The Triplets My Ex Never Knew About

Chapter 42: Chapter 42: I Will Protect You

Seeing that Estelle Lockwood was still walking out, several board members grew frantic. "Miss Lockwood! President Lockwood! We can talk about this!"

"That’s right, President Lockwood. Please, come back. The contract has already been drafted. Don’t be angry, please, calm down."

Estelle Lockwood turned back, a look of confusion on her face. "Come back? Why don’t you ask Mrs. Sloan first if she’ll even allow me to? It would be so awkward if I came back only for her to tell me to get lost again."

The board members frantically shot Nathaniel Sloan meaningful glances.

Nathaniel Sloan’s tone left no room for doubt. "I’m the one you’re partnering with. President Lockwood, you don’t need to listen to anyone else’s opinion."

Estelle Lockwood let out a laugh, then slowly made her way back.

Laura Jennings nearly died from anger. ’Isn’t he just saying that I’m part of that "anyone else"?!’

Gritting her teeth, she rushed forward. "No, absolutely not! Nathaniel, she already agreed not to partner with us, so why do you insist on going through with it? This woman has sinister intentions!"

A nearly imperceptible flicker of disgust flashed in Nathaniel Sloan’s eyes. "Evernight and Star have signed a contract," he said coolly. "Breaking it requires payment of a cancellation penalty."

Laura Jennings maintained her haughty demeanor. "It’s just a small cancellation penalty. Can’t you afford it? Or are you saying you’d rather defy me, your mother, than cut ties with this woman? Do you know that because you’ve been so close with her, Noelle has been crying!"

Everyone in the company turned to look, struggling to understand why President Sloan’s mother, the dignified Mrs. Sloan, was behaving like a fishwife screaming in the street.

Nathaniel Sloan didn’t even bat an eyelid. "This partnership has an initial investment of one billion, with potential returns of around three billion. The cancellation penalty is five hundred million."

"Are you telling me, Mother, that I should throw away four and a half billion all because of Noelle Lockwood’s tears?"

Nathaniel Sloan scoffed coolly, "What kind of tears are worth that much?"

The entire Evernight Tower instantly fell into a deathly silence.

The assistants didn’t dare to speak, while the look of disdain in the board members’ eyes grew even more intense.

Laura Jennings’s expression froze. Apparently stunned by the "four and a half billion," her voice dropped significantly as she stammered,

"N-No, that’s impossible! What kind of partnership could be worth so much? Nathaniel, you’re actually lying to me for some woman! After all the suffering I went through giving birth to you, after raising you through so much hardship..."

"Mrs. Sloan!" one of the board members, having reached his limit, suddenly shouted,

"Haven’t you made enough of a scene! You really think Nathaniel would lie to you? Who do you think you are? Take a good look at yourself. What about you is even worth lying to?"

"Do you have any idea how many people are eyeing this partnership? The Kingston Group is one of them! Four and a half billion is a conservative estimate. The real returns from this collaboration will be even greater!"

The other board members couldn’t watch any longer either. "Where do you think the money you spend every day comes from? It’s all earned by Nathaniel! All you do from dawn till dusk is throw your weight around using the fact that you’re his mother. The Sloan Family’s reputation is in tatters because of people like you!"

"Noelle Lockwood’s tears? Don’t think we don’t know that you’ve always favored her. What did she do, save your life in a previous one?"

Having said their piece, the board members, fearing Estelle Lockwood might storm off in a rage, quickly adopted a placating tone. "President Lockwood, you don’t need to pay her any mind. Shall we head upstairs?"

"Yes, President Lockwood. It’s an honor to be working with Star..."

The board members’ completely different attitudes toward Laura Jennings and Estelle Lockwood infuriated Laura to no end. "Nathaniel, what is the meaning of this? You’re doing this for her..."

"Luke White, have someone escort Mother home," Nathaniel Sloan interrupted coolly.

Luke White nodded respectfully before firmly taking Laura Jennings by the arm. His smile didn’t reach his eyes. "Mrs. Sloan, please."

