The Triplets My Ex Never Knew About

Chapter 107: Chapter 107: Miss Yara Lockwood, The Person I Am Inviting Is You

The ball began.

The crowd saw Noelle Lockwood, dressed to the nines, standing beside Laura Jennings.

Someone with a sharp eye took a few glances and suddenly spoke up.

"Miss Noelle and Mr. Sloan seem to be wearing matching outfits!"

"It’s true! And Miss Noelle is standing right next to the Head of the Sloans and Mrs. Sloan. It looks like Mr. Sloan will definitely ask her for the first dance, won’t he?"

"Is there even a question? After all, she’s the daughter-in-law Mrs. Sloan has her heart set on..."

Although there had been a small incident at the entrance earlier, everyone present was smart enough not to mention it, giving Noelle Lockwood plenty of face.

Laura Jennings patted Noelle Lockwood’s hand in satisfaction. "Noelle, in a moment, you’ll have a wonderful dance with Nathaniel. Let some of these blind fools see just who it is Nathaniel holds dearest!"

Ethan Sloan frowned at her words, but he didn’t say anything more.

Noelle Lockwood gave a shy smile. "I’m surprised that Nathaniel is coming to ask me."

Laura Jennings looked at her as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "What’s there to be surprised about? For so many years, you and Nathaniel have always had the first dance. This is what you deserve. Some people can try to steal it, but they’ll never succeed!"

Estelle Lockwood let out a sarcastic laugh.

’Right.’

’Laura Jennings had said the same thing five years ago.’

’At the banquet that day, she had waited with bated breath for Nathaniel Sloan to ask her to dance. Instead, he walked right past her, and Laura Jennings began to mock her.’

’Her taunts grew louder and louder until everyone around could hear them.’

’Everyone watched as her husband and her sister danced in the middle of the floor.’

’They watched as her mother-in-law berated her—’

’Know your place.’ ’Don’t covet what doesn’t belong to you.’ ’It has always been Noelle who dances with Nathaniel. What right do you have to even try and take that away?’

A dark smile touched Estelle Lockwood’s lips.

Nathaniel Sloan’s eyes, cool and indifferent, glanced her way before he began to walk over slowly.

The surroundings quieted down, and many people were silently envying Noelle Lockwood.

No matter what had happened in the past, and no matter how many scandals were attached to Noelle Lockwood’s name now, as long as she had Nathaniel Sloan protecting her, no one could afford to cross her.

Today’s dance was a signal. Nathaniel Sloan was using this opportunity to tell everyone that Noelle Lockwood was under his protection, and no one was to touch her.

Nathaniel Sloan drew closer and closer.

A blush crept onto Noelle Lockwood’s face.

Laura Jennings was overjoyed. "Oh, Noelle, what are you being shy for? Quick, Nathaniel’s coming over!"

Noelle Lockwood couldn’t resist glancing at Estelle Lockwood, her heart swelling with smug satisfaction.

’She really thought she was something, huh? In the end, isn’t Nathaniel still going to dance with me?’

Noelle Lockwood had already arranged for it. As soon as she and Nathaniel Sloan began to dance, press releases would flood the entire internet!

Nathaniel Sloan had reached her side.

Noelle Lockwood demurely extended her hand. "Nathaniel..." fɾeeweɓnѳveɭ.com

Nathaniel Sloan grunted in acknowledgment, made a gentlemanly gesture, and extended his own hand.

Noelle Lockwood’s excitement surged, her heart pounding like a drum. ’Take my hand! Let that bitch Estelle watch and burn with envy!’

The next moment, under the watchful eyes of the entire room, Nathaniel Sloan turned slightly to face the person beside Noelle Lockwood.

"Miss Yara, may I have this dance?"

...

...

The entire hall fell dead silent. You could have heard a pin drop.

Everyone wondered if they had misheard.

Wait! Who did Nathaniel Sloan just invite? Yara? Not Noelle Lockwood?!!

Noelle Lockwood’s hand was still hanging in mid-air. Her expression changed drastically at his words. She looked up in disbelief. ’Nathaniel invited Yara? He actually invited Yara? Then what about me?!’

Laura Jennings also snapped back to reality, her smile instantly turning into a vicious snarl. "Nathaniel! Did you invite the wrong person? Noelle is right here!"

Tears welled up in Noelle Lockwood’s eyes at the perfect moment.

Laura Jennings immediately whipped her head around, her sharp, savage gaze landing on Estelle Lockwood. "Was it you? Did you pull some kind of trick? Today’s first dance was meant for Noelle and Nathaniel! What right do you have?!"

"Seducing my son right in front of my face... Yara Lockwood, you’ve certainly got some nerve!"

The guests exchanged uncertain glances.

The first dance at a Sloan Group banquet was always led by Nathaniel Sloan, the man in charge. In the past, his partner had always been Noelle Lockwood.

Today, Nathaniel Sloan had suddenly invited Yara. Combined with Mrs. Sloan’s firm insistence that Yara had seduced Mr. Sloan, could it be that...

"Just because someone was my dance partner in the past, does that mean they must be my partner forever?" Nathaniel Sloan asked coolly.

Noelle Lockwood’s face paled, a bad feeling creeping into her heart. "Nathaniel..."

Without a second thought, Laura Jennings blurted out, "Of course!"

Nathaniel Sloan let out a soft laugh.

Then, he spoke slowly, "In that case, Mother, do you remember who my dance partner was supposed to be?"

The color drained from Noelle Lockwood’s face. "Nathaniel—"

Nathaniel Sloan said coldly, "My dance partner was supposed to be my wife. It was never Noelle Lockwood!"

The entire hall erupted in an uproar.

Everyone knew Nathaniel Sloan had been married. They also knew his ex-wife was dead—and that her death had been less than dignified. But they never expected him to bring up the dead woman on an occasion like this.

But on second thought, it made sense. When Nathaniel Sloan was married, his dance partner was still Noelle Lockwood, which had been unconventional to begin with...

"You... what do you mean by that..." Laura Jennings’s face was ashen, and she was trembling uncontrollably. She threw her decorum to the wind, screeching like a madwoman, "You’re still thinking about that bitch! What is Noelle supposed to do? Aaaah!"

Nathaniel Sloan looked calmly at Ethan Sloan. "Father."

Ethan Sloan felt a headache coming on, his disgust for Laura Jennings growing. ’How could I have ever been taken with such a crass, ungrateful woman!’

Ethan Sloan dragged Laura Jennings away, leaving Noelle Lockwood alone to face the humiliation. The world spun before her eyes, and she felt herself about to faint. ’No, I can’t... If I’m not Nathaniel’s dance partner, I’ll die of shame today!’

"Nathaniel, Nathaniel, I..."

"After usurping a place that wasn’t yours for so long, shouldn’t you be a little more discreet, Miss Noelle? Otherwise, it will only be more humiliating, won’t it?" Estelle Lockwood interrupted coolly.

That phrase, "usurping a place that wasn’t yours," was deeply meaningful.

Without giving Noelle Lockwood so much as a glance, Nathaniel Sloan once again extended his hand to Yara. "Miss Yara?"

Everyone’s gaze was fixed on them.

’It seems Noelle Lockwood isn’t as favored as everyone thought,’ the crowd mused. ’They say this Miss Yara bears a striking resemblance to Mr. Sloan’s late ex-wife. Perhaps...’

Before they could finish that thought, the crowd watched as Estelle Lockwood gave a dazzling smile, her red lips curling as she slowly uttered two words.

"I refuse."

The crowd: ’Right, we knew no one could refuse Mr. Sloan’s invitation... Wait, what did Yara just say??’

’She refused??’

Under everyone’s astonished gazes, Estelle Lockwood slowly walked toward Jasper Kingston, her smile radiant.

"Mr. Kingston, may I have this dance?"

The crowd: "..."

The crowd: "???"

’Huh??’

Noelle Lockwood invited Nathaniel Sloan. Nathaniel Sloan invited Yara. Yara invited Jasper Kingston.

’What... what kind of game are they playing?’

The warmth in Nathaniel Sloan’s eyes instantly turned to ice.