The Triplets My Ex Never Knew About

Chapter 22: Chapter 22: I Won’t Marry Anyone But Estelle Lockwood

Laura Jennings refused to back down. "I’m not done..."

"Since you know I’ve only ever loved Estelle Lockwood, Mother, you should understand that I’ll never marry anyone else. As for her letter, I’m fulfilling every wish she wrote, except for the one about marrying Noelle Lockwood."

After Estelle Lockwood’s supposed ’suicide by arson,’ Nathaniel Sloan had found her final letter.

In the letter, she’d written that she was sorry to so many people. She said she was too emotionally fragile, too plagued by insecurity to go on living. She hoped that after she died, Nathaniel Sloan would take care of the Lockwood family and Noelle Lockwood. She also wanted Noelle to care for her child and... marry her husband.

Nathaniel Sloan had never forgotten. But he would never marry Noelle Lockwood.

Laura Jennings wasn’t having it. "Then what is Noelle supposed to do? It can’t just end like this! Fine, don’t marry her. But at least get rid of Yara Lockwood..."

Nathaniel Sloan said flatly, "Impossible."

Noelle Lockwood chose that moment to interject. "Mrs. Jennings, it’s alright. Let’s go check on Christian first..."

She then turned her head, feigning helplessness. "Nathaniel, I’m so sorry. Mrs. Jennings is just a little worked up. After all, Dr. Lockwood is an outsider, so it’s natural she’s concerned."

Seeing that her son wouldn’t listen, Laura Jennings seethed, "Fine. I’ll wait right here. I want to see for myself just what kind of homewrecking vixen this Yara Lockwood is!"

Laura Jennings stormed off to the living room with Noelle Lockwood, fuming. Nathaniel Sloan massaged his temples.

...

Laura Jennings plopped onto the sofa, fuming. "Noelle, you tell me. What’s the deal with that vixen?"

Noelle Lockwood’s eyes welled with tears. "Mrs. Jennings, please don’t ask anymore. Nathaniel cares about her a great deal. He even brought back two children... and they’re connected to Yara Lockwood, too..."

"What? Two little bastards, too?!" Laura Jennings shrieked.

She was about to storm off to confront Nathaniel Sloan when she touched her wrist. Her expression changed in an instant. "Where’s my bracelet?!"

This bracelet was a piece by the world-renowned designer ’Celestar.’ It was priceless, a limited edition that money couldn’t buy! Celestar was a mysterious designer who had never shown her face, but all of her creations were in high demand.

Noelle had gone to great lengths to get it for her, and now it was missing?

"Find it! Go find it now!"

Twenty minutes later, a miserable-looking Luke White knocked on the door to Nathaniel Sloan’s study. "Sir! Mrs. Sloan says Miss Mia stole her jewelry. You have to go see..."

Nathaniel Sloan’s eyes darkened.

...

「Meanwhile, at the Star Group.」

The meeting had just ended when Estelle Lockwood got a call from Zachery. "What is it, my little cool guy...? What did you say?"

Zachery sounded frantic on the other end. "Mommy, that old hag is insisting Mia stole her jewelry! But that bracelet... isn’t that the one you gave her?!"

Estelle Lockwood had designed many pieces under her alias, ’Celestar.’ When her latest design was complete, the scarcity of materials meant it had to be a limited edition release.

As the designer, she had kept one for herself. Mia had said she liked it, so Estelle had given it to her.

Laura Jennings had snatched the bracelet and was now adamantly accusing Mia of theft...

’Five years apart, and my former mother-in-law is still as good as ever at twisting the truth!’

"Mommy understands. I’m on my way back now. Can my little cool guy, Zachery, protect Mia for me?"

"Don’t worry, Mommy!"

Zachery hung up and immediately turned. "Young Master, we have to get back to the living room! What if that old ha—uh, your grandma—what if she hits Mia?!"

It was Christian Sloan who had quietly pulled Zachery aside just moments ago, telling him to call Estelle Lockwood.

Christian nodded. "Don’t be scared. I’ll protect Mia, too."

...

「In the living room.」

All the servants stood with their heads bowed, deathly silent.

