Free Web NovelChapter 263: Chapter 266: Ethan Lockwood Gets Sued
"Willow Quincy, even your parents are starting to suspect you. How many more days do you think you can get away with this?"
Willow Quincy looked at Charlotte Shaw, the corners of his lips curving into a faint smile. "To count it in days... you’re underestimating me far too much."
As he spoke, he took a soft step closer to Charlotte Shaw. "Sonia, I told you I would take you away. I’m going to take you to Nordheim to see the aurora. Until those dreams are realized, it’s absolutely impossible for anyone to catch me."
"Whether it’s the netizens, my parents, or Felix Preston, none of them will stop me!"
"But what you say doesn’t matter," Charlotte Shaw said with a contemptuous look. "In your dreams. You think you can just quietly kidnap me and whisk me out of Aethelburg to a foreign country. But have you thought it through? The police aren’t fools, and your parents aren’t blind!"
"If even they can guess my disappearance is connected to you, do you really think the task force won’t? Do you think this villa is so well-hidden that it can completely escape the task force’s attention?"
"..."
Willow Quincy looked at her. The smile was still on his face, but he suddenly fell silent.
Charlotte Shaw stated, "Willow Quincy, you’re not getting away."
"I *will* get away!" Willow Quincy’s voice suddenly spiked, his gaze fixed on Charlotte Shaw, his eyes glittering with raw madness. "Sonia, if I had the guts to kidnap you, then I’m confident I can get you away!"
"Oh? And how do you plan on getting me away?" Charlotte Shaw asked sarcastically. "If I’m not mistaken, the name ’Willow Quincy’ is now on the task force’s priority watch list. Never mind leaving the country, you can’t even get out of Aethelburg. So how exactly are you going to take me with you?"
"...You don’t need to worry about that, Sonia." Unwilling to argue with Charlotte Shaw, Willow Quincy dodged the issue. "You just need to eat well, sleep well, and not worry about a thing."
"I’ll handle everything."
"Hmph," Charlotte Shaw scoffed. "Go on, keep lying to yourself. Let’s see how long you can keep this up."
Willow Quincy laughed too. "Don’t worry, Sonia. Even if I die, I’ll die with you."
"..."
Speechless, Charlotte Shaw rolled her eyes at him, then turned and walked away.
BUZZ—
BUZZ—
But before she reached the door, she heard Willow Quincy’s phone vibrate sharply twice.
Acting on some instinct, she immediately stopped and looked back at Willow Quincy.
She saw Willow Quincy had just scooped his phone off the bed and was staring down at a message.
Whatever he saw, his expression changed in an instant.
Charlotte Shaw’s brow twitched, and her heart leaped into her throat.
"What is it?" she asked directly. "Did the task force find you?"
"No." Willow Quincy raised an eyebrow, his eyes filled with delighted surprise. "The task force didn’t find me. They found Ethan Lockwood."
"...Ethan Lockwood?" It had been a long time since Charlotte Shaw had heard that name. Her eyes widened in astonishment, and she stared at Willow Quincy in disbelief. "Why would the task force be looking for Ethan Lockwood? My disappearance has absolutely nothing to do with him!"
Willow Quincy walked toward her, phone in hand. "The task force isn’t after him for your disappearance. It’s because of Felix Preston."
"Felix Preston?" Charlotte Shaw was confused. "What does Felix Preston have to do with it?"
Willow Quincy said, "Felix Preston sued Ethan Lockwood. For libel and slander."
"Ah..." Charlotte understood. So, Felix Preston was officially making his move against Ethan Lockwood.
"...Huh?" Willow Quincy was surprised by her reaction. "Sonia, how can you be so calm?"
Charlotte Shaw gave a smug smile. "Of course. Because Felix Preston and I planned this all out beforehand."
"What?" Willow Quincy’s expression froze. "You and Felix Preston planned this? What did you plan?"
"Hmph..." Charlotte Shaw raised an eyebrow, her expression proud. "That’s a secret between Felix Preston and me. Why on earth would I tell you?"
"..."
Willow Quincy pressed his lips together, his simmering gaze laced with a hint of resentment and jealousy.
Charlotte Shaw, however, was his complete opposite. Upon hearing the good news about Felix Preston, her spirits soared. Humming a cheerful tune, she practically skipped out of Willow Quincy’s room.
To needle Willow Quincy, she deliberately said aloud, "My husband is so incredible! He moved to teach Ethan Lockwood a lesson so fast. So cool!"
...
"Mr. Lockwood, Felix Preston really did sue you. The legal summons from his lawyer was just delivered to the front desk."
Simon Abbott stood before Ethan Lockwood’s desk, holding a document folder with both hands, his back bowed.
Ethan Lockwood stared at him, his face devoid of expression, and said nothing.
He could feel the menacing aura radiating from Ethan Lockwood, so even though his back ached from stooping, he didn’t dare move an inch.
Holding the folder with both hands, he felt the light, thin object was heavier than a chunk of lead.
SCRAPE—
After what felt like an eternity, Ethan Lockwood finally moved.
He kicked his chair back, stood up, and slowly rounded the desk to stop in front of Simon Abbott.
Simon Abbott held out the folder, his back bowing even lower.
Ethan Lockwood took the folder, broke the seal, and pulled out the single, thin notice inside. He glanced at it casually.
After a quick look, he handed everything back to Simon Abbott without any reaction.
Simon Abbott put the folder and notice away, then cautiously raised his eyes to steal a glance at Ethan Lockwood’s face.
Ethan Lockwood’s face remained impassive, yet it sent an unprovoked chill down Simon Abbott’s spine.
"...Did he only sue me?" Ethan Lockwood asked after a moment.
Simon Abbott answered, his heart pounding with fear, "...Yes. Felix Preston only sued you."
"What about Liam Joyce?" Ethan Lockwood’s gaze was cold as it swept over him. "Did he sue Liam Joyce?"
Simon Abbott shook his head. "I don’t think so. As soon as we received the summons, Wyatt and I had someone check at the courthouse. It seems the only person Felix Preston is suing is you. Liam Joyce isn’t named."
"Why not Liam Joyce?!" Ethan Lockwood’s voice suddenly turned vicious, startling Simon Abbott so badly his knees buckled, and he almost collapsed to the floor.
"Liam Joyce and I did this together! What right does Felix Preston have to sue only me and not him?"
...Simon Abbott didn’t dare say a word.
Ethan Lockwood gritted his teeth. "Felix Preston is doing this deliberately!"
"He’s deliberately suing only me and not Liam Joyce! He’s deliberately targeting me and me alone!"
"..."
’This was the kind of situation where the more you said, the more you got wrong, so Simon Abbott decisively chose to remain silent. As long as he kept his mouth shut, Ethan Lockwood couldn’t take it out on him.’
’He kept his head down, doing his best to be part of the furniture, just waiting for Ethan Lockwood to finish venting.’
But Ethan Lockwood fell silent after that last outburst. A long moment passed before he spoke again, and when he did, the topic had suddenly shifted to Simon Abbott.
"Abbott, how many people are in your family?"
