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

Chapter 19: Chapter 19: You’re Turning Down Millions in Compensation?

The air in the living room was exceptionally still.

Everyone was dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events.

How did Mrs. Everett end up staying while the Young Miss was the one leaving?

Mrs. Everett gritted her teeth in anger. She never expected Jane Lancaster to produce that agreement. They had clearly agreed that no fourth person would ever know about it.

’The dogs that bite don’t bark, indeed.’ She had underestimated the girl.

’This isn’t over. So she’s playing the ’running away from home’ card? As if she’s the only one who knows that trick!’

"Second Young Master, I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault for causing this conflict between you and the Young Miss," Mrs. Everett said, wiping away a tear.

"I can’t let the relationship between you, the Young Miss, and the First Young Master be damaged. That’s why I’m resigning voluntarily. I don’t want any compensation, either."

With that, she turned to leave, only to find a figure blocking her path.

Jasper Sterling looked up. "Really? Are you sure you don’t want the millions in compensation? That’s great. Let’s get you to sign the papers right now, while the lawyer is still here."

Mrs. Everett was taken aback. ’What? That much money?!’

Alvin Lancaster looked up at him, confused. Even if he wanted to get compensation for Mrs. Everett, he knew it would be nowhere near millions.

Jasper, acting for all the world as if it were true, instructed the lawyer to print an agreement. Then, holding the document, he glanced at Mrs. Everett.

Mrs. Everett’s eyes darted away.

"My apologies. As an outsider, I’ve overstepped. The Second Young Master should make his own decision."

He placed the agreement in front of Alvin Lancaster, shot a meaningful glance at Mrs. Everett, and then got up and left.

Of course, the millions in compensation weren’t real. But for Alvin Lancaster to defend her to this extent, two or three hundred thousand was certainly possible.

Jane Lancaster’s inner voice had revealed that Mrs. Everett would eventually marry Timothy Lancaster, and that was most likely true.

But given the scheming nature Mrs. Everett displayed, true love was unlikely. It could only be for the money.

His casual bluff had worked, successfully smoking out her duplicity.

It would be great if Alvin Lancaster saw through it. But if he didn’t... this would still plant a fuse between the two of them.

When faced with such a huge temptation, how could a greedy person possibly remain desireless?

Alvin Lancaster lowered his head, staring at the agreement. Suddenly, he said, "Mrs. Everett, you should move to the house on the back hill."

That was where Mrs. Everett had first lived when she came to the Lancaster family.

Back then, Mrs. Everett had been illiterate and could barely speak proper Mandarin, let alone accompany the Lancaster family to social events and interact with high-society circles as she did now.

The only thing she knew how to do was grow vegetables. She used to say that getting paid such a high salary to grow vegetables in such a beautiful yard was like living a life fit for the gods.

But in less than a month, she grew dissatisfied. She claimed others were always making fun of her and hinted that she wanted to be transferred to the kitchen.

In truth, she wasn’t qualified to be a cook, either. Father had originally disagreed, but it was only after his sister said she was craving food from their hometown that Mrs. Everett was appointed as the cook.

But it seemed she hadn’t done that job well, either.

Alvin Lancaster had always cherished his good memories of Mrs. Everett because when he was a child, starving in the countryside, she had cooked him a bowl of noodles.

She had indeed shown him exceptional care, remembering all his likes and dislikes. She was less like a servant and more like a kind elder.

But that didn’t mean he was willing to accept her as his mother.

Although his mother’s time with him was short, she had given him the best maternal love. He didn’t need to seek it from an unrelated person.

Mrs. Everett’s face was a mask of shock and grievance. "Second Young Master, I..."

"Of course, if you don’t agree, then after you sign this and receive your final wages, I’ll arrange for someone to take you back to your hometown," Alvin Lancaster said, clutching the agreement in his hand as he looked up at her.

He suddenly wanted to test Mrs. Everett’s attitude.

Mrs. Everett felt a rising panic. Her previous certainty had turned into doubt.

’How could Alvin Lancaster ask her to sign that? It was for millions! He was so rich, couldn’t he compensate her on Jane Lancaster’s behalf?’

’And the worst part was, he actually wanted to send her straight back to her hometown!’