Laura Jennings was practically thrown out of Evernight Tower, her body trembling with a rage so intense she could barely breathe.

Noelle Lockwood, who had been watching from the sidelines for a long time, finally made her move. Feigning a recent arrival, she hurried forward in a panic. "Mrs. Sloan, are you all right?"

"I’m so sorry, Mrs. Sloan, this is all my fault. I knew how important Miss Lockwood was to Nathaniel... I never should have said anything to you. You stood up for me, and now... and now..."

This only made Laura Jennings even angrier.

’Yara Lockwood... Fine. So Nathaniel insists on protecting her. She might not be able to punish that bitch herself, but she had other ways! Doesn’t Yara Lockwood have those two little bastards...?’

...

The elevator reached the 25th floor, and Nathaniel Sloan and Estelle Lockwood walked side-by-side at the head of the group.

"Insisted on coming to the company alone and got yourself into trouble, didn’t you?" Nathaniel Sloan said coolly.

Estelle Lockwood’s brow furrowed. ’He has the nerve to say that to me?’ ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com

"I just never imagined that at a corporation as massive as Evernight International, someone would actually harass a business partner."

Estelle Lockwood said sarcastically, "President Sloan, when you have a moment, get your mother under control. Don’t let her run around throwing tantrums everywhere."

Nathaniel Sloan said no more. Just before they entered the conference room, he spoke again, his voice even.

"If you encounter a situation like this again, you can call me. Miss Lockwood, you’re my business partner. I will protect you. There’s no need to just stand there and take that kind of abuse."

Estelle Lockwood let out a cold laugh. ’Just stand there and take abuse?’

’She’d lost count of the times five years ago when Laura Jennings had insulted and slapped her. Where was Nathaniel Sloan’s protection then?’

"I don’t need it. In fact, I should be the one giving you a heads-up, Mr. Sloan. If there’s a next time, your mom will be getting two slaps from me, at a minimum. Don’t tell me I’ve gone too far when it happens."

Nathaniel Sloan regarded her silently for a moment, then nodded. "Let’s start the meeting."

...

The meeting went on for five hours before finally concluding.

In the end, they settled on a profit-sharing ratio and raw material pricing that were satisfactory to both sides.

Evernight’s board members were beaming. "President Lockwood, it’s still early, and everyone’s tired after the long meeting. How about I find a place for us all to gather for a meal?"

Estelle Lockwood was feeling the fatigue as well. "That’s a nice idea, but I’ll have to pass. I need to get back and sort through some files."

The first batch of perfume would be launching soon, and Estelle Lockwood was worried she was running out of time.

The board member was understanding. "Very well, President Lockwood. Please, don’t let us keep you."

After that, the executives from both companies went to a hotel for dinner. As Estelle Lockwood was preparing to return to her studio, she noticed that Nathaniel Sloan hadn’t gone either.

’Oh, right. He never liked crowded places, especially these kinds of social obligations.’

Estelle Lockwood was heading to her studio to work on her perfume blends. When she was mixing scents, she became completely absorbed, losing all track of time. Worried she would forget, she had called Henry Kendrick, who promised to pick up Zachery and Mia later in the evening.

As Nathaniel Sloan was leaving, he overheard her on the phone with someone.

"I’m on a tight schedule, so... yeah... I’ll have to trouble you with Zachery and Mia, then."

"Young Mr. Sloan? Today isn’t one of Christian’s scheduled check-ups. Besides, he’s been recovering well, so it shouldn’t be a problem if I don’t visit Imperial Crest for two days."

The person on the other end of the line said something, and Nathaniel Sloan saw Estelle Lockwood’s brow furrow as her tone turned scornful:

"What the hell do I care about Nathaniel Sloan? I’m his son’s doctor, not his. He should be happy I’m not at Imperial Crest to be an eyesore. Look, I just sat through a five-hour meeting with Nathaniel Sloan and I’m thoroughly sick of him. Don’t mention his name again. It makes me want to puke."

Nathaniel Sloan stopped dead in his tracks, his brow twitching twice in quick succession.