Estelle Lockwood’s eyes narrowed. "It’s you?"
"Miss Lockwood, long time no see."
Theodore Lancaster made no attempt to hide his intentions. Warily, Estelle Lockwood asked, "What do you want?"
On the surface, Theodore Lancaster was refined and courteous. "Miss Lockwood, there’s no need to be so guarded. I decorated this room for you myself. Are you satisfied with it?"
Estelle Lockwood kept her cool and answered with a question instead. "Those men... you sent them?"
Theodore Lancaster remained completely open, his expression gentle and apologetic. "Those idiots actually managed to hurt you, Miss Lockwood."
That was a confession.
"Mr. Lancaster, you’ve revealed yourself to me so directly. Aren’t you afraid I’ll come after you once I escape?"
Theodore Lancaster shook his head helplessly, as if being exceptionally indulgent, and patiently explained, "But Miss Lockwood, that’s contingent on you actually escaping."
"Why don’t you take a guess, Miss Lockwood, as to why I can be so bold as to reveal myself to you?"
Estelle Lockwood’s heart skipped a beat.
There’s an old saying: ’Dead men tell no tales.’
Theodore Lancaster didn’t mind exposing himself, admitting to hunting down Nathaniel Sloan and hiring killers, which meant he didn’t see Estelle Lockwood as a threat.
’Why wasn’t she a threat? Because Theodore Lancaster was certain she couldn’t escape.’
That was why he unabashedly revealed his secrets. If Estelle Lockwood couldn’t escape or contact the outside world, then they weren’t really secrets at all.
Once she understood, Estelle Lockwood sneered. "You’re certainly confident in yourself. Young Mr. Lancaster, you’ve kidnapped me, not killed me. Do you think Nathaniel Sloan won’t come looking for me? Do you really believe you can pull this off without leaving a single trace?"
"That’s true," Theodore Lancaster conceded with a nod. "But what you may not know, Miss Lockwood, is that I’ve already made thorough preparations."
Estelle Lockwood’s eyes narrowed sharply.
Theodore Lancaster smiled. "Before long, Miss Lockwood, you should see news of your own ’accidental death.’ By then, Nathaniel Sloan will likely be devastated. What state of mind will he be in to find any flaws in my plan?"
Estelle Lockwood’s gaze turned icy. "I’m a living, breathing person! How are you going to prove I’m dead?!"
Theodore Lancaster laughed. "You don’t need to know the details, Miss Lockwood. All you need to know is that from now on, you belong to me."
"If you don’t like this villa, Miss Lockwood, I have other properties. You’re bound to like one of them. My bodyguards are stationed inside and out. If you’re thinking of escaping... you probably can’t."
After he finished speaking, Theodore Lancaster, who apparently had other matters to attend to, stepped out of the room.
The room seemed empty, but Estelle Lockwood knew she was definitely still being watched.
A wave of revulsion washed over her.
Then, a strange panic began to rise in her heart. ’Will Nathaniel Sloan be worried sick about me? If Theodore Lancaster really announces my ’death,’ what will happen to my three little ones? And what about Nathaniel...?’
’I have to find a way to escape.’
’But... for me to escape from here all on my own is a complete fantasy.’
’So, I have to contact Nathaniel Sloan.’
’But how?’
Estelle Lockwood paced around the villa a few times to familiarize herself with the layout, then headed to the study.
A bodyguard stepped forward. "Miss Lockwood, you can’t leave your room."
Estelle Lockwood said lazily, "Theodore Lancaster said I couldn’t leave the villa, not that I couldn’t leave my room. Since the entire villa is my ’activity area,’ are you saying I can’t come to the study?"
’Mr. Lancaster hadn’t said anything about that.’



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