Chapter 289: Estelle Figures Out a Way to Leave

Chapter 289: Chapter 289: Estelle Figures Out a Way to Leave

Theodore Lancaster raised an eyebrow. "Miss Lockwood, you don’t seem worried at all?"

Estelle Lockwood continued reading, not even looking up. "Would being worried do any good?"

Theodore Lancaster quite admired Estelle Lockwood’s attitude. "You’re right, Miss Lockwood. It wouldn’t. But aren’t you the least bit curious about what’s happening in the outside world?"

Estelle Lockwood repeated her sentiment. "And what good would my curiosity do? It’s not as if I can find out just by wanting to. Whether or not I’m allowed to know anything, and what that might be, is entirely up to you, isn’t it, Mr. Lancaster?"

Theodore Lancaster found Estelle Lockwood’s personality perfectly to his liking. "No matter, Miss Lockwood. I can let you in on it."

Estelle Lockwood narrowed her eyes.

Theodore Lancaster chuckled, pulled up a news article, and placed his phone in front of Estelle Lockwood. "Here, Miss Lockwood. Take a good look."

Estelle Lockwood’s fingertips recoiled slightly. A bad feeling instantly washed over her.

Sure enough, the headline of the article read: ’Star CEO Miss Estelle Lockwood Dies in Tragic Accident’.

’Theodore Lancaster said he would arrange my ’accidental death.’ He wasn’t bluffing!’

The article stated that Estelle Lockwood had been in a car accident. Her vehicle plunged into a river, and when it was recovered, her body was disfigured beyond recognition, her life tragically cut short.

The Sloan Family, heartbroken at the loss of their daughter-in-law, had decided to hold a funeral for Estelle Lockwood.

In the news report, Laura Jennings was crying as if her heart was broken, shaking her head tearfully at every question from the reporters. Ethan Sloan, looking haggard, said helplessly, "The Sloan family and Estelle had many misunderstandings. Now that they’re resolved, we thought... alas, what a pity..."

Laura Jennings sat on the ground, wailing dramatically. "Estelle! Oh, my Estelle!"

Ethan Sloan added sorrowfully, "We are arranging Estelle’s funeral because Nathaniel is simply too grief-stricken."

Laura Jennings’s dramatic display was all thunder and no rain, a complete performance. "Heavens, why are you doing this to me!"

It was as if she’d lost her own daughter.

[Chairman Sloan and Mrs. Sloan are so kind.]

[It’s so rare to see in-laws like them. It’s a shame Mrs. Sloan died...]

[I heard before that the Sloan family always looked down on Estelle Lockwood and were trying everything to make them divorce. I guess that was all just a rumor, huh?]

[Yeah, if they really couldn’t wait for the divorce, the Sloans would be the happiest people right now.]

[But look at Chairman Sloan and Mrs. Sloan, running around, planning the funeral, and crying their hearts out. That doesn’t look fake.]

[Sigh, the funeral is apparently in ten days... Oh well, whatever the case, may the dead rest in peace.]

The story quickly became a trending topic. Then, at the Sloan family’s direction, media outlets large and small across the country began reporting on it.

Within three days, almost everyone knew.

Theodore Lancaster beamed. "You see, Miss Lockwood? In the eyes of the world, you’re a dead woman now."

"So, even if you were to escape now, I wouldn’t be worried. After all, even if you got out—Miss Lockwood, perhaps you’d like to try?"

Estelle Lockwood tore her gaze away from the disgusting sight of Laura Jennings’s face in the video, her expression calm. "In that case, what are your plans for me now, Mr. Lancaster?"

Estelle Lockwood’s question was pointed.

"This has become such a huge incident. Everyone knows Estelle Lockwood is ’dead.’ And my face has been in plenty of photos and at many banquets. It’s inevitable that people would recognize me."

"If I were to just walk out like this, wouldn’t people think I’d come back from the dead?"

Estelle Lockwood raised an eyebrow. "The public outcry would be even more intense. And if people started to suspect Mr. Sloan, well, I wouldn’t be able to do anything about that."

A flicker of ruthlessness passed through Theodore Lancaster’s eyes.

Then, he started smiling again.

Though Theodore Lancaster’s heart was rotten to the core, one had to admit his appearance was exceptionally refined. This was especially true of his eyes, which were tender and full of emotion—the kind of eyes, as the saying goes, that could look at a dog with deep affection.

"It’s no matter, Miss Lockwood. In a few years, who will even remember? Besides, the world is a big place. Why must you confine yourself to Crestfall?"

He said it as if he had Estelle Lockwood’s best interests at heart. She propped her chin on her hand and nodded listlessly. "Mm, got it. Now get out."

Theodore Lancaster narrowed his eyes, studying Estelle Lockwood closely. His voice suddenly deepened. "Miss Lockwood, you’re showing no reaction at all. You’re not angry?"

Estelle Lockwood leaned back on the study’s sofa. "I already said I won’t waste my energy. Getting angry does nothing but upset myself."

Without so much as a glance up, her eyes returned to her book. "Feel free, Mr. Lancaster. I’m going back to my reading."

It seemed she was someone who knew how to adapt to circumstances.

She knew she couldn’t escape, and that even if she did, she was still a ’dead woman’, so she had simply given up the struggle.

But Theodore Lancaster couldn’t shake the feeling that Estelle Lockwood was hiding some devious plan.

He narrowed his eyes and warned, "That’s for the best. You should learn to behave, Miss Lockwood. After all, you still have three children."

Estelle Lockwood’s fingers froze. A flash of intense hatred crossed her eyes, but when she looked up again, her expression was once more calm.

"Mr. Lancaster, let me offer you a piece of advice as well. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. You’ve fabricated my ’death,’ and perhaps no one suspects a thing. But if too many people ’die,’ you’d better weigh the consequences carefully, Mr. Lancaster."

Theodore Lancaster paused his steps, sneered, and turned to leave the study.

’Estelle Lockwood is indeed a smart woman, but what does it matter how smart she is? She still can’t escape the palm of my hand.’

...

After Theodore Lancaster left, Estelle Lockwood remained seated on the sofa, turning a page every minute.

However, she wasn’t actually reading. She was thinking. ’In this situation, I can’t leave this villa. How can I possibly get a message to Nathaniel Sloan?’

The online chatter, her ’funeral,’ the Sloan family’s hypocritical act—all of it would be easy to solve. All she had to do was show up alive, and everything would fall into place.

The biggest problem was that she couldn’t leave the villa.

Even if she found out the villa’s location and Nathaniel came to rescue her, she feared it would be a trap.

Therefore, the best-case scenario was to meet Nathaniel somewhere else and have him take her away, rather than having him attempt a rescue at the villa.

But it was obvious Theodore Lancaster wouldn’t let her leave. It was a vicious cycle.

’...Wait!’

Estelle Lockwood’s eyes lit up.

’Who says I can’t leave the villa?’

’My ’funeral’ is in ten days. Given how twisted Theodore Lancaster is, there’s a good chance he’ll take me there to watch!’

’If, ten days from now, both Nathaniel Sloan and I are at the funeral...’

’...then, with some preparation, my chances of being rescued would be much, much higher.’

’There are two things I need to do now—’

’First, get Theodore Lancaster to willingly take me to my own ’funeral’ without any suspicion.’

’Second, find a way to get a message out within these ten days.’

Estelle Lockwood placed the book back on the shelf and went on to look at the others.

Soon, her browsing would lead her to that copy of *Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland*.

She knew the entire study was filled with micro-cameras, and that she was being watched at all times.

’So what? I will find a way out, even under this heavy surveillance!’