Since the item had been entrusted to Nathaniel Sloan by the founder, he opened it. Inside was a share transfer agreement.
However, the names of both the transferor and the transferee were shocking.
Estelle Lockwood’s eyes slowly widened.
’These shares... were transferred to her by Miss Miranda Lancaster?!’
The transferor’s column clearly stated Miranda Lancaster’s name. Miranda Lancaster had signed it and left her fingerprint, and it was written in no uncertain terms that she was transferring her 10% stake in the Sloan Group to Estelle Lockwood!
Miranda Lancaster had asked the founder to deliver this transfer agreement to her twenty years later.
’But why?’
Estelle Lockwood subconsciously looked at Nathaniel Sloan.
’She didn’t even know Miss Lancaster. Plus, she was only a few years old when Miss Lancaster died.’
’Back then, she had been abandoned by the Lockwood Family, so there was no way she could have met Miss Miranda Lancaster. They weren’t related in any way, so why would Miss Lancaster leave her shares to her?’
Estelle Lockwood was certain that before returning to the Lockwood Family, she had absolutely no connection to the Sloan Family. In the first eighteen years of her life, she hadn’t even known a single person with the surname Sloan.
But now, shares of the Sloan Group were in her hands... The whole situation was deeply suspicious no matter how she looked at it.
Nathaniel Sloan, however, had a calm expression. "Since Miss Lancaster gave them to you, just accept them. You can trust her."
Miranda Lancaster would never harbor ill intentions. Since she left the shares to Estelle Lockwood, it was a gift, not a scheme.
Estelle Lockwood narrowed her eyes, a thought suddenly occurring to her.
’With a ten percent stake, she could definitely attend the Sloan Group’s shareholders’ meeting!’
Her eyes glinted. "Mr. Sloan, I want to go to the shareholders’ meeting with you."
...
A few days later, the Sloan Group’s shareholders’ meeting was about to convene.
The Sloan Group held a shareholders’ meeting every two years, and this year’s meeting was destined to be extraordinary.
Laura Jennings was pacing back and forth in the room. Ethan Sloan’s face was livid. "Be quiet!"
Laura Jennings was fuming with anger and jealousy. "How could Miranda Lancaster give her shares to Estelle Lockwood? Ethan, don’t you find it strange? Estelle Lockwood must have stolen them!"
Two days ago, Estelle Lockwood had shown up with Miranda Lancaster’s share transfer agreement.
When Miranda Lancaster married Ethan Sloan, she invested in the Sloan Group, which was how she came to own shares in the company.
After Miranda Lancaster’s death, Ethan Sloan had taken it for granted that her shares were his. But who would have known that upon investigation, he would discover she had transferred them away long ago.
The whereabouts of that ten percent stake had been untraceable for years. To think they would end up in Estelle Lockwood’s hands!
Ethan Sloan was, of course, unwilling to accept this. But no matter how he investigated, he could only prove that the document was genuine, legal, and valid!
"The Sloan Group’s legal department investigated and confirmed there are no issues. Do you think you’re smarter than them?" Ethan Sloan said coldly. "Say less. You’re just embarrassing yourself!"
Overwhelming jealousy raged within Laura Jennings. She bit her lip so hard, the resentment in her eyes practically overflowed.
’She had been married into the Sloan Family for so many years and didn’t have a single share, yet Miranda Lancaster had owned ten percent!’
’It would have been one thing if she just had them. After all, she was fated to die young, and die she did.’
’But who knew she would leave her shares to Estelle Lockwood! Now Estelle, her daughter-in-law in name only, has shares while she still has none. On what grounds?!’
’All these years in the Sloan Family, even if she hadn’t made great contributions, she had certainly toiled away. Why wouldn’t they give her any!’
’But at the shareholders’ meeting, they were about to announce Theodore as the heir...’
At this thought, Laura Jennings’s mood brightened.
’So what if Estelle Lockwood has ten percent? Her Theodore is the heir!’
KNOCK KNOCK.
