Everyone Can Hear My Thoughts, and Now They're Panicking

Chapter 16: Chapter 16: Bad News, the Eldest Miss Wants to Fire Mrs. Everett

Mrs. Everett walked over with a tray of pastries and tea, her steps faltering for a moment when she saw Jane Lancaster.

Jane Lancaster’s gaze lingered on the plate of pastries for two seconds before she looked away. "You can get back to what you were doing."

With that, she turned and walked away.

Mrs. Everett then carried the pastries inside. "Special Assistant Cole, I made these myself. Please, try some. If you like them, you can take a couple of boxes home with you later."

She knew Calvin Cole was from a small city in the south, so she had specially prepared a local delicacy from his hometown.

Whether they were delicious was beside the point. What mattered was the gesture—who doesn’t like feeling thought of?

She smiled at Calvin Cole, understanding that it was best not to overdo it, and picked up her tray to leave.

But Calvin Cole sighed. "Felicia Everett, wait a minute. I have something to say to you."

A minute later, Mrs. Everett felt as if she’d been struck over the head with a club, a loud ringing filling her mind.

"The Eldest Young Master wants to fire me? Why?"

Mrs. Everett’s eyes reddened. "Did the Eldest Miss say something to the Eldest Young Master? It’s not like that! I can explain to him!"

Calvin Cole sounded helpless. "The Eldest Miss didn’t say a thing."

"But upsetting the Eldest Miss is, in itself, a failure to do your job."

’Jane Lancaster hadn’t actually tattled, but his visit to her that day had been tantamount to asking how she wanted to handle the situation.’

’If Jane Lancaster hadn’t wanted to get Julian Lanscaster involved, she should have returned to the Lancaster estate with him and let the matter die down quietly.’

’Since she refused to go home, and instead stayed in Julian Lanscaster’s presidential suite for two days, there was no way to keep it quiet.’

A chill crept into Mrs. Everett’s heart. ’She’d underestimated Jane Lancaster’s importance in this family.’

’No wonder the girl had been so fearless the night she walked out.’

She clenched her fists, her heart filled with bitterness. ’Am I supposed to just slink away in disgrace?’

’Even if she managed to stay, she would have to live at Jane Lancaster’s mercy, forced to stomach the nauseating sight of that girl being put on a pedestal and doted on.’

’If that was the case, she’d rather leave on her own terms.’

’But before she left, she was going to drag Jane Lancaster through the mud and make her miserable, too.’

—

Jane Lancaster sat on the sofa, flipping through a book.

She had a feeling something was about to happen.

And just as she expected, hurried footsteps rapidly approached.

The next second, there was a loud THUD.

—

「On the second-floor viewing terrace.」

Jasper Sterling admired the scenery before him, saying with a smile, "The Second Young Master was right. The view from here is truly breathtaking."

The terrace’s landscaping was Alvin Lancaster’s greatest source of pride.

"It was originally built for Jay while she was recovering. This way, even if Jay couldn’t go out, she could still enjoy the spring scenery."

"It’s actually more beautiful at night. With the lights, the night view is absolutely stunning."

"Jay used to love sitting out here from morning until night. Sometimes she’d be out here past ten o’clock and still not want to go to bed."

Jasper Sterling frowned. "From morning until night? By herself? Wasn’t anyone with her?"

Alvin Lancaster faltered. "We were all very busy... We’d be with her after work, of course."

"The rest of the Lancaster family is out of town, and you’re the only one living here. Since you’re out all day, weren’t you worried she might develop psychological issues?" Jasper Sterling asked, the smile gone from his eyes.

’If there had been people at home in the evenings, she would have had no reason to stay out so late.’

"There are servants in the house. Wasn’t Mama Knight always with her? Besides, Jay never said she was unhappy."

Alvin Lancaster was a little dumbfounded. Why the sudden seriousness? He found himself almost afraid to speak.

"Just because she never said anything, does that mean the problem doesn’t exist?" Jasper Sterling slowly tightened his grip on the handrail, the cold, ornate carvings digging into his palm.

"She’s not just any patient. She was in a coma for three years. The pain of rehabilitation is a process of having one’s body and mind destroyed and rebuilt, again and again."

"Do you really think she could have been happy?"

The young man’s tone wasn’t severe, yet Alvin Lancaster found it increasingly hard to breathe.

’Was his sister really in that much pain?’ He thought back. Ever since she woke up, she hadn’t complained a single time.

Perhaps because she always seemed so calm, so unlike a patient, he was under the false impression that her rehabilitation was no big deal.

’But he was wrong, wasn’t he?’

"Second Young Master!" A servant rushed in, interrupting Alvin Lancaster’s train of thought.

"This is terrible! The Eldest Miss is firing Mrs. Everett!"

The blood in Alvin Lancaster’s veins seemed to freeze. "What did you say?" he choked out.

—

Silence reigned in the living room.

Jane Lancaster glanced at Mrs. Everett kneeling before her, then shifted her gaze to Calvin Cole, who was rushing over.

"Felicia Everett, what are you doing? Get up, now!" Calvin Cole felt a massive headache coming on.

Mama Knight ran over to help Mrs. Everett up, but she couldn’t move her.

Exasperated, she put some force into it and yanked Mrs. Everett up. Tears immediately streamed down Mrs. Everett’s face.

Jane Lancaster said, "Mama Knight, let her go!"

Mama Knight released her grip sheepishly. "Eldest Miss, I didn’t hurt her."

"It’s fine. This doesn’t concern you," Jane Lancaster said in a gentle voice. "Could you go brew me a pot of fruit tea? I just took my medicine, and my mouth tastes bitter."

Mama Knight was hesitant to leave the Eldest Miss alone, but a glance at Calvin Cole reassured her that she was worrying for nothing.

"Special Assistant Cole, please keep an eye on her. Don’t let anyone bother the Eldest Miss."

Once Mama Knight was gone, Jane Lancaster looked at Mrs. Everett. "I’ll give you five minutes. If you have something to say, say it."

’She had just gained five Loathing Points. What a pleasant surprise!’

’And so, she was willing to grant Mrs. Everett a shred of her patience.’

Mrs. Everett kowtowed, thumping her head loudly on the floor. "Eldest Miss, I beg you, please be merciful!"

"If there’s anything else I’ve done wrong, I can change! I promise! Please, don’t have the Eldest Young Master fire me!"

"As you know, my daughter has a congenital heart condition. My husband abandoned us over ten years ago. If I don’t have a job, how will I pay for my daughter’s treatment?"

The servants, who had been eavesdropping on the gossip, were stunned.

’No wonder Mrs. Everett was always sending money home—it was because her daughter was so sick!’

’How horrible! And the Eldest Miss knew about it but still wanted to fire her?’

The way the crowd of servants looked at Jane Lancaster was now filled with resentment and indignation.

Meanwhile, Alvin Lancaster, who had just gotten off the elevator, was also stunned.

He had no idea about Mrs. Everett’s daughter. ’No wonder she’d been so anxious these past few days, terrified his sister would fire her. It was all for her child.’

Alvin Lancaster’s heart ached with sympathy. ’Of course a mother would do anything for her child.’

The sympathy was immediately replaced by a flash of anger. ’His sister had really gone too far this time!’

"No! Mrs. Everett can’t leave! I won’t allow it!" Alvin Lancaster shouted.

"Jay, how could you go back on your word? You clearly said you wouldn’t press the matter, but then you fire her the second Caleb Lowell is gone? Don’t you think that’s going too far?"

Furious, Alvin Lancaster tried to turn his wheelchair. It wouldn’t move. He tried again. Still nothing.

’What the-?’

Just as Alvin Lancaster was about to turn his head, a voice sounded from behind him. "Allow me. The wheel seems to be stuck."

Jasper Sterling cut a tall, elegant figure, the very picture of refined grace. He smiled, bent down, and fiddled with the wheel for a moment. The wheelchair was free to move again.

"Thanks, Young Master Sterling!" Alvin Lancaster said gratefully.

Jane Lancaster was speechless.

’Is this simpleton an idiot? Jasper Sterling was deliberately stepping on the wheelchair; of course it wouldn’t move. And he’s thanking him? He’s being completely played and doesn’t even have a clue.’

The smile on Alvin Lancaster’s face froze.

He stared stiffly at the young man before him. ’Was it true?’