Chapter 163
Half an hour later, the car slowly pulled into the Lancaster Estate.
The massive iron gates opened automatically. Lights blazed on both sides of the road. Servants and bodyguards had already lined up in two rows.
The moment the car stopped, Hayden hurried out with the butler, a smile he couldn't hide plastered across his face.
"Lucinda's here! Are you tired? The trip must have been exhausting. Come on in—dinner's all ready."
His enthusiasm was so over-the-top, anyone who didn't know better would think Lucinda was his actual daughter.
Reginald stood to the side, inexplicably feeling a little redundant.
Lucinda smiled warmly. "Mr. Lancaster."
"Good, good, good."
Hayden was beaming. The more he looked at her, the more satisfied he felt.
So beautiful. So accomplished. How could she not be perfect?
The group headed inside. The moment Lucinda entered the hall, her gaze instinctively swept the room. She didn't see that familiar figure.
She raised an eyebrow slightly. "Where's Niamh?"
As her words fell, Hayden's steps visibly paused. Even his smile stiffened.
The butler beside him coughed lightly. The atmosphere suddenly turned a little awkward.
Lucinda blinked. "What's wrong?"
Hayden let out a dry laugh. "Well… Niamh, she… she went out to play."
Reginald was silent.
The butler was silent.
Lucinda looked at their expressions and nearly laughed out loud.
Hayden's lying skills were… not great.
She spoke slowly. "Went out to play?"
"Yes." Hayden nodded stiffly. "Just left. Probably won't be back for a while."
Lucinda's lips curved. A glint of mischief flickered in her eyes. "Is that so? Because I have a feeling…"
She deliberately paused. Hayden's heart sank.
The next second, she smiled softly. "She's probably in her room."
Instant silence.
Looking at the three of them and their varying expressions, Lucinda couldn't hold back her amusement anymore.
She turned toward the stairs, her tone casual. "I'll go check on her."
Before anyone could react, Lucinda was already heading up the staircase.
Hayden stood frozen in place. After a long moment, he whipped around to look at Reginald. "We're done for."
Reginald raised an eyebrow. "Done for how?"
Hayden clutched his forehead, his expression pained. "Your sister just said she doesn't like her future sister-in-law. Now Lucinda's going to find her. Won't they end up fighting?"
As his words fell, Lucinda was already stepping onto the last stair.
Behind her, Hayden was nearly frantic, following after her. "Lucinda, maybe you should—"
Before he could finish, at the end of the second-floor hallway, a door was suddenly yanked open from the inside.
Bang! The sound was loud. Immediately after, a slender figure stormed out, radiating anger.
Niamh was clearly still upset. Her face was tense, her brow furrowed. As she walked, she muttered under her breath, "I want to see what kind of woman could bewitch my dad and my brother like this. I don't believe she's even close to my master—"
Halfway through her sentence, her voice cut off abruptly. She froze in place.
The air seemed to go silent. Niamh stood there, stunned, her eyes widening bit by bit, as if she'd just witnessed something impossible.
At the top of the stairs, Lucinda stood there, her lips curved in a half-smile. "Why'd you stop talking?"
Niamh was silent.
She thought she might be hallucinating.
She raised her hand and rubbed her eyes. Looked again—still Lucinda. Rubbed again—still Lucinda.
Niamh was completely dumbfounded. "Master?"
Lucinda raised an eyebrow. "It's me."
Niamh's brain completely short-circuited.
Master? Why was her master in her house?
She stood there, dazed, her mental CPU running at full throttle.
One minute ago, Dad said the future sister-in-law had arrived.
One minute later, her master appeared in her house.
Future sister-in-law… