Chapter 288: Nathaniel, Estelle Lockwood Is Dead

Chapter 288: Chapter 288: Nathaniel, Estelle Lockwood Is Dead

Before Thea York could answer, Laura Jennings had already rushed forward, trying to smooth things over.

"Oh, there’s no point in asking about this. Perhaps Thea just overheard it from someone. Nathaniel, you’re still hurt. You should be lying down. Thea, didn’t you make some porridge for Nathaniel?"

Anyone could hear the desperation in Laura Jennings’s voice.

Nathaniel, however, was in no hurry. "My patience is limited, Miss York."

Zane Grant chimed in, "That’s right. Nathaniel and I are dying to find the person behind this. And now, Miss York has delivered herself right to our doorstep. Whether or not you’re the culprit, I’m sure you know the inside story."

"Nathaniel, since you’re awake now, we can go public. How about I go write a press release? It’s perfect, we’ve even caught the ’culprit’..."

"No!" Thea York shot her head up, a hint of panic coloring her features.

She forced a strained smile. "Nathaniel, why would I ever try to hurt you? Mr. Grant, you’re being ridiculous!"

Nathaniel’s expression remained unchanged. "It’s fine if you won’t talk, Miss York."

"It’s just that I’m a petty man, and I have a tendency to jump to conclusions. If you refuse to talk, Miss York, then I’ll just have to remain suspicious."

Nathaniel calmly instructed Zane Grant, "We have an ongoing partnership with Chairman York at the company. Remind him of that later. And be sure to mention what a ’good daughter’ he has."

Zane Grant had to stifle a laugh. "Alright, I understand."

"Nathaniel!" Thea York scrambled to her feet, her face alternating between red and white as she shot several glances at Laura Jennings.

’It was Laura Jennings who had suddenly shown up, anxiously telling her that Nathaniel was injured and that Estelle Lockwood couldn’t take care of him. She’d said it was a golden opportunity Thea shouldn’t miss.’

’Of course, Thea wasn’t about to miss it. She had immediately followed Laura Jennings to the hospital, planning to personally care for Nathaniel and completely outshine Estelle Lockwood!’

’But—but what was this situation?!’

"Oh, wait. Ms. Jennings couldn’t have been the one to tell her, could she?" Zane Grant feigned immense shock. "Don’t tell me the real culprit isn’t Miss York, but Ms. Jennings!"

Zane clicked his tongue, feigning bewilderment. "Now that’s something I don’t understand. With Miss York, there’s at least a motive. But Ms. Jennings is your own mother, Nathaniel. Your birth mother. Why would she hire someone to kill her own son?"

Nathaniel offered a humorless smile. "I’m quite curious myself."

Zane looked at Laura Jennings, ignoring the kaleidoscope of colors flashing across her face, and asked with feigned curiosity, "Ms. Jennings, are you the one who orchestrated this?"

Laura Jennings: "..."

’Laura Jennings really wanted to kill this wretched pair!’

Laura Jennings slapped her thigh, feigning anxiety. "Oh, how could it possibly be me? Nathaniel, you’ve completely misunderstood!"

Zane nodded. "Right. So we’re back to the original question. How did you know, Ms. Jennings?"

Laura Jennings’s face turned deathly pale. "I... I..."

"Zane, call the police," Nathaniel ordered.

Zane replied, "You got it. I can’t believe we caught the mastermind so quickly. That was surprisingly simple."

"Don’t blame Nathaniel, Ms. Jennings. After all, you’re the one who was so cruel, and you’re his own mother... Ah, I have a bad habit of speaking bluntly, so I’ll just stop. Nathaniel’s car crash was attempted murder. Even though the attempt failed, the person who orchestrated it will definitely go to prison."

"As for you, Ms. Jennings, I hope you rehabilitate well in prison. I’ll come visit you when I get the chance."

With that, Zane took out his phone to call the police.

"It wasn’t me!" Laura Jennings finally panicked.

Her eyes darted around. ’I can’t believe Nathaniel is being so ruthless! What’s this about calling the police? We’re family! And he didn’t even die, so why involve the police?!’

But she couldn’t reveal the real person behind it all. She could only be evasive. "I... I just overheard Ethan mention it in passing... Nathaniel, I’m your mother! I was worried sick about you! That’s why I rushed over in such a panic. How could I ever do something like that?!"

Nathaniel hummed in acknowledgment and looked at Zane. "Tell them the mastermind is my father, Ethan Sloan."

Zane, who was still holding his phone, couldn’t help but snort with laughter. "Alright, alright. Don’t you worry."

’He finally understood. Nathaniel was determined to send someone to jail today.’

"You—How could you..." Laura Jennings was exasperated. She planted her hands on her hips, squeezed her eyes shut, and shrieked with abandon, "Nathaniel Sloan! Is there no one like you?! What kind of son are you, so disloyal and unfilial—!"

Nathaniel said calmly, "Zane, when you call the police, add that Ms. Jennings is causing a disturbance in the hospital and bothering the other patients."

Zane nodded and dialed the number.

Before long, a police car arrived with sirens wailing and departed just as quickly, taking Laura Jennings with it.

Zane clicked his tongue. ’I really have no idea what Ms. Jennings was trying to accomplish. She shows up out of nowhere, has a complete meltdown, and gets taken away in a police car.’

’Still... Nathaniel had a point. Anyone who knew he was injured right now had to be involved.’

’Could Theodore Lancaster have told Laura Jennings? Or... was Laura Jennings also a part of it?’

Once Laura Jennings was gone, Thea York plastered on a smile, acting as if nothing had happened.

"Nathaniel, I can take care of you from now on. Dr. Grant is a man, after all. He can’t give you the care you need."

Nathaniel replied coolly, "I can afford to hire a private nurse."

Thea York laughed it off. "Nathaniel, why are you being so formal with me? We’re good friends! A nurse could never be as attentive as I would be."

"Don’t worry, I happen to be completely free right now, so I can stay here at the hospital and take care of you until you’re discharged. And... try not to be too sad about Estelle."

Thea said deliberately, "Nathaniel, I was just worried you’d do something rash, so I wanted to stay by your side. You can rest assured, even if Estelle has left you, I never will!"

Nathaniel’s eyes suddenly darkened, his gaze turning sharp as a knife. "What did you just say?!"

Thea put on a sad expression, though inwardly she was blooming with joy. "Nathaniel, you really mustn’t be too upset... Even though Estelle died in an accident, you still have me, and you have our child..."

’Died... in an... accident?!’

Nathaniel’s face was like ice, and a growl that sounded like a caged beast rumbled in his throat. "Who said she died in an accident?!"

Thea’s eyes shifted, and she covered her face as she began to cry. "Nathaniel, it was Old Mr. Lancaster and Young Mr. Lancaster who found out. Uncle Sloan was there, too. They said the driver fell asleep at the wheel while Estelle was in the car. The car plunged into the river, and they couldn’t even find her..."

Nathaniel sneered.

’The driver fell asleep? Estelle was in the car that crashed?’

’Estelle was with me when it happened!’

’The Sloan and Lancaster families... they had fabricated a ’death certificate’ for her!’

’But then... why did his heart ache so much? His Estelle... where in the world was she?’

...

Estelle Lockwood was still in the study, reading.

There were no clocks in the villa, so she had no idea what time it was. The windows were all sealed shut and the lights were on twenty-four hours a day, so she couldn’t even use the sky to guess. Theodore Lancaster clearly didn’t want her to know the time.

However, based on her own internal clock, Estelle Lockwood guessed that three and a half days had passed.

Suddenly, the study door was pushed open.