Noelle Lockwood’s face stiffened for two seconds, and a cold sweat broke out on her forehead.
Others might not know who Yara Lockwood was, but she knew perfectly well!
’She thought Estelle Lockwood wouldn’t have the guts to show up at her own ’death anniversary,’ but why is she here?!’
Estelle Lockwood’s lips curled. "Miss Noelle, surprised to see me?"
Noelle Lockwood’s throat tightened, but she maintained her usual pure and innocent expression. "Of course not. I’m just surprised. After all, today is my sister’s death anniversary, but Miss Yara and my sister..."
"Ah, I don’t mean that Yara can’t pay her respects. I just... I just..."
Noelle Lockwood’s public image had always been that of a pure, innocent maiden, and she secretly shot a look at Rose Lowell.
Rose Lowell’s eyes darted. "You have no relation to my daughter. What are you doing here? What if you’re up to no good!"
Noelle Lockwood quickly said, "Mom, don’t say that. Yara might have good intentions... But since you’re here for the death anniversary, could I trouble Yara to wait to the side for a moment..."
Estelle Lockwood smiled. "Miss Noelle, you’re right. I am indeed here for the death anniversary."
Noelle Lockwood bit her lip hard, her suddenly clenched fists betraying her nervousness.
’She had no idea what Estelle Lockwood was doing here. Was she planning to reveal her identity?’
’No, no, that’s impossible! She wouldn’t allow it!’
’Besides... besides, Estelle Lockwood’s reputation is in shambles. Even if she revealed her identity, she would gain nothing from it!’
At this thought, Noelle Lockwood gradually calmed down. "I wonder what business Yara has here?"
"I’m just a little curious." Estelle Lockwood’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. "The basis for the Lockwood Family’s conclusion that Estelle Lockwood committed suicide, committed arson, murdered her own children, was jealous of you, Miss Noelle, and all her other crimes—"
"—was just a single suicide note."
Estelle Lockwood said word by word, "And who can guarantee that the suicide note... is real?!"
The scene fell into a sudden, deathly silence.
As Estelle Lockwood’s words faded, Noelle Lockwood’s face turned pale. She forced a difficult smile. "Yara, I don’t understand what you mean... Of course the suicide note is real. It was left by my sister. As her family, are you saying we can’t even tell?"
Rose Lowell’s heart also tightened. "What do you mean? Are you saying the suicide note is fake?! Estelle Lockwood was my own daughter. If it were fake, how could I not tell!"
Austin Lockwood pursed his lips.
’He knew, of course, that the person confronting them was his own daughter.’
’But everything he did was for the Lockwood Family’s reputation.’
’For the sake of the Lockwood Family, what did it matter if one person was sacrificed?’
’If Estelle knew what was good for her, she would have quietly accepted her sacrifice, not stood here and brought this all up!’
Austin Lockwood also grew displeased. "Yara Lockwood, I don’t know what kind of scene you’re trying to make, but as Estelle’s father, I would never pin a suicide note on her that wasn’t hers."
Once the Lockwoods said this, the reporters in the audience also began to react.
"Committing arson and suicide is hardly something to be proud of. If we follow Miss Yara’s logic and say we forged the suicide note to pin the crime of arson on our own daughter—does that mean in Miss Yara’s eyes, all of us Lockwoods are insane?" Austin Lockwood added with a frown.
Their words were so sincere and heartfelt that the crowd nodded frequently in agreement.
There was no reason for the Lockwood Family to admit Estelle Lockwood started the fire. So this Yara Lockwood must be crazy, right? To suggest the Lockwoods forged a suicide note? Why would they forge a note that would only harm their own family? The logic just doesn’t add up!
Estelle Lockwood watched the family trio’s perfectly coordinated, brilliant performance and let out a soft laugh.
She asked lightly, "President Lockwood, Mrs. Lockwood, Miss Lockwood, may I ask..."
Estelle Lockwood paused, her tone suddenly sharp. "In which sentence did I ever mention a forged suicide note?!"
Everyone froze in shock!
Noelle Lockwood instinctively had a bad feeling—
Estelle Lockwood spoke slowly but with enough clarity for everyone present to hear her perfectly:
"I was merely curious about whether the suicide note was real or not, yet the three of you jumped to defend yourselves as if I’d stepped on your tails. Why... do you have a guilty conscience?"
Henry Kendrick nodded from the side. "Indeed, Ms. Lowell. Logically speaking, when the authenticity of a daughter’s suicide note is questioned, a normal parent’s first thought should be: maybe the note was switched, or maybe someone impersonated your daughter and wrote it."
"Just as the three of you have said, you are Estelle Lockwood’s ’dearest family’ in this world. If there’s a problem with her suicide note, you’d be the last people anyone would suspect."
"But the three of you are so perfectly in sync, all thinking that Yara was targeting you... Hiss... Could it be that Yara stumbled upon the truth by accident?"
Henry Kendrick then asked, "Mr. Sloan, what do you say? Do you think this suicide note is real or fake?"

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