The Triplets My Ex Never Knew About

Chapter 58: Chapter 58: "Estelle Lockwood’s Injuries Can’t Be Let Go, Either.

Noelle Lockwood’s intention to ride a horse naturally drew a crowd.

A wave of smug satisfaction and vanity washed over her, and she could barely contain her glee.

’So much for Yara Lockwood being so incredible. She can’t even ride a horse, just like that country bumpkin Estelle Lockwood.’

’She’d used Estelle Lockwood as a stepping stone to climb higher, and now she could do the same to Yara Lockwood.’

The memory of Estelle Lockwood being thrown from her horse time and again years ago sent a pleasant thrill through Noelle Lockwood.

’When it’s Yara Lockwood’s turn, she could rig something to make her suffer a little!’

The smile on Noelle Lockwood’s lips widened. She grabbed the reins and swung herself onto the horse, but just then—

The previously docile white horse suddenly bucked, violently throwing Noelle Lockwood off before she could even get her balance!

THUD! Noelle Lockwood cried out in pain as she landed flat on her back on the ground!

...

The crowd fell deathly silent. Everyone stared, wide-eyed in disbelief.

Wasn’t Noelle Lockwood supposed to be an expert rider? What... What just happened?

Perhaps because they were too shocked, no one spoke, and the silence dragged on.

After a long moment, a woman’s voice cut through the silence. Estelle Lockwood raised an eyebrow. "I think I’m starting to understand why Estelle Lockwood kept falling off her horse seven years ago."

She paused, adding pointedly, "It’s because Miss Lockwood here was giving such a great demonstration."

...

...

The silence deepened.

Noelle Lockwood nearly screamed, her body trembling with rage!

Rose Lowell helped a distraught Noelle Lockwood to her feet before whirling to face the horse, her own face twisted in a vicious snarl as she began to scream.

"You filthy animal! How dare you hurt Noelle! You’re asking to be put down! Someone! Get over here and slaughter this horse for me!"

Someone, trying to curry favor, chimed in, "It’s all that beast’s fault. It was an honor for Miss Noelle to choose it, but it was too stupid to appreciate it."

"Please, calm down, Mrs. Lockwood. This is Young Mr. Kendrick’s stable. I’m sure he wouldn’t disrespect you over a mere animal."

As Noelle Lockwood was helped up, her cheeks burned with humiliation. She wanted nothing more than to tear the horse limb from limb, but she had to maintain her facade.

"Yes, this horse is far too spirited. It’s not suited for a stable. It doesn’t matter that it hurt me, but it wouldn’t be good if it ended up hurting someone else."

The onlookers nodded in agreement, and the color returned to Noelle Lockwood’s face.

Just as she was about to stand, she heard Estelle Lockwood laugh. "Miss Lockwood, if your skills are lacking, you shouldn’t blame the horse, should you? Just because you can’t ride this horse, you want it killed? If you can’t get on the next one, are you going to have every horse in this stable slaughtered?"

"At least leave Henry Kendrick a couple. This is his stable, after all. It hasn’t even officially opened, and it’s already losing horses because of you. What a shame for him."

Everyone stared at Estelle Lockwood, utterly dumbfounded.

Noelle Lockwood’s fingers trembled with rage. She struggled to maintain her smile. "Yara..."

Rose Lowell shrieked, "What’s that supposed to mean! It hurt my daughter, so it deserves to die! How dare you side with that filthy animal! What are you playing at!"

Unfazed by this shrewish display, Estelle Lockwood retorted, "Are you incapable of understanding plain language?"

Distraught and furious, Rose Lowell behaved nothing like the matriarch of a wealthy family. "You shut your mouth! Aaaah!"

"Mom!" Noelle Lockwood quickly grabbed Rose Lowell’s hand, her expression shifting to a tragic smile. "Nathaniel, you’re here."

Rose Lowell immediately stopped screaming and put on a deeply wronged expression. "Nathaniel, you have to stand up for Noelle! This Yara Lockwood has been mocking her over and over. She even saw Noelle fall and still had to make sarcastic remarks! My poor Noelle is already suffering so much, *sob*..."

Silent tears streamed down Noelle Lockwood’s face. She looked down demurely. "I’m fine, Nathaniel."

Nathaniel Sloan’s brow furrowed deeply.

