At the Villa of the Winslows, the livestream continued.
Nathaniel Sloan looked up coldly. "Kian Winslow, maybe you should ask Noelle Lockwood if she’s willing to help you clarify things."
Kian Winslow was confused. "Clarify? Clarify what? Nathaniel, we’ve been brothers for so many years. Are you really going to cut me off over one woman, Estelle Lockwood? It can’t be that serious!"
"I was just trying to help Noelle. She’s so pitiful, and she wanted to get closer to the children. Of course I had to help!"
"Mia, don’t cry," Christian suddenly said.
His voice made everyone turn to look. They saw Mia’s eyes welling up with tears. "Brother, I hate Aunt Noelle!"
Christian knew what Mia was about to do, but before he could steer the conversation, Kian Winslow’s brow furrowed.
"This is exactly why Noelle had to ask for my help! Look at you all. It’s one thing not to appreciate it, but now you even hate her? How has Noelle wronged any of you?!"
In the livestream’s chat, the bullet comments were filled with speechless viewers.
Christian sighed softly, his "little green tea master" facade making him look like a very sensible child.
"Uncle Winslow, just listen to yourself. Do you even hear the words coming out of your mouth?"
"I told you back then that Daddy and Mommy were waiting for us, and that we should at least let them know, but you wouldn’t allow it."
"You forced us into the car, ignoring Mia’s pleas. I was afraid you would hurt my brother and sister, so I had no choice but to give in, terrified the whole way. And now you’re saying you did all of this for Aunt Noelle."
"Mia was so frightened and feels wronged, so she complained a little. But you... How can we possibly accept Aunt Noelle’s ’kindness’ when you act like this?"
These words left Kian Winslow stunned. ’So in the end, it’s my fault?’
Nathaniel Sloan said calmly, "Kian Winslow, I’m sure you’re aware that the kindergarten has surveillance cameras. Do you want to see the footage of you taking Mia and the others away?"
Kian Winslow retorted immediately, "I’m your friend! So what if I took your kids somewhere..."
Nathaniel Sloan nodded, his voice light. "If you can threaten my children under the guise of friendship, then I would rather not have you as a friend."
Just then, an official verified account called "Crestfall Kindergarten" suddenly posted a surveillance video.
In the video, the Sloan Family’s driver was waiting outside the kindergarten. The three little ones walked out after finishing their cleaning duties, only to be blocked by several bodyguards.
There were four bodyguards with Kian Winslow, all of them tall and imposing. Standing in front of the three small children, they were incredibly intimidating.
[So Noelle Lockwood says she wants to smooth things over with the kids, but then uses this method to intimidate them?]
[What do you mean, intimidate! Our Noelle is just very concerned about the children!]
[Heh, the kids were begging not to be taken away, and this Young Mr. Winslow completely ignored them. How dare he claim to be ’concerned’? If you ask me, Noelle Lockwood was actually planning to threaten and intimidate those three kids. From the way they talk, they don’t seem like unreasonable brats. Why would they deliberately frame Noelle Lockwood?]
[They’re only five years old. Anyone saying they deliberately set a trap for Noelle Lockwood needs to wake up.]
[But who says Kian Winslow was deliberately intimidating them? It must be those three kids lying. What good could Estelle Lockwood’s children be? I can tell just by looking at them that they’re mutts...]
The next moment, everyone realized the surveillance footage had audio. In the video, Kian Winslow began to speak.
—"Hey kids, come be guests at my house."
—"No? Say that again, I dare you."
—"Call Nathaniel. Tell him I have his son."
—"Don’t let them run! What if they go back and tattle!"
—"Enough nonsense, just take them away!"
After that, the bodyguards started to move forward. Christian stood in front of his younger brother and sister and, in order to placate Kian Winslow, had to grit his teeth and agree.
The bullet comments instantly exploded.
[I saw the little young master’s face turn pale!]
[This is definitely a kidnapping! Listen to the things Kian Winslow said! ’I have his son.’ ’What if they go back and tattle!’ Noelle Lockwood’s fans, are you telling me this isn’t a kidnapping?]
[This is why I said it was totally reasonable for the police to take Noelle Lockwood away!]
A fan argued back forcefully: [Nonsense, our Noelle has already been released!]
[Then explain what’s going on with Kian Winslow. Noelle Lockwood told him she wanted to smooth things over, and his response was to go kidnap them? Young Mr. Winslow isn’t an idiot, is he? How is this ’smoothing things over’?]
[So the case is solved. It was definitely Noelle Lockwood directing her own drama. First, she found someone to kidnap the children, then she deliberately put on a show, pretending to be the victim of some great injustice, and then she hired an online mob to manipulate public opinion.]
[I knew it! When Estelle Lockwood first lost her kids, she was the most frantic one, but people were still cursing her for not watching them properly and saying she was an unfit mother. I thought those people were crazy back then, but now I realize they were probably all part of the paid mob!]
[That move by Noelle Lockwood was truly vicious. If Estelle Lockwood hadn’t been so clever, Noelle would have ended up looking like the most innocent person. Instead, it’s the three children and Mrs. Sloan who were terrified and still got cursed out!]
[Heh, and are Rose Lowell and Austin Lockwood any better? Their adopted daughter incited the kidnapping of their own biological grandchildren, and those two old fools are still trying to make excuses for her.]
[An explanation! Noelle Lockwood must give an explanation! This can’t just be brushed aside!]
Noelle Lockwood’s fans were furious. They’d finally found a chance and were on the verge of clearing Noelle Lockwood’s name, but then Estelle Lockwood started a livestream!
And that Kian Winslow—is he out of his mind?!
Noelle Lockwood gritted her teeth, her face deathly pale.
This livestream was completely unexpected. She hadn’t even imagined that Kian Winslow would publicly admit that she was the one who told him to ’kidnap’ the children!
’God knows I never told Kian Winslow to kidnap those three mutts! Is he really out of his mind?!’
’What do I do now...’
’Everyone outside is saying I was putting on a show, that I had malicious intentions. How am I supposed to explain...’
’That’s it!’
An idea suddenly struck Noelle Lockwood. She still had a way out!
’All I have to do is push all the blame onto Kian Winslow. I’ll just say he has a personal grudge against Estelle Lockwood, let him take the fall, and pretend I knew nothing about it. Everything will be perfectly resolved!’
’Kian Winslow is so in love with me; he’d definitely be willing to do anything for me!’
’As for what happens to Kian Winslow... he’s Nathaniel’s friend, and he didn’t cause any real harm to the children. So what if he gets cursed out by netizens for a couple of days and the Winslow Group’s stocks drop a little? I’ll be sure to comfort him properly. It’s his honor to be able to make a sacrifice for me!’
At this thought, Noelle Lockwood’s eyes darted around. "Mom, we’re going to the Winslows’ now!"
...
「Villa of the Winslows」
After Nathaniel Sloan finished speaking calmly, Kian Winslow’s lips trembled. "Nathaniel, you..."
"Someone has to answer to me for this."
Nathaniel Sloan’s voice was unhurried, yet it carried immense authority. "Kian Winslow, perhaps you should take a look at the news."
Kian Winslow froze. ’The news?’
Before he could react, Nathaniel Sloan’s gaze shifted, becoming incredibly intense.
"Although you claim you just wanted to invite Christian over as a guest, Noelle Lockwood said on Weibo that the children were kidnapped."
"Were you the one who orchestrated all this, or was it Noelle Lockwood?"
"Kian Winslow, pick one."