Chapter 301: Come a Little Closer, and I’ll Tell You

Timothy Lancaster still didn’t understand. "Why was he the weak point?"

"On the one hand, you had to maintain your persona of doting on your daughter. On the other, you were just too greedy, constantly accepting gifts from Adrian Lancaster. Adrian craves a father’s love, but he’s no fool. If he didn’t know he could use this to his advantage, why would he have been showering you with offerings?"

After a moment’s thought, Timothy Lancaster understood where the problem was. "Are you talking about that watch and the mattress? I’m getting old. Can’t I enjoy myself a little?"

A watch worth millions and a mattress worth over a million—he felt he was entitled to enjoy them.

Jane Lancaster said, "I’ve been in my dad’s room many times. I could tell he was very frugal. I even saw his expense ledger. He was reluctant to spend money on himself, but he bought a lot of trust funds for me, leaving me almost his entire fortune. The money was to be returned to me incrementally after I graduated from college, or even after I got married."

Timothy Lancaster sighed. "A parent’s love for their child runs deep and plans far ahead. Aren’t you moved by that? Most children, upon seeing this, would only feel an urgent need to repay their old father."

Jane Lancaster’s gaze was clear. "The impression he gave me wasn’t that he didn’t dare to enjoy life. To be precise, it was guilt, compensation—a self-inflicted punishment that would give him no peace in this lifetime."

She paused before continuing, "To punish himself, and to keep himself from wavering, he even refused to form emotional bonds with his sons. So tell me, why would he suddenly start pursuing a life of luxury?"

Timothy Lancaster retorted, "Couldn’t he just be a hypocrite? Two-faced? Julian Lancaster is the same way, isn’t he? On the surface, he built this persona of a doting brother, but in reality, it was all to snatch your position as the heir."

Even now, he couldn’t resist trying to sow discord.

Jane Lancaster lowered her gaze, her tone light. "But Timothy Lancaster’s persona as a doting father wasn’t fake. I confirmed that the very first time Butler Forbes video-called me."

The affection for her in Butler Forbes’s eyes could not be faked.

Although he didn’t call frequently, he often asked Mama Knight about how she was doing.

"I’ve also seen the chat logs between Mama Knight and Butler Forbes. Mama Knight knows how to read, but her education is limited. She likes to send long voice messages, and her typed messages have a lot of typos. But Butler Forbes responded to every single thing without any impatience."

There was no impatience, no condescension; he communicated with Mama Knight as an equal, with respect.

This respect wasn’t just a sign of good upbringing; it was because he wanted Mama Knight to take good care of Jane Lancaster.

"So, Butler Forbes’s attitude proves that Timothy Lancaster genuinely loved me."

If Timothy Lancaster didn’t truly love his daughter and was just putting on an act, an old hand like Butler Forbes would have surely seen through it, and his attitude would have, to some extent, carried a hint of disdain.

Julian Lancaster’s heart clenched. He was suddenly reminded of Calvin Cole.

Calvin Cole had been with him ever since he was hired right out of college. Their bond was closer than his was with someone like Lucy Finch, who had transferred to his department later.

Calvin had always been sharp and adept at reading his intentions. His poor attitude toward Jane Lancaster back then was definitely not because he was being stupid.

The man had seen that his "doting brother" persona was fake.

Jane Lancaster had also seen what Calvin Cole’s disdain implied.

Julian Lancaster suddenly felt like he couldn’t breathe. ’Of course. Someone as perceptive as her, how could she not have seen through her brother’s false affection and schemes?’

Perhaps she had seen the raw ambition in his eyes from the very first night he reached out his hand to her.

And yet, she had still thrown herself into his arms without hesitation, embracing his despicable schemes with a tender heart.

Thinking about how he had wanted her to give up her position as heir, how he had wanted to take her shares, how he had been cruel enough to even scheme away her dividends...

Julian Lancaster closed his eyes in shame. His heart felt like it was wrapped in an airtight net, suffocating him.

"Alright, I’ve answered your questions. Now it’s your turn to answer mine." Jane Lancaster’s gaze turned sharp. "How was Adrian Lancaster poisoned?"

Timothy Lancaster smiled. "Take a guess."

"Adrian Lancaster can hear my thoughts. Knowing that someone would try to poison him, he should have been more careful. The way he acted with that bottle of water that day was very strange. First, he deliberately offered it to me to drink, and after I refused, he drank it himself. He poisoned himself on purpose, didn’t he? To frame me? How did you manipulate him? Or more accurately, you know hypnotism too, don’t you?"

This time, Timothy Lancaster was genuinely surprised. "You even figured that out?"

He paused, then chuckled. "Of course I know a little hypnotism. I suggested to him that the reason I doted on you so much was because you nearly died as a child. I was afraid of losing you, so I was filled with regret and desperately trying to make it up to you. I didn’t expect him to believe it and actually go through with it."

Jasper Sterling asked, "So that male servant who went mad—was that because you hypnotized him long ago?"

If so, the man’s plans could be traced back as far as three years.

Timothy Lancaster spread his hands. "Jay, I saw your confrontation with Jean Hughes. You must know a little about hypnotism, too. If there weren’t cracks in the human heart’s desires, how could I have slipped in?"

Julian Lancaster exclaimed, "You bastard! How could you do that to Chase!"

Timothy Lancaster looked surprised. "Haven’t I been good enough to him? I was planning on letting him be the only one from the Lancaster family to survive."

He paused, then added with a smile, "After all, he’s so useful. I just have to give him a look, and he trips over himself to please me. Once he wakes up this time, we’ll surely be a picture of fatherly love and filial piety."

Julian Lancaster was so angry he started to lunge forward, but Jane Lancaster stopped him.

She turned back. "Last question. Who are you, really? And where is Timothy Lancaster?"

Butler Forbes said anxiously, "This is the master’s body! What are you? Why are you inside him? Is the master still alive?"

It wasn’t that he’d never had his suspicions, but he was the one responsible for Timothy Lancaster’s physical examinations. He had used those opportunities to confirm repeatedly that it was, without a doubt, Timothy Lancaster’s body.

Moreover, the man seemed to have Timothy Lancaster’s memories; when past events were brought up, all the details matched.

He’d never imagined that the person under the skin had been replaced. After all, it was just too unscientific!

Timothy Lancaster smiled and said, "Jay, come a little closer, and I’ll tell you."

Caleb Lowell snapped to his senses. "Jay, don’t fall for it! He’s dangerous!"

As they were talking, the two fingers that had been severed from Timothy Lancaster’s hand had already grown back about one centimeter.

Given enough time, he could grow two completely new fingers.

How could a person like that possibly be an ordinary human?

Timothy Lancaster sighed. "I’m only flesh and blood. My heart took a serious blow. Even if I could heal completely, it would take a whole day and night. With so many of you here, do you really think I can escape?"

Julian Lancaster sneered, "Since you know you can’t escape, you’d better start talking. That stab I gave you just now was off-center. I can give you another, and I guarantee it’ll hit your heart this time."

"How can you all bully me like this?" Timothy Lancaster paused, looking at Jane Lancaster. "I can answer the questions that have been plaguing you, including why you have to do these tasks. But only you can hear the answers."

"Fine. I trust you," Jane Lancaster said, and started walking toward him.

"Jay!" Caleb Lowell tried to grab her wrist but was blocked.

He looked up, his face full of fury. "Jasper Sterling, I’m not in the mood to play games with you."

"Listen to Jay," Jasper Sterling said, not yielding an inch.