The Triplets My Ex Never Knew About

Chapter 106: Chapter 106: Mr. Sloan, I Can Dance With You

Yara Lockwood arrived at the banquet hall and sat down in the lounge area. Before she could even catch her breath, a shadow fell over her.

She looked up to see a young man standing before her, surrounded by his entourage.

She recognized him. He was the young master of a branch of the Sloan Family, Nathaniel Sloan’s cousin, Leo Sloan.

Leo Sloan’s face was flushed with anger. "Were you the one who was bullying Noelle just now? How could you be so cruel!"

Yara couldn’t be bothered with him and didn’t even spare him a glance.

Just then, someone approached.

A refined, gentle male voice, smooth as jade, spoke with an underlying sense of pressure. "Mr. Leo Sloan, cornering a guest like this isn’t proper behavior for a young master, wouldn’t you agree? Ms. Sloan was just looking for you."

Leo Sloan was both angry and annoyed, but he was also afraid of Iris Sloan finding out that he had come to cause trouble for Yara. He left in a hurry.

Yara finally looked up, raising an eyebrow. ’Jasper Kingston?’

After settling the collaboration with the Kingston Group last time, she had handed that part of the project over to Henry Kendrick. She had only been to the Kingston Group’s offices a few times, so she didn’t expect to see Jasper Kingston here.

"Miss Lockwood, are you all right?" Jasper Kingston asked with concern.

Yara shook her head. "I’m fine. It’s a pleasure, Mr. Kingston."

...

Nathaniel Sloan’s expression darkened.

He had been searching the entire venue for this woman, and here she was, drinking with Jasper Kingston in a corner.

Nathaniel Sloan strode forward. "Yara, come here." ƒгeewebnovёl.com

Yara was just clinking glasses with Jasper Kingston when she heard a cold male voice. She frowned and looked over.

She hadn’t seen Nathaniel Sloan at all in the past few days. That pile of clothes he’d bought for her from the mall was still sitting in her closet, untouched.

Seeing those clothes reminded her of five years ago... For some reason, Estelle’s emotions had been in turmoil lately.

She turned her head away. It was Jasper Kingston who stood up first. "Nathaniel."

Nathaniel Sloan’s pale gray eyes swept over him before landing back on Yara. "The ball is about to start."

Yara raised an eyebrow. "The ball?"

Nathaniel didn’t know what was wrong with him. After just two days of not seeing this woman, it felt like his heart was being squeezed by something, and he’d been desperate to see her.

There was indeed a ball to kick off the banquet, but he didn’t need to participate. Even if he did, he wasn’t short of partners.

But he had still searched the entire venue to find Yara, wanting to be with her.

Hearing this, Jasper Kingston showed a surprised expression. "Nathaniel, are you also here to invite Miss Lockwood to the ball? Miss Lockwood, I had the same intention."

For some reason, Nathaniel Sloan found this man irritating. "Mr. Kingston, I was the one who asked first."

Jasper Kingston nodded like a gentleman. "I know. However, Mr. Sloan, Miss Lockwood hasn’t accepted your invitation yet, which means everyone still has a chance."

Yara narrowed her eyes, suddenly remembering something.

It was a tradition for the Sloan Group’s banquets to open with a ball.

Once, at a Sloan Group annual gala, Nathaniel Sloan, as the heir, was supposed to dance the first dance with his partner.

As a married man, his partner should have normally been his wife.

Estelle hadn’t known how to dance, but for Nathaniel Sloan’s sake, she had practiced for a very long time. Before that, Nathaniel had also promised her that he would invite her to dance at the ball.

At that banquet, almost everyone knew that Estelle Lockwood, Mrs. Sloan, would be accompanying Nathaniel Sloan for the first dance.

But...

When the moment arrived, Nathaniel Sloan walked right past her and went straight to Noelle Lockwood.

He extended his hand to Noelle Lockwood in a gentlemanly gesture, inviting her to the dance floor.

