The Triplets My Ex Never Knew About

Chapter 56: Chapter 56: Are You Explaining to Me?

Noelle Lockwood beamed and walked over. "Nathaniel..."

"Since when are you an investor?" Nathaniel Sloan interrupted coolly.

Noelle Lockwood’s smile froze on her face. "I..."

"Honestly, Nathaniel, this was my decision!"

Laura Jennings was very displeased with her son’s attitude. "The Lockwood Group is a perfume company, after all. If you shut out the Lockwood family, you’ll just make us a laughingstock to outsiders, won’t you?"

"Besides, it’s not like you’re short on cash. What’s wrong with helping Noelle? You have no idea how arrogant that Yara Lockwood was just now, acting as if our Noelle wasn’t even worthy of speaking to her just because she’s not an investor... Nathaniel? Nathaniel?!"

Before Laura Jennings could finish, Nathaniel Sloan had already turned to catch up with Estelle Lockwood. Laura’s face flushed with anger. "What on earth does he think he’s doing? His fiancée is right here, and all he can do is run after that little tramp!"

Noelle Lockwood said gently, "Auntie, it’s alright. Nathaniel must be going to handle some business."

Laura Jennings had always been petty, and she could only judge others through her own narrow-minded lens. "Hmph. What kind of legitimate business could a man and a woman possibly be discussing alone together? She’s just a shameless flirt..."

"Oh, Grandma, so you’re saying it’s improper for a man and a woman to discuss business together?"

Zachery had just arrived and heard this. He was so infuriated he wanted to strangle someone.

Using Christian’s face, he put on a high-pitched voice and said sarcastically, "But I saw Grandpa and Chairman Sullivan talking for a really, really long time about the City Center Garden project."

"Going by what you said, does that mean Grandpa and Chairman Sullivan are having an affair too? Wow, I’m going to go ask them."

Chairman Sullivan was in her early fifties and one of the Sloan Group’s most important partners. The City Center Garden project was the only one in the Sloan Group that didn’t rely on Nathaniel Sloan, and the entire Sloan family considered it extremely important.

And Chairman Sullivan happened to be there today; she was standing right nearby when Zachery said this.

Laura Jennings’s cheek twitched. "How can those two things be compared..."

"I think President Lockwood was right earlier. No need to waste your breath on people like this." Chairman Sullivan smiled. "Perhaps women like Mrs. Sloan, who only know how to indulge in leisure, squabble jealously, and treat their husbands as their entire world, truly don’t understand the rest of us."

The largest consumer group in the perfume industry is women.

Many of the designers and distributors are also women.

Hearing the remarks from Laura Jennings and Noelle Lockwood, they were all rather speechless and found themselves nodding in agreement.

Rumor had it that Laura Jennings had been the mistress who clawed her way up to become Mrs. Sloan.

’Perhaps in the eyes of mistresses like her, men really are all that matters. Any woman who gets near her husband is immediately branded a seductress.’ freewёbnoνel.com

Laura Jennings’s face flushed red, then went pale with anger. Rose Lowell, standing to the side, didn’t dare say a word, especially since she also thought Yara Lockwood was a shameless seductress.

Zachery trotted off, a silent hero leaving the scene.

...

Estelle Lockwood headed toward the equestrian club’s locker rooms.

Before she got there, she suddenly heard footsteps behind her, distant at first, but growing closer and quicker.

"I didn’t tell Noelle Lockwood to come. I have no idea how they even got here," Nathaniel Sloan explained.

Estelle Lockwood raised an eyebrow. "Are you explaining yourself to me, Mr. Sloan?"

Nathaniel Sloan paused for a moment. "We are, after all, very close partners. I don’t want other people to cause any unnecessary misunderstandings."

"Then you can relax, Mr. Sloan. I’m not one to argue with money."

Estelle Lockwood idly twirled a lock of hair around her finger. "The Lockwood Group’s finances go through your accounts," she said slowly. "You’re responsible for its profits and losses. It has absolutely nothing to do with me."

"However, President Sloan, let me give you a little reminder. I have plenty of ways to make the Lockwood Group lose money again and again. You might be able to protect it once, but can you really protect it every single time?"

’She had returned to the country to deal with the Lockwood family; why would she ever give the Lockwood Group a chance to make a comeback?’

Nathaniel Sloan’s gaze fell on her lips. "I won’t protect it," he said, his voice husky.

