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

The expression on Mia Lanley’s face was a sight to behold.

Seeing that things were going south, Jim Jenson quickly said, "Leo has always had a great reputation. Who knows if you’re just taking advantage of his good nature and using him as a scapegoat."

Jane Lancaster gave him a meaningful look. "Since when were you and Sean Grant so close? This is news to me."

"I’m just giving an objective analysis," Jim Jenson said.

"If you don’t even know Sean Grant well, then there’s no objectivity. After all, you’re just going by hearsay. There’s an old saying: time reveals a person’s heart. How long has Sean Grant been in Stratton? And you’re already so sure he’s a good person? What if it’s all an act? You’ll regret it when he wipes out the Jenson Family without a sound."

"Nonsense! He couldn’t possibly..." Jim Jenson wanted to say ’He couldn’t possibly wipe out our Jenson Family,’ but he snapped his mouth shut.

This woman was driving him crazy. He’d almost blurted out a critical secret.

Jane Lancaster looked curious. "So you two really do know each other? I saw you at the Valerium once, calling someone ’big brother’. It wasn’t Sean Grant, was it?"

Jim Jenson’s brow twitched. He still had a vivid memory of that day at the Valerium Club.

’So it really was her eavesdropping.’ He had caught her in the act, but she had lied through her teeth, brazenly demanding they go check the security footage.

Not only that, she had even called on the onlookers to act as witnesses. President Lewis of the Lewis Family from Solara had been in that crowd.

It was the first time he had ever been in the right and still felt so utterly humiliated. He got angry enough to spit blood just thinking about it later.

Jim Jenson squeezed the words through his teeth. "No. You saw wrong."

After a pause, he seized on a loophole in her words. "So you admit you were eavesdropping that day?"

Jane Lancaster looked perfectly composed. "I never denied it. Didn’t I tell you to check the footage so you could prove me wrong? But you refused. You’d rather apologize than check it. What was I supposed to do?"

Jim Jenson was speechless.

’This woman is infuriating! I’m going to die of anger! Aaaargh!’

Jane Lancaster suddenly turned to the crowd. "Oh? Were you all just talking about how a clear conscience fears no accusation? It’s just checking some security footage. Young Master Jenson wouldn’t be afraid or feel guilty, would he?"

The crowd collectively took a few steps back, remaining silent.

’We didn’t say that! Don’t put words in our mouths!’

’Can’t you see Jim Jenson is about to lose his mind? Who would dare cross him right now?’

Still, everyone couldn’t help but sneak a few glances at Jim Jenson.

No one present was a fool. It only took a moment’s thought to realize that Jim Jenson had apologized to cover something up. So what was on that security footage?

Alvin Lancaster reluctantly changed the subject. "Um, Jay wouldn’t lie. Ms. Langley, you should be on your guard."

Mia Lanley had interacted with him the most. If he was saying this, it must be true.

She was beyond shocked. She had assumed Sean Grant’s "feedback" was just a warning, but she never expected him to be so ruthless.

’Is a winery owner really that powerful? He can even meddle with Stratton University?’

She lost all interest in causing trouble and now only wanted to discuss countermeasures with her cousin right away.

Jane Lancaster turned to look at Jim Jenson.

Jim Jenson instantly sensed trouble and turned to leave. There was no way he was apologizing again!

As he walked away, he glared at the onlookers. "What are you looking at? Scram!"

’Why are these people so nosy? So annoying.’

The crowd was speechless.

’So you’re allowed to be nosy, but we’re not? What kind of logic is that?’

They looked at Jane Lancaster with surprise. This woman was nothing like the rumors said; her tongue was incredibly sharp.

The key was that she spoke in such a gentle and soft manner, yet her words had more destructive power than a full-throated roar.

’Why do I find myself kind of admiring her?’

—

Alvin Lancaster let out a sigh of relief. "Jay, are you okay?"

He had been breaking out in a cold sweat on the way here. Thankfully, it was just a minor scuffle.