And Estelle, who had changed into a beautiful gown specifically for this dance, became a laughingstock in everyone’s eyes.

’Look at her... She was the one who spread the news that she was Mr. Sloan’s partner. How embarrassing, right?’

’Tsk, tsk, she even changed her clothes. Her dress is a matching set with Mr. Sloan’s suit!’

’So what if they’re matching? Didn’t Mr. Sloan just ignore her and invite Noelle Lockwood instead?’

’Estelle Lockwood is so pathetic...’

Tears in her eyes, Estelle watched her husband dance gracefully with another woman. Fully prepared as she was, she was completely out of place.

She couldn’t understand why. They had agreed. Nathaniel Sloan had promised her. It wasn’t as if Nathaniel hadn’t seen how hard she’d worked for that dance.

’Why did he abandon her at the last minute!’

Snapping back to the present, Yara clenched her fists and shut her eyes tightly. ’I can’t let my past emotions affect me anymore.’

Yara’s lips curved into a smile. "Mr. Sloan, the ball, was it? I accept."

Jasper Kingston raised his eyebrows, slightly surprised.

Nathaniel Sloan’s eyes remained impassive. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and after a long moment, he finally rasped out, "Okay."

"However," Yara said, tucking a stray strand of hair. "Leo Sloan just warned me to stay away from you, and your mother is dead set on you dancing with Noelle Lockwood. I’m afraid of trouble, so I’ll have to ask you, Mr. Sloan, not to refuse Noelle just yet. Wait until the ball starts, and then you can invite me."

This long-winded speech left Liam Sloan, who had just arrived, completely bewildered.

’What does she mean?’

’She wants my brother to pretend to agree to dance with Noelle Lockwood.’

’And then, when the ball starts, he’s supposed to walk past Noelle and invite Yara?’

’Hiss... That’s a huge slap in the face!’

’Isn’t this just blatantly telling Nathaniel Sloan: ’I don’t like Noelle Lockwood. Help me mess with her and humiliate her, and if I’m happy, I’ll dance with you.’’

’Is Yara really my sister-in-law? Could my sister-in-law... be this cunning? Besides, my brother has always been an upright person. Even though he doesn’t like Noelle Lockwood, he wouldn’t do something like toying with someone... right?’

Nathaniel Sloan was no fool; he naturally understood what Yara meant. His expression didn’t change. "I can do that."

Liam Sloan shut his mouth. ’Oh, right. I forgot. When it comes to my sister-in-law, my brother has a love-addled brain.’

Yara hadn’t expected Nathaniel Sloan to agree so quickly. A moment later, she realized why and chuckled drily.

’After all, Nathaniel Sloan has a history. That ball back then, why did he end up inviting Noelle Lockwood... Maybe he and Noelle ganged up to make a fool out of me.’

’Now the one being made a fool of is Noelle Lockwood instead of me. It’s only fair, right?’

Yara nodded. "Then don’t forget, Mr. Sloan. The ball starts in a few minutes. I’m going to go change. Oh, and... Mr. Kingston, that ball is going to be quite interesting. You should definitely be there."

Jasper Kingston, having been suddenly called upon, raised an eyebrow with interest.

’Insisting that I attend as well... What is Miss Lockwood planning?’

’Did Miss Lockwood agree to dance with Nathaniel Sloan really just to mess with Noelle Lockwood?’

...

A quarter of an hour later, the banquet officially began. Amidst the clinking of glasses, the lights focused on the central dance floor.

Noelle Lockwood had already composed herself. She changed into a ball gown and came downstairs, her face blushing.

Laura Jennings was very pleased. She said to Ethan Sloan, "I told you Nathaniel isn’t clueless. Once you explain the pros and cons to him, he understands. See? He came to specifically invite Noelle to dance!"

Hearing this, Liam Sloan thought: "..."

’Heh. Explaining pros and cons to a love-addled brain? Ugh, I’m genuinely scared Laura Jennings and Noelle Lockwood are going to have a meltdown in a bit.’