Estelle Lockwood didn’t believe him for a second. "How many true words ever come out of your mouth, President Sloan?"

Nathaniel Sloan blocked her path, but she simply sidestepped him and went into the women’s locker room.

Nathaniel Sloan’s gaze was profound, his thoughts unreadable.

"Daddy."

Suddenly, a quiet voice spoke up beside him. Zachery, the Master of Sarcasm, was deploying his special Skill of Sarcasm. "Do you know the story of the boy who cried wolf?"

Nathaniel Sloan’s eyelid twitched. For some reason, he was reminded of the proverb Zachery had used that morning, and he had a bad feeling.

Zachery continued, "The story of ’the boy who cried wolf’ goes like this: The first time you lie, people believe you. The second time you lie, they believe you again. But the third time, when you tell the truth, nobody believes you because you’ve already deceived them twice."

"See? You’ve disappointed Auntie Yara too many times. That’s why now, when you’re telling the truth, she doesn’t believe you. How tragic, Daddy!"

Nathaniel Sloan was so exasperated he almost laughed. ’What has my sweet, docile Christian been learning lately?’ he wondered. ’Why is he talking with such sarcasm?’

"So, you’re saying this is my fault?"

Zachery looked shocked, the words "Is that even a question?" practically written across his face. "Daddy, are you perhaps laboring under some delusion about yourself? Did you really think you have high credibility?"

"Tsk tsk. Trusting you, Daddy, is less likely than a pig learning to fly a plane. Oh, my apologies, how could I mention you in the same breath as a pig? You’re not worthy of the comparison."

Zane Grant, who was eavesdropping: "..." ’What’s gotten into Christian? His insults are so... creative.’

Nathaniel Sloan was both amused and exasperated. He knew Christian liked Yara Lockwood, but this was...

’Perhaps his guess was right after all. Yara Lockwood is Estelle Lockwood.’

’And Christian is Estelle Lockwood’s biological son. Even if he doesn’t know anything, it’s perfectly normal for him to feel a natural closeness to his own mother.’

Nathaniel Sloan leaned down. "Christian, you’ve been much more lively recently."

Zachery, still feeling smug from his rant, suddenly realized he might have broken character. He quickly tried to patch up his cover, his eyes darting about as he thought:

"Of course! I get happy when I see Auntie Yara, and when people are happy, they become lively. Who would want to be withdrawn if they could be lively? Before you ask me that, Daddy, maybe you should reflect on why I used to be so quiet. You may now state your position and explain why it is Noelle Lockwood’s fault."

"Alright, I’m going to go play with Uncle Zane now. Bye, Daddy!"

Nathaniel Sloan: "..."

Zane Grant cleared his throat. "Haha, Nathaniel, we’ll head to the equestrian field first, haha."

’Who could possibly hold back their laughter? Haha.’

...

At the equestrian club, everyone changed into their riding habits and selected their horses.

This was the Kendrick family’s equestrian club, so Estelle Lockwood had her own pony here. Just as she was about to lead her little white horse out, she heard Noelle Lockwood’s insincere voice behind her.

"Miss Yara Lockwood, I’m so sorry about what happened earlier. I wanted to come and apologize."

Noelle Lockwood wore a gentle, helpless expression, as if she genuinely wanted to make amends. "I’m not sure if you know how to ride, Miss Yara Lockwood. If not, I’d be happy to teach you."

Estelle Lockwood stopped in her tracks and turned, her eyes narrowing.

’When she had first returned to the Lockwood family at eighteen, Noelle Lockwood had gathered a group of her socialite friends and brought her to this very equestrian club.’

’They had deliberately given her a spirited, unruly horse, forcing her to get on, get thrown off, get on, and get thrown off, again and again.’

’Then, Noelle Lockwood had said, "Oh, Sister, honestly. How can you not even learn how to ride a horse? Sigh... I suppose it’s because you grew up in the countryside and never had the chance."’

’Noelle Lockwood’s friends had roared with laughter, mocking her and putting her down. Only when they’d had their fill would Noelle step in and feign concern, telling them to stop.’

’And now, Noelle Lockwood was asking her the very same question... Was she trying to pull the same old trick?’

Estelle Lockwood lowered her gaze. ’Fine,’ she thought. ’Let’s settle old grudges and new debts all at once.’