Estelle Lockwood wasn’t about to give the mother-daughter duo a chance to play the victim. She scoffed, "Don’t tell me you’re feeling sorry for her, Mr. Sloan?"

"Noelle Lockwood only fell once. Back then, your wife fell over and over again. She fell so hard she couldn’t even stand, covered in blood, and yet Noelle Lockwood forced her back onto the horse time after time. How come no one felt sorry for *her* back then?"

Noelle Lockwood’s crying expression instantly froze. The color drained from her face!

Rose Lowell was also startled. She never imagined something from so long ago would be dug up. She quickly tried to explain, "N-no, that’s not it! Noelle was only trying to help Estelle Lockwood..."

Before she could finish, the murderous look in Nathaniel Sloan’s eyes shocked her into silence. She could only shut her mouth awkwardly.

Biting her lower lip, Noelle Lockwood spoke weakly. "Nathaniel, Miss Yara Lockwood must have heard some gossip somewhere and misunderstood me. You, of all people, should know best how seriously I was trying to teach my sister... I don’t know why Yara is targeting me like this. I..."

"I saw everything, Noelle Lockwood," Nathaniel Sloan said, his dark eyes narrowing into bottomless pits.

Noelle Lockwood’s heart leaped into her throat. "Wh-what?"

"Aunt Noelle, Daddy and I got here before you insisted on teaching Aunt Yara how to ride, you know,"

Zachery bluntly exposed her. "So we saw exactly how you were mocking Aunt Yara, and how you got what you deserved."

Noelle Lockwood’s eyes blazed with fury!

Estelle Lockwood was a little surprised. ’What’s young Master Christian doing here? And listening to his tone, he sounds a bit like my precious Zachery.’

’...Maybe it’s a case of bad company corrupting good character. The little master is already starting to sound sarcastic.’

Rose Lowell hadn’t expected Nathaniel Sloan to have seen everything either. She panicked. "Nathaniel, listen to me, that was... that was all a misunderstanding..."

"Old Mr. Lockwood brought out the old token and pleaded with me for a long time before I agreed to give the Lockwood Group an opportunity for collaboration."

Nathaniel Sloan’s tone was dismissive. "But it appears the two of you don’t value it. In that case, we can forget it. Luke White, go inform Old Mr. Lockwood that Mrs. Lockwood isn’t interested in this collaboration."

Rose Lowell was panic-stricken. "Nathaniel, we’re not uninterested, we’re not! Noelle, quickly, say something! Beg Nathaniel..."

Rose Lowell knew full well how desperately the Lockwood Family needed this partnership, how critical it was to forge a connection with Star to solidify their position in the perfume industry.

So now, she was truly panicking.

Noelle Lockwood looked at him with tear-filled eyes. "Nathaniel, I pulled two all-nighters for this partnership. How could we possibly not be interested? If you’re removing us from consideration just for Miss Yara Lockwood’s sake, I..." freewebnσvel.cѳm

Nathaniel Sloan cut her off. "If the two of you truly valued this collaboration, you wouldn’t have mocked and belittled Star’s project lead, accused her of ill intent, demanded an apology from her, and threatened to kill a horse at Vice President Kendrick’s stable."

"Mrs. Lockwood, you’ve offended the two most important people involved in this partnership. And you still claim to value it?"

The color drained from both Noelle Lockwood and Rose Lowell’s faces as they were struck by a sudden realization—

Yara Lockwood was the project lead for this collaboration!

’Yara Lockwood was not Estelle Lockwood. They could bully and humiliate Estelle Lockwood as they pleased, but Yara... if they said one wrong thing to her, the entire Lockwood Group could go down with them!’

Rose Lowell’s voice trembled. "B-but even if we were in the wrong, Noelle still got hurt. We can’t... we can’t just let it go, can we...?"

’Since this is Henry Kendrick’s stable, he should be the one responsible for Noelle getting hurt here!’

Noelle Lockwood lowered her eyes, saying nothing. She clearly thought the same.

But Nathaniel Sloan turned back, his eyes icy. "You’re right. We can’t just let it go."

A flicker of joy sparked in Rose Lowell’s heart.

In the next moment, she heard Nathaniel Sloan’s glacial voice. "Which means the injuries Estelle Lockwood suffered at a stable seven years ago can’t be just let go, either."