But Jane Lancaster gave him a strange look. "What are you doing here?"

Alvin Lancaster was completely baffled. "Why? Am I not allowed to be here?"

He remembered coming to the Hughes family’s home often as a child, along with Jim Jenson and one of the Hughes’ relatives.

But later, after Jim Jenson offended his sister, the Jenson family sent him abroad. Around the same time, Alvin’s own grades dropped severely because he was always slacking off, so his father grounded him and forced him to study at home. Gradually, he stopped visiting the Hughes family.

His sister had also been struggling with her studies back then after skipping a grade, so she spent most of her time studying at home as well.

After that, whenever there was an event at the Hughes family’s home, their older brother would attend with the younger one.

But even though he hadn’t been here in years, he still remembered the layout of the Hughes’s estate. The lawn and rockeries in the courtyard felt familiar.

Jane Lancaster pressed her temples as certain memories threatened to break free. "It’s nothing."

’Whatever. I don’t care if he’s here or not, as long as he doesn’t hold me back.’

’Wait, that’s not right. He loves dogs so much, he probably is here to hold me back!’

Alvin Lancaster paused. ’Dogs? What dogs?’

The Lancaster family never kept cats or dogs, and there weren’t any strays in their gated community either. Apparently, Timothy Lancaster found them too dirty and had complained to the property management along with the homeowners’ association. After that, no strays were ever seen again.

He did indeed like dogs, but because of his father, he’d never even considered getting one.

Come to think of it, Luna Morgan was the same. She was so kindhearted and loved small animals, but due to the turmoil in her family, she couldn’t provide a stable home and had to give up on the idea of getting a dog.

Thinking of Luna Morgan, who was still lying in a hospital bed, made Alvin Lancaster’s heart clench.

’I wonder if she’ll wake up tonight, or if she’ll be trapped in nightmares again.’

Alvin Lancaster snapped out of his daze and looked up to see Jane Lancaster walking away. He hurried after her.

"Jay, where are we going?"

"To eat. Aren’t you hungry?" Jane Lancaster asked, surprised.

She was so used to Mama Knight’s strict meal schedule that she had to eat on the dot. She never really had a chance to get hungry.

’It’s always better to stir up trouble on a full stomach.’

With that thought in mind, Jane Lancaster sat back down at her previous table.

When Alan Wallace saw her return, his face turned green. ’Why won’t she just go away?’

He had only hurried back to his seat because he saw Mr. Hughes and his wife making their rounds to toast each table. He hadn’t even warmed his seat before Jane Lancaster returned.

’If she isn’t here deliberately to suck up to Mr. Hughes, I’ll twist my own head off and kick it like a ball!’

Everyone else at the table shared his sentiment, glaring at Jane Lancaster with hostility.

’What is she doing? This woman offended Mrs. Hughes, and she still dares to sit here so brazenly. Mrs. Hughes will be angry when she sees her, won’t she?’

Jane Lancaster paid no attention to the others. She sat down and immediately started digging in. It wasn’t until Alvin Lancaster noticed the tense atmosphere and tugged on her arm that she stopped.

"What’s wrong?" Jane Lancaster asked, looking up mid-bite.

"Maybe you should make yourself scarce for a bit."

Alan Wallace’s first reaction was to wonder if he had somehow said his thoughts out loud. His second reaction was, ’Oh, it wasn’t me.’

The one who spoke was a middle-aged man sitting opposite them. He glanced at his watch with an entitled expression. "Do us a favor and go to the restroom. Come back in ten minutes."

Jane Lancaster: "Nope."

The middle-aged man seemed surprised that she would refuse. He frowned. "We have business to discuss. You’re a young lady, and you’re not even drinking. Besides, this is what everyone at the table wants."

Hearing this, Alan Wallace instinctively lowered his gaze.

’Even though I did feel that way, shooing her away so directly is a bit much, isn’t it?’