leaving only a few behind.

The leader shot her a look. "Miss Lockwood, please get in the car."

Estelle stood her ground. "You first. And put your guns away."

The leader ordered his men to lower their weapons.

Estelle pressed her lips together.

’The best option right now is to leave with these people. It’s the only way to ensure Nathaniel’s safety as much as possible.’

’As for Nathaniel... Luke White will be here soon. I trust that he can protect him.’

’So, right now, my best option is to get in the car with these people.’

"You are a clever woman, Miss Lockwood. Please."

The car sped off.

Nathaniel Sloan couldn’t see or hear, yet he keenly sensed the danger around him disappear.

’But what about Estelle?’

But the poison had robbed him of the strength to speak. His eyelids grew heavy and shut. "Estelle..."

...

Laura Jennings took a phone call. The color drained from her face, her expression panicked. "W-What? You didn’t succeed?"

"Mrs. Sloan, it really wasn’t our fault. There was another group there, and they drove our men off. We just couldn’t find an opportunity to get to Estelle Lockwood."

Laura Jennings was seething with rage.

’They failed. They actually failed!’

’How is Estelle Lockwood so damn lucky—’

"Young Mr. Lancaster, Mrs. Sloan is resting inside. You—"

The maid’s voice trailed off as Theodore Lancaster had already stormed in, leaving the maid no choice but to retreat.

Seeing her biological son, Laura Jennings immediately forced a smile. "Theodore, what brings you here? Come, sit down."

"Mrs. Sloan."

Theodore Lancaster refused to acknowledge this fool as his mother. He sneered, "I told you, Estelle Lockwood is mine. What do you think you’re doing, Mrs. Sloan?"

A lump formed in Laura Jennings’s throat. She pretended not to understand as cold sweat trickled down her back. "W-What do you mean? I don’t understand."

"Stop playing dumb, Mrs. Sloan. You sent those assassins, didn’t you."

Theodore’s voice turned dangerously cold. "I have a very important use for Estelle Lockwood. If anything happens to her, I’m holding you responsible!"

With that, he gave a cold command. "Mrs. Sloan is ill. Keep a close watch on her. Don’t let her wander off!"

Laura Jennings’s expression changed. "Theodore, what do you think you’re doing? How can you restrict my freedom? I-I’m your..."

But Laura Jennings couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence.

She couldn’t help but resent the Lancaster family and Ethan Sloan.

’It’s all their fault I can’t even acknowledge my own son!’

’Besides, all I want is for Estelle Lockwood to die. Why won’t Theodore let me? Why?!’

...

Once Estelle was in the car, her hands and feet were bound, and the leader blindfolded her.

Estelle scoffed. "All this secrecy. I’m going to meet the person behind you soon anyway. Once I know who they are, this will all be for nothing."

’The blindfold is just so I don’t memorize the route.’

"Enough nonsense."

Still, they put the blindfold on her.

About an hour later, Estelle felt the car come to a stop. Then, two people led her out.

Once she was inside and the door had closed, Estelle sensed she was alone and finally took off her blindfold.

Her eyes, having been covered for so long, had trouble adjusting to the light, and she felt dazed for a moment.

She shielded her eyes from the light, waiting a moment for them to adjust before she began to survey the room.

This was a room in a luxurious estate, decorated in a cool, minimalist style. Cold, white light streamed down, and the faint scent of men’s cologne lingered in the air.

’What is this place?’

’It looks like someone’s home.’

Estelle didn’t waste time wondering. She studied the structure of the house, searching for a possible escape route. She glanced at the window; she was about three stories up, so jumping was out of the question. There were guards patrolling below, too. This was definitely a large estate—she couldn’t just run her way out.

So, Estelle decided to save her energy and not make a scene.

’Perhaps I can find a way to call for help,’ she thought. ’If Nathaniel wakes up...’

Suddenly, footsteps sounded outside the door.

Estelle’s eyes narrowed, her gaze fixed warily on the door. Sure enough, she heard a bodyguard report from the other side, "Sir, you’re back. Miss Lockwood has been in her room."

Then, a man’s voice responded.

"You’re dismissed."

’That voice!’

Estelle’s eyes flew wide, and a chill shot through her. ’Theodore Lancaster?!’

Just as she suspected, the man who pushed open the door was someone Estelle had met but wasn’t familiar with—Theodore Lancaster, the man rumored to be the legitimate Sloan heir but who was, in fact, Laura Jennings’s biological son.