Chapter 292: Nathaniel Arrives at the Villa, The Rescue Plan

Chapter 292: Chapter 292: Nathaniel Arrives at the Villa, The Rescue Plan

Nathaniel Sloan just asked coldly, "What exactly did you call me here for?"

Theodore Lancaster waved his hand, dismissing the bodyguards hidden nearby. "Nothing much. After all, you’re my dear older brother. Can’t we just catch up?"

Nathaniel Sloan raised an eyebrow. ’Just as I thought. Theodore Lancaster set a trap here. If I’d impulsively rushed into the villa to search, I would have just tipped him off.’

Nathaniel Sloan’s face was etched with exhaustion and despair. He furrowed his brow and turned to leave. "I still have to find Estelle. I don’t have time to waste talking to you."

"Miss Lockwood’s funeral is in nine days, Nathaniel. You still refuse to believe she’s dead?" Theodore Lancaster asked with a smile.

Nathaniel Sloan’s eyes suddenly sharpened. "She is not dead."

Theodore Lancaster looked at Nathaniel Sloan and smiled slowly.

’The more Nathaniel Sloan believes Estelle Lockwood is alive, the easier he’ll be to trick.’

Nathaniel Sloan suppressed the darkness in his eyes.

’He was acting. The more convincing his performance, the more Theodore Lancaster would lower his guard.’

’When dealing with someone like Theodore Lancaster, the best way to succeed is to feed his ego. So, Nathaniel didn’t mind playing the ’fool’ for now.’

But seeing Theodore Lancaster’s smug face, treating Estelle’s life and death as a joke and a tool for threats, a wave of fury rose within him.

Theodore Lancaster was very pleased with Nathaniel Sloan’s performance. "Nathaniel, don’t be so anxious. You’re right. Miss Lockwood has nine lives; maybe she really is still alive."

Nathaniel Sloan’s eyes were ice-cold. "Mr. Lancaster, what do you mean by that?"

Theodore Lancaster chuckled. "If you’re interested, Nathaniel, why don’t you come inside and we can talk?"

Nathaniel Sloan stared at him coldly. After a minute, he gave a slight nod. "Then I hope Mr. Lancaster has some useful information for me."

"Please."

After entering the villa, Nathaniel Sloan’s gaze darkened.

’The villa’s windows are brand new. In fact, only the windows are exceptionally new. It’s obvious they’ve been modified. They were likely boarded up before and only recently uncovered.’

’And sealing the windows is a way to blur the sense of time. So...’

’Estelle was definitely here.’

Nathaniel Sloan entered the rest of the villa, his expression unreadable. A servant soon brought tea.

Nathaniel Sloan said coldly, "Mr. Lancaster, why don’t you cut to the chase and just say what you want to say."

But Theodore Lancaster just let out a soft chuckle. Though he tried to suppress it, his tone was still thick with gloating.

"Nathaniel, to be honest, I’ve felt a little guilty about you. After all, it’s not your fault that you’re the illegitimate son. Father said a person can’t choose their birth, so it was wrong of me to resent you."

"But no matter what, you’re still the Sloan Family’s illegitimate son. You never should have existed in the first place. For more than twenty years, you’ve occupied my position, and it’s time you returned it, isn’t it?"

Nathaniel Sloan’s expression didn’t flicker. "As for the truth, we both know what it is."

’Theodore Lancaster doesn’t know his real identity? ...Heh.’

Nathaniel Sloan took a light sip of tea and let out a sneering laugh.

His lie exposed, Theodore Lancaster didn’t get angry at all. "Alright, then I’ll stop beating around the bush. A few days ago, I heard that Miss Lockwood is still alive."

Just then, a rustling sound came from outside the drawing room, like someone walking over, their clothes rubbing together.

Nathaniel Sloan whipped his head around!

’That walking sound... it’s Estelle!’

He suddenly looked at Theodore Lancaster. "Estelle is here with you?"

This was exactly what Theodore Lancaster wanted: for Nathaniel Sloan to discover a trace of Estelle Lockwood, but to be powerless to take her away.