Laura Jennings, trembling with rage, clutched the bracelet and pointed a finger right at Mia’s face. "A bastard will always be a bastard! How dare you steal from me?!"

’This woman is crazy,’ Mia thought.

Her mommy had clearly given her the bracelet. She kept it in a box on her bedside table, and just a moment ago, a group of people had barged into her room, rummaged through everything, and taken it.

And now this old hag was accusing her of being a thief!

’Is there no justice in this world? They’re not even pretending not to be robbers anymore!’

Mia was exasperated. "But it’s mine."

This only made Laura Jennings angrier. "Still trying to argue?! Do you have any idea that this bracelet is a global limited edition? And you claim it’s yours? The nerve!"

Noelle Lockwood anxiously chimed in from the side, "Mrs. Jennings, please don’t be upset. Maybe she’s just a child who saw something shiny and took it because she liked it."

"Perhaps this is just how Dr. Lockwood raises her children, so..."

"You’re defending her?!" Laura Jennings’s face twisted into a vicious snarl. "I heard Yara Lockwood brought you here? I don’t care if you’re her daughter or not—anyone connected to that woman is trash!"

Mia nearly rolled her eyes out of her head.

’Who does Noelle Lockwood think she’s fooling? What’s with that comment about ’how Dr. Lockwood raises her children’? Isn’t that just her way of telling the old hag that Mommy encourages me to steal?’

’But I didn’t steal anything!’

But Mia wasn’t flustered in the least. She had learned a bit of divination from her grandfather. She made a quick calculation with her fingers and figured it out: the bracelet Laura Jennings had was a fake to begin with.

Mia pursed her lips. ’Trying to pull a scam with a fake... aren’t you afraid you’ll trip yourself up?’ "Ma’am," she said, "you claim I stole this, but do you have any proof? Or, more to the point, do you have any proof that you’re the one who bought this bracelet?"

"I found it in your room. Isn’t that proof enough?"

Laura Jennings sneered. "Noelle, she wants to see the proof of purchase. Fine, show it to her!"

Noelle Lockwood’s heart sank, and she bit her lip.

’The one I bought was a fake. If I show the purchase record, they’ll find out immediately...’ she thought. ’But Mia Lockwood is just a child; she wouldn’t know anything about this.’

"Alright, Mrs. Jennings. Just a moment, I’ll go get it..." freewebnσvel.cøm

"Mia." Nathaniel Sloan came down the stairs. His dark gaze swept over Noelle Lockwood before he hurried to Mia’s side, then turned back with a deep frown.

"Mom, what are you doing?"

Laura Jennings was still seething. "What am I doing? This little bastard is a thief, what do you think I’m doing! And you insisted on bringing such an ill-mannered piece of trash into this house..."

Mia’s expression turned serious, her brow furrowed. "Ma’am, you keep calling me a ’little bastard.’ When it comes to being ill-mannered, I think you’re the clear winner."

"You-!" Laura Jennings’s eyes went wide. "Nathaniel, look at her! Not only is she a thief, she’s mocking me! Throw her out! It’s either her or me in this house!"

"Mom!" Nathaniel Sloan whirled around. "That’s enough!"

Laura Jennings was relentless. "I’m your mother! You’re letting this little bastard steal from me! Do you still have any respect for me as your mother...?"

"Accusing Mia of theft without a shred of evidence. You’ve got some nerve, Mrs. Sloan!"

An icy female voice cut Laura Jennings off.

Laura Jennings instinctively looked over, and her eyes widened in shock.

’...Estelle Lockwood? No, she doesn’t look exactly like Estelle Lockwood.’

"So you’re Yara Lockwood? And these two little bastards are your children? She stole my jewelry. Out of respect for Nathaniel, I won’t call the police, but you have to atone for this! Since you’re their guardian, you can kowtow to me twice!"

The smile on Estelle Lockwood’s face faded. "Mia said she didn’t steal."

"You want proof, Mrs. Sloan? I can give you proof. But if it turns out Mia didn’t steal anything, and that you, Mrs. Sloan, framed her..."

Estelle Lockwood’s voice was laden with meaning. "Then shouldn’t you be the one to get on your knees and kowtow to me?"