Noelle Lockwood’s face paled and flushed in turns. Finally, she adopted a meek expression, biting her lip aggrievedly. "I’m sorry, it’s all my fault. Blame me..."

Laura Jennings stomped her foot. "Noelle, this isn’t your fault! Nathaniel, how could you not help Noelle? You’re so heartless!"

Nathaniel Sloan ignored Laura Jennings’s shrieking. With a faint lift of his hand, bodyguards quickly stepped forward.

Laura Jennings covered her ears and let out a piercing scream, causing many onlookers to frown.

’The esteemed madam of the Sloan Family... acting like this?’

Only Nathaniel Sloan remained composed. He leisurely toyed with the watch Estelle Lockwood had given him. "Mother, the only thing that fuels your arrogance is the title ’Madam of the Sloan Family.’ However, I’ve recently learned some interesting things. Would you like to hear them?"

At his words, Laura Jennings looked like a duck with its neck wrung, her face turning beet red. "You... you..."

She stammered "you" for a long time but couldn’t form a sentence. Something must have occurred to Laura Jennings, because without even a second glance at Noelle Lockwood, she turned and fled.

With the farce over, the crowd in the hallway dispersed, leaving only Eleanor Vance and Nathaniel Sloan.

Nathaniel Sloan had a feeling the look Eleanor Vance was giving him was less than friendly. He inclined his head slightly, his attitude deferential. "Ms. Vance, I’m here to see Yara."

Eleanor Vance’s eyes were filled with disdain. She looked him up and down before remarking with feigned surprise:

"Well, this is a surprise. You’ve actually grown a brain. You didn’t run off after Noelle Lockwood."

Nathaniel Sloan: "..."

Perhaps sensing the sarcasm in Eleanor Vance’s tone, he chuckled softly. "You’re right to scold me, Ms. Vance."

This time, it was Eleanor Vance’s turn to be surprised. "You’re not angry?"

For some reason, a lump formed in Nathaniel Sloan’s throat. "I should be thanking you."

Eleanor Vance raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? And what are you thanking me for?"

Nathaniel Sloan said seriously, "Thank you for taking care of her all these years. Thank you for protecting her."

Eleanor Vance’s dismissive and disdainful gaze softened. She truly looked at the man before her for a moment.

She had never met Nathaniel Sloan in person before. The man in charge of the Sloan Group and Evernight International, as seen in newspapers and online, was always meticulous, his expression frosty, his bearing aloof and superior.

Factoring in all the grievances Estelle had suffered, Eleanor Vance felt a natural aversion to the man.

But Nathaniel Sloan’s behavior today had surprised her.

Just then, Estelle Lockwood finished her medical examination.

Eleanor Vance stared intently at Nathaniel Sloan. "Mr. Sloan, allow me to remind you of something. Even if you get back what you’ve lost, it will never be the same. It’s like a broken mirror—even if you piece it back together, the cracks will always be there."

"You’d best think clearly. Do you want the person she used to be, who never changed, or the person she is now—someone who has grown and can stand on her own two feet?"

The old Estelle Lockwood was delicate, gentle, and naive. Her entire world contained only Nathaniel Sloan; he was her everything.

The Estelle Lockwood of today has a career, friends, and family. Nathaniel Sloan is no longer her everything, but her life is more brilliant than ever.

Two completely different Estelle Lockwoods. Which one do you want?

They say you should love a person for everything they are, but Eleanor Vance couldn’t help but worry. Did Nathaniel Sloan truly love the Estelle who was devoted to him with her whole heart, the one who would forgive him for anything?

If that was the case, then it was better for this broken mirror to remain in pieces.

But to her surprise, Nathaniel Sloan glanced at Eleanor Vance and declared solemnly, "I love her past gentleness, and I love her present resilience. Both are her. There is no conflict."

Eleanor Vance nodded to herself. It was a good answer, but... there were still so many things left unexplained, and the grievances Estelle had suffered five years ago were real. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

With that thought, Eleanor Vance turned away coolly. "Hmph. Well, you can go on loving her by yourself, then. Yara."

She called out to Estelle Lockwood, "I just scored a credit card from your big brother. Come on, I’ll take you on a shopping spree."

Estelle Lockwood was a little surprised to see Nathaniel Sloan there. Before she could say anything, she heard Eleanor Vance speak up in a passive-aggressive tone.

"Your brother knows how to earn money to spend on you. As for certain other people... who knows where their salary cards are... I seem to recall some entertainment news back in the day... Oh, Lynn, do you remember?"

Lynn was Eleanor Vance’s assistant and was already well-versed in all the gossip surrounding the Kendrick Family. "I remember. Of course, I remember."

"I believe it was Mr. Sloan of Evernight International, who splurged extravagantly on a certain starlet, investing eighty million to land her the leading female role."

Eleanor Vance: "Oh yes, and who was that starlet?"

Lynn: "I hear her name was something like... Noelle Lockwood."

Eleanor Vance feigned shock. "Oh my god! No way, no way! How could Mr. Sloan invest eighty million in Noelle Lockwood but never spend a dime on his own wife? He must be rolling in it!"

Estelle Lockwood: "..." ’Great. Perfectly in line with a doctor’s pristine mental state,’ she thought wryly. ’My godmother is at it again.’

Nathaniel Sloan, however, immediately looked to Estelle Lockwood’s expression.

That eighty million wasn’t an investment in Noelle Lockwood, but an investment in the project itself.

But the Lockwood Family had embellished the story and spread it as a rumor. Nathaniel Sloan had never cared for outside gossip, so he hadn’t bothered to explain.

’When Estelle Lockwood got the news back then... what was her expression? Was she sad?’

Nathaniel Sloan only remembered that Estelle Lockwood had seemed down one evening. He thought he’d glimpsed the number "eighty million" on her phone and had asked about it casually.

How had Estelle Lockwood answered?

"Nathaniel, I know you have your own plans. I don’t care what other people say."

Nathaniel Sloan’s train of thought was interrupted by Eleanor Vance. "Yara, you be the judge. Were Mr. Sloan’s actions back then honorable?"

Estelle Lockwood’s lips curled slightly. She leaned against a nearby chair, a captivating smile on her face.

"Godmother, Nathaniel Sloan has his own plans. He doesn’t care what other people think."

"Ah, so that’s how it is," Eleanor Vance said with exaggeration. "No wonder, no wonder."

"I was just about to ask Mr. Sloan how he keeps his skin so nice, but now I realize how presumptuous I was. Turns out, being thick-skinned lets you do whatever you want."

After speaking, Eleanor Vance smoothed her hair. "Mr. Sloan, we won’t be keeping you. Please see yourself out."

Nathaniel Sloan watched the two of them leave. After a long moment, his lips curved into a faint smile.

...

That evening, the three little ones gathered for a clandestine meeting.

Mia had three bronze coins laid out in front of her. Zachery couldn’t help but ask, "Well? Well? What do the hexagrams say?"

Mia’s eyes lit up. "The hexagrams say that as long as Scumbag Dad doesn’t leave the house tonight, everything will go smoothly!"

"He just has to stay in? Okay." Zachery rubbed his hands together gleefully. "I’ll stand guard here tonight. He won’t even think about taking one step out of that room!"

Christian thought for a moment before speaking calmly, "I have an idea."

Zachery immediately leaned in close. "Tell us, tell us."

’The young master is so smart, his idea must be brilliant!’

Five minutes later, Zachery and Mia stared, dumbfounded, at what Christian was doing.