He just loved watching Nathaniel Sloan break down.

Theodore Lancaster feigned shock. "Nathaniel, what are you talking about? Even if Estelle is still alive, she couldn’t possibly be here with me."

Nathaniel Sloan’s gaze was fixed on the door. "Then what’s that outside the door?"

Theodore Lancaster said with a smile, "Just a disobedient little bunny."

Nathaniel Sloan shot to his feet and was about to walk to the door when Theodore Lancaster lifted his gaze. Immediately, bodyguards stepped forward and grabbed Nathaniel Sloan’s shoulders.

Theodore Lancaster let out a refined, gentle laugh. "Nathaniel, this is my territory. I’d advise you to think thrice before you act."

Nathaniel Sloan turned back around, his sharp gaze fixed on Theodore Lancaster. He stated with sudden certainty, "Estelle is here with you."

Theodore Lancaster shrugged. "Nathaniel, what do you mean by that? Do you think I’m deliberately hiding Estelle? There’s no need for that... Besides, before you make such accusations, shouldn’t you provide some evidence?"

Theodore Lancaster said meaningfully, "If you can find Estelle in my villa, you can take her with you. I keep my word."

Soon, the sound of rubbing clothes from outside the door vanished.

Nathaniel Sloan said coldly, "You’d better keep your word."

Theodore Lancaster raised his eyebrows. He hadn’t expected Estelle Lockwood to have such a great influence on Nathaniel Sloan that he’d actually search the villa for traces of her... ’But doesn’t Nathaniel Sloan know that if I dare to let him search, I’ll definitely ensure no clues can be found?’

’Yes, Estelle Lockwood is indeed in the villa, but so what?’

’He wanted to let Nathaniel Sloan know that Estelle Lockwood was in his hands, but without letting him find a shred of evidence.’

"Fine," Theodore Lancaster said, raising his hand. The two bodyguards immediately stepped aside. "In that case, Nathaniel, I’ll give you one hour. If you can find her, not only will I let you take Estelle Lockwood, but I’ll also apologize. If you can’t, then you can’t blame me."

Nathaniel Sloan shot him a cold glance and turned to leave.

...

Estelle Lockwood was held by the bodyguards and led in a circle outside the drawing room door.

She was certain Nathaniel Sloan had noticed her.

Afterward, she was locked in the basement by the bodyguards. Before being taken away, she heard Nathaniel Sloan say he was going to search the villa for her.

Estelle Lockwood breathed a sigh of relief. Only after the bodyguards left did she begin to survey her surroundings.

The basement was very quiet and dark, with only a single lamp lit. There wasn’t even a chair.

Estelle Lockwood wasn’t bothered. She sat right down on the floor and pursed her lips.

’Nathaniel Sloan will definitely find that book and discover the code I left!’

She believed in Nathaniel Sloan!

...

Nathaniel Sloan gave Theodore Lancaster a cold look. "Have all your men leave."

Theodore Lancaster replied leisurely, "Of course. For the next hour, no one else in the entire villa will disturb you. That includes me. I’ll be leaving as well."

"Nathaniel, I’ll be waiting for you at the entrance. Good luck."

"Although... you won’t find a thing."

Theodore Lancaster glanced at a bodyguard. Seeing the bodyguard nod, he left, completely at ease.

—Nathaniel Sloan would find many traces of Estelle Lockwood’s presence in the villa, but he wouldn’t find her.

’So Nathaniel Sloan will be certain Estelle Lockwood is alive. When the day of the funeral comes, just how far will my dear ’brother’ go for a woman?’

’Cause a scene at the funeral?’

’When that happens, what will everyone say? They’ll say Nathaniel Sloan has gone mad. That he was jealous of the ’legitimate son’ and deliberately slandered me.’

’The very thought is just beautiful.’

...

Nathaniel Sloan waited until everyone had left before he began to search the villa.

—He wasn’t looking for Estelle Lockwood, but for the clues she had left behind.

’Estelle isn’t stupid. She knows Theodore Lancaster won’t let her go. But now that I’m here, she would have definitely found a way to leave something behind.’