’He owned several properties in the city and had companies to his name; arranging a place for her to live and work would have been no problem at all.’

Mrs. Everett said in a soft, quiet voice, "Second Young Master, how could I possibly go against the Young Miss’s wishes? I am willing to go to the small vegetable garden."

’She couldn’t just be sent back to her hometown like this. She had to endure it.’

’As long as she was still here, their bond wouldn’t truly be broken.’

’Alvin Lancaster had long been accustomed to her care and was highly dependent on her. He would never really let her just grow vegetables in the garden forever.’

Alvin Lancaster nodded and turned his wheelchair to leave.

Mrs. Everett had claimed she needed money for her daughter’s medical treatment, yet when he offered to send her back to her hometown, she showed no sign of joy or longing at the prospect of seeing her daughter soon.

Instead, she had glanced at the agreement in his hand several times, clearly weighing her options.

He recalled what his sister’s inner voice had said—that even as Mrs. Everett’s own daughter was on her deathbed, she was only focused on taking care of him. It sounded touching, at first.

But putting himself in the daughter’s shoes, he could only feel a cold chill run down his spine.

—

Jane Lancaster hadn’t gotten far from the villa when she heard someone call her from behind.

"Young Miss!" Calvin Cole exclaimed, hurrying to catch up with her. "Where are you going? I’ll give you a ride."

Jane Lancaster: "That’s not necessary."

Calvin Cole: "The First Young Master is very worried about you. Even if you want to live outside, you should at least let me arrange for someone to take care of you..."

"Young Miss, over here!" a driver in white gloves called out, eagerly approaching them.

Interrupted, Calvin Cole frowned. "How did you get in here? This isn’t a place to solicit customers."

He could, of course, tell that the man’s uniform was from a luxury car rental company.

Mama Knight paused. "It’s you."

She recognized him as the driver from the hotel the other day.

The driver rubbed his hands together, looking a bit sheepish.

"Well, the Young Miss paid for a month, so I have to be on call around the clock. She sent me a message this morning telling me to come over, so I’ve been waiting nearby ever since."

He had a strong work ethic; having taken the money, he would never slack off with a clear conscience!

Calvin Cole: "But..."

The driver had already opened the car door, and Jane Lancaster was just about to get in.

A slender, long-fingered hand reached over, shielding her head to prevent her from bumping it.

She looked up and met the young man’s smiling, almond-shaped eyes.

"Senior, may I bum a ride?" Jasper Sterling asked politely. "My driver had to leave for an emergency, so I was wondering if you could give me a lift?"

Jane Lancaster: "...Sure."

’It’s your money and your rental car, anyway. You can ride in it whenever you want.’

Jasper Sterling’s voice was calm. "Special Assistant Cole, you should be able to rest easy now."

Calvin Cole stopped in his tracks. "...With Young Master Sterling accompanying the Young Miss, I have nothing to worry about."

’Strange,’ he thought. He worked for Julian Lancaster and had dealt with Jasper Sterling a few times. His impression had always been that Jasper was gentle, polite, and didn’t put on airs.

’Why did he exude such an inexplicable pressure today? It was enough to make his back break out in a cold sweat.’

Calvin Cole’s gaze shifted back to the interior of the car.

Jane Lancaster was inwardly speechless.

’What are you looking at me for? Expecting me to form a united front with you?’

’The ’original me’ did warn you that there’s more to Jasper Sterling than meets the eye, but it seems like none of you really listened.’

’But then again, what’s with this guy Jasper Sterling today? I don’t remember him being this shameless before.’

’Did he have another business clash with Caleb Lowell recently? Unlucky in business, so he’s trying to get lucky in love?’

’If so, you’re focusing on the wrong thing. Caleb Lowell is away on a business trip while you’re out here messing around. You’ll be crying your eyes out when he becomes the richest man in the country.’

Jasper Sterling lowered his gaze, a refined and handsome smile on his face. ’So, Caleb Lowell is going to become the richest man, is he?’

’In that case, I might as well snatch all the projects Caleb has his eye on recently.’

’But Jane Lancaster might have gotten it wrong. He wasn’t the one who was unlucky in business.’

’On the contrary, it was Caleb Lowell who had suffered a few silent setbacks recently.’