Just then, an assistant knocked on the door. "Chairman Sloan, Madam, the shareholders have all arrived."
Ethan Sloan nodded. "Let’s go. Time for the meeting."
Just as they arrived outside the conference room, they saw Old Mr. Lancaster waiting. Ethan Sloan went forward to greet him.
Yvonne Lancaster said with a pretentious air, "Brother-in-law, at the auction, Nathaniel was competing with Theodore the entire time. This has caused quite a stir in our Lancaster Family. Everyone is saying... oh, dear."
"Brother-in-law, I know Nathaniel is your son too, but you need to have a good talk with him. The Sloan Family will belong to Theodore in the future. Tell him to give up any ideas of fighting for it."
"Our Theodore has just returned, and Nathaniel immediately tries to put him in his place. What does he mean by that? Don’t tell me my sister’s child will have to be at the beck and call of an illegitimate son in the future?"
Old Mr. Lancaster said in a cold voice, his words directed at Ethan Sloan but intended for the shareholders:
"That’s right. Sean Hawk usurped Theodore’s identity for so long. We can’t let one mistake lead to another. All of you should think carefully about who will inherit this family in the future."
Ethan Sloan understood Old Mr. Lancaster’s meaning and hurriedly said, "I was the one who failed Miranda. I will definitely treat her child well!"
...
The Sloan Group employees were all shocked to see Old Mr. Lancaster there as well.
They only knew that Theodore Lancaster had returned to the Sloan Family, but they didn’t know the Lancaster Family’s stance. So, what was this situation now?
"Didn’t the Lancaster Family declare back then that they would never forgive the Sloan Family? Why are they at the Sloan Group?"
"The Sloan Family drove Miss Lancaster to an early grave from grief. The Lancaster Family cut off all ties with them afterward and haven’t had any contact for over twenty years. Could it be that they’re here this time for Young Mr. Lancaster?"
"That’s quite possible. Speaking of which, the Lancaster Family is so loyal and devoted. Even after Miss Miranda Lancaster died, they still raised her son. I heard Young Mr. Lancaster doesn’t even plan to acknowledge his father and is bent on avenging his mother!"
"The Lancaster Family and Young Mr. Lancaster are truly good people. If Miss Miranda Lancaster knew this from the great beyond, she would be happy..."
"Yes, the Lancaster Family knows how powerful and influential Mr. Sloan is now, yet they still oppose him to seek justice for Miss Miranda Lancaster. It’s so touching."
Estelle Lockwood almost laughed out loud when she heard these remarks.
’Everyone in the Lancaster Family must be a born actor. Loyal and devoted? Avenging his mother?’
’It’s debatable whether Theodore Lancaster is even Miranda Lancaster’s son. What loyalty and devotion is there to speak of? What revenge needs avenging?’
’The Lancaster and Sloan families are in cahoots. Did Miranda Lancaster really just die of an illness back then?’
Just then, Theodore Lancaster, who was not far away, seemed to spot Estelle Lockwood. Apparently not noticing her disregard for him, he gave her a gentle smile from afar.
The people from the Sloan Group naturally noticed Theodore Lancaster’s presence and steered the conversation toward him. "Old Mr. Lancaster, this must be Young Mr. Lancaster."
Old Mr. Lancaster couldn’t help but reveal a smug expression. "Yes, my grandson, Miranda Lancaster’s biological son. Theodore, come over and greet your uncles."
A few of the shareholders exchanged glances, each seeing the intent to curry favor in the other’s eyes.
’Theodore Lancaster, backed by both the Lancaster and Sloan families...’
Theodore Lancaster smiled gently, his demeanor gentlemanly, elegant, and composed.
Seeing Theodore Lancaster surrounded like the moon among stars, Laura Jennings was overjoyed. Her face was flushed with delight, and just as she was about to step forward to say a few words, she suddenly heard someone call out from the doorway—
"Mr. Sloan, you’ve arrived!"
In an instant, everyone’s gaze turned toward the entrance.
The two shareholders who had just been fawning over Theodore Lancaster also subconsciously shifted their feet.