Thea York’s face turned pale.
Estelle Lockwood hummed in acknowledgment and opened the door for Nathaniel Sloan.
The man was dressed in a sharp, well-tailored suit. His light-colored eyes didn’t even spare a glance for Thea York inside as he took Estelle Lockwood’s arm and started walking out. "Mia said she misses you."
Estelle Lockwood’s smile deepened. "Okay, let’s go now."
As they reached the doorway, Nathaniel Sloan suddenly stopped again. "Miss York."
Thea York quickly put on a gentle smile. "Nathaniel."
"It’s not your fault you were born into a feudal family like the Yorks, but Miss York, you did study abroad for a few years. You should have changed your way of thinking by now."
He didn’t mention what had just happened, but every word dripped with sarcasm aimed at Thea York.
How could Thea York not understand the meaning behind Nathaniel’s words? Her face alternated between flushed and pale, and she looked like she was about to cough up blood. "Yes, Nathaniel, I..."
But Nathaniel didn’t listen to her, walking straight away.
After they had walked a few steps, Nathaniel looked Estelle Lockwood up and down, his brow furrowing slightly. "She cornered you. Why didn’t you call me to come get you?"
Estelle Lockwood nonchalantly smoothed her hair. "It all happened so fast, I didn’t know how to react. For a moment there, I thought I’d time-traveled. See? I was just about to check the calendar."
Nathaniel chuckled softly.
Estelle, however, asked casually, "If someone were to overhear what you just said, they’d probably say you don’t know how to treat a lady with tenderness, squabbling with Thea York over something so minor. Aren’t you worried it’s beneath you?"
She hadn’t even taken it to heart. Thea York’s words, whether sincere or not, were ultimately meant only to belittle her.
Why should she take words meant to demean her to heart?
But unexpectedly, Nathaniel had bluntly retorted.
Nathaniel was unconcerned. "People will say what they want. What others say has nothing to do with me."
But he couldn’t stand by while Thea York bullied Estelle Lockwood.
Estelle Lockwood’s lips curled slightly. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mrs. York rushing towards the ladies’ area. "Yes, let’s go."
The banquet continued.
Later, Estelle Lockwood went to the restroom and happened to run into another young lady. The woman, who seemed to be a friend of Thea York’s, rolled her eyes in disgust upon seeing Estelle.
She then took off her bracelet, placed it on a nearby tray, and began to wash her hands. Estelle thought the bracelet looked familiar, like a design she had created.
Just then, Thea York also came in.
Thea York didn’t say anything, but her eyes flickered.
When Estelle Lockwood returned to the banquet hall, Nathaniel gently took her hand. "What happened? You were gone for so long."
Estelle glanced at the time. "Not that long."
Old Mrs. Sloan chuckled. "The moment you left, Nathaniel kept looking in that direction. You young people are so clingy, you can’t even be apart for five minutes."
There were a great many people at the banquet, many of whom Estelle had never seen before. But just because she hadn’t seen them didn’t mean they didn’t know who she was.
After all, this banquet was hosted by Nathaniel Sloan, and Old Mrs. Sloan had ceremoniously introduced Estelle and the three children. Any guest who wanted to curry favor with Nathaniel would have certainly researched his family history for generations. How could they not know about the background of his wife, Estelle Lockwood?
Besides, Noelle Lockwood and the Lockwood Family had been stirring up quite a bit of trouble in Crestfall’s high society.
With all the drama they had caused recently, Estelle didn’t believe for a second that anyone paying attention wouldn’t recognize her.
And yet, some of the ladies and young misses still feigned innocence and asked anyway.
"Old Mrs. Sloan, which family is your granddaughter-in-law from? I don’t believe I’ve seen her before."
The woman who spoke was in her early forties but looked quite young. She had a naive and charming air about her, as if she had been so well-protected by her family that she knew nothing of the world’s harshness. The question she asked, however, was a deliberate, piercing jab.
Estelle Lockwood raised an eyebrow coolly. "I’m not from any particular family. I don’t have a special status."
The lady immediately replied, "You don’t have a family background to support you? Oh, that’s not good at all. To marry into a prestigious family like the Sloans without any backing... people will surely have things to say behind your back."
Estelle took a sip of her tea. "Mm, you’re right. Some people are gossiping right now, in fact. I’m used to it."
The lady belatedly realized that Estelle was mocking her, and her face flushed red with anger.
"But while a few words might not have mattered in the past, now everyone knows I’m Nathaniel Sloan’s wife. Before you decide to gossip, you should think twice."
The lady felt completely humiliated. To be rebuffed by someone so much younger... All traces of her earlier naive charm vanished, and her voice dripped with malice. "Even if no one says it to your face, in private..."
"Are you going to police what people do and say in private, too?"
Estelle arched an eyebrow in mock surprise. "I’m not so magnanimous as to meddle in other people’s business."
The implication was clear: Mind your own business.
The lady was so choked with anger she couldn’t speak. ’What is Estelle Lockwood implying? Is she calling me a busybody for meddling in a couple’s private affairs?!’
At this moment, several ladies who were on good terms with Mrs. York chimed in all at once. "Mrs. Sloan, don’t be angry. She’s just a bit blunt."
"We haven’t congratulated you on your recent marriage yet."
"That’s right, when did Nathaniel get married? His children are already so big! We all thought he was going to end up with Thea."
Estelle actually laughed. ’Congratulations on my recent marriage? How interesting.’
Old Mrs. Sloan, who could easily detect the malice in the woman’s words, felt her expression turn cold. She spoke before Nathaniel could. "You don’t know?"
The woman feigned innocence. "I really don’t. After all, the last time I saw Nathaniel, he and Thea were..."
"That’s true. Given your family’s standing, it’s perfectly normal that you wouldn’t be well-informed about Nathaniel," Old Mrs. Sloan said leisurely.
"After all, our Nathaniel doesn’t just meet with anyone, and he has no intention of putting his private life on display. But in high society, his partners all know the situation perfectly well. The fact that you don’t know simply means your family isn’t at that level yet. You should go back and tell your husband and your parents to work harder. Maybe one day they’ll earn the opportunity to work with Nathaniel."
Nathaniel Sloan: "..."
Estelle Lockwood: "..."
The lady was so thoroughly shut down by Old Mrs. Sloan that her mouth opened and closed for a long time, but not a single word came out.
"Ah, I remember now! I know who Mrs. Sloan is."
Just then, another group of people started talking.
They weren’t all friends of Thea York or Mrs. York, but it was clear they were displeased with Estelle. Why should the position of Mrs. Sloan go to *this* woman?
How were their own daughters any worse than Estelle Lockwood? Why could Estelle have it when their daughters could not?
They felt that Estelle had lucked into her position.
"I believe Mrs. Sloan is a jewelry designer. She’s won many awards and is very accomplished."
"Oh, that’s right, Mrs. Sloan is a daughter of the Lockwood Family, isn’t she? The recent commotion with the Lockwoods was the talk of the town—it gave us all plenty to laugh about over tea. Mrs. Sloan, have you returned to the Lockwood Family yet?"
They treated Estelle like a source of amusement, casually prying for gossip.
Their unspoken message was clear: Look at her family background—a fake heiress from a minor family, ostracized and cast out. The most impressive thing she had going for her was her job as a designer. How is she worthy of the man at the helm of the Evernight Group?