Fake Heiress Reborn Drops Masks Finds Family (Noelle and Sebastian) novel Chapter 382

Chapter 382 Waking Up

Noelle smiled as well and thanked him softly.

Ethan stood by the table, watching the scene unfold.

Sebastian naturally peeled shrimp for Lucas, and Lucas leaned close to Sebastian, joking and laughing. Noelle watched them with a gentle smile.

And him…

He felt like a complete outsider.

That heavy, indescribable weight in his chest only grew stronger.

It clogged his heart, dulling his appetite entirely.

He didn’t try to find a seat,

his room.

look at anyone at the table again. Without a word, he turned around and went straight upstairs to

The door closed behind him, cutting off the laughter and chatter from below.

Inside the room, Ethan leaned against the door, closed his eyes, and furrowed his brows tightly.

Downstairs, Lucas glanced at Ethan’s retreating back and leaned toward Sebastian, lowering his voice. “Hey… your cousin’s got quite a temper, huh? Did I accidentally piss him off?”

Sebastian paused slightly, glanced toward the staircase, a trace of complexity flickering in his eyes, then said flatly, “Eat.”

Over the next few days, Lucas showed up at the Menzie estate almost daily, freeloading meals under the excuse of being homeless and needing to be fed.

Every time he came, he stuck close to Sebastian–asking him to peel shrimp and crab, cracking jokes nonstop, keeping the dining table lively.

Ethan remained as taciturn as ever, but whenever Lucas clung too closely to Sebastian, or Sebastian unconsciously indulged him, Ethan’s expression grew colder, his spoon moving less and less.

One afternoon at lunch, Lucas once again complained loudly for Sebastian to remove fish bones for him. Ethan finally couldn’t hol back and said coldly, “Mr. Lucas–don’t you have hands?”

Lucas wasn’t offended at all and flashed a grin. “Oh, I do. Just not as skilled as Sebastian’s. Right, Sebastian?”

Sebastian didn’t respond. He quietly placed the deboned fish onto Noelle’s plate first, then took another piece, carefully removed the bones, and set it on the plate in front of Lucas.

That tiny sequence, that small, unconscious gesture, instantly magnified the discomfort in Ethan’s chest.

He felt that in Sebastian’s heart, Lucas–a so–called outsider–was closer than he was.

He set down his spoon and fork, his voice turning even colder. “I’m full.”

With that, he stood up and left the table, heading straight upstairs.

1/3

1025 pm

Chapter 382 Waking Up

This time, he didn’t retum to his own room. Instead, he walked directly into Theodore’s bedroom.

Afternoon sunlight filtered through the curtain gap, falling softly over the old man’s peaceful face.

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Ethan sat by the bed, looking at his grandfather’s gaunt, aged features, a crushing loneliness and sorrow surging up inside him.

He held his grandfather’s hand, his voice hoarse, trembling despite himself. “Grandpa… you have to wake up… you’re all I have left …please… you have to be okay…”

As the words left him, the aged hand he was holding twitched–almost imperceptibly.

Then, Ethan felt a warm, rough palm gently rest on his head, slowly, unmistakably, stroking it once.

Ethan’s entire body jolted. He looked up sharply.

Theodore, who had been unconscious for days, had opened his eyes.

Those slightly clouded eyes gazed at him with tenderness and aching concern, lips trembling as if trying to speak.

“Grandpa?! You’re awake?!” Ethan cried out, disbelief and excitement shaking his voice.

“Grandpa’s awake?!” The people downstairs rushed up the moment they heard the commotion.

Noelle was the first to rush in. Seeing Theodore’s open eyes, she let out a breath of relief and immediately stepped forward to perform a basic check.

“Mr. Theodore, how do you feel? Is there any discomfort?” Noelle asked softly.

Theodore slowly shook his head. His gaze moved across Sebastian, Noelle, Ethan, and the others gathered around, before finally settling on Noelle. His voice was weak but clear. “Noelle… you worked hard … you saved this old man again…”

“Mr. Theodore, please don’t say that. It’s what I should do,” Noelle replied gently.

She examined him once more, confirming that aside from extreme weakness, his life was no longer in immediate danger.

But…

Seeing the faint ashen shadow in his eyes and the withered state of his body, Noelle knew this ordeal had drained far too much of his vitality. Even with careful care, his remaining time…

She hesitated.

Theodore seemed to sense her concern and lightly waved his hand, turning his gaze to Sebastian. “Royce … and the others… how were they dealt with?”

Sebastian stepped forward and said in a low, steady voice, “Don’t worry, Grandpa. They’re still being held in the basement. We’re waiting for you to decide. The evidence is solid–we can hand them over to the police at any time.”

Theodore fell silent for a moment. His gaze shifted to Ethan, who stood nearby with his head lowered and lips pressed tightly together. In the end, he let out a quiet sigh.

His voice was old and weary. “Forget it… they’re still Ethan’s uncle and aunt … drive them out of Kingstowne. Confiscate all their assets. Never let them return. This matter … ends here. Don’t involve the police.”

2/

10:15 pm PD

Chapter 382 Waking Up

He said this for Ethan’s sake.

if they were publicly arrested and tried for attempted murder, Ethan, as their nephew, would inevitably be dragged into judgment and whispers, never able to hold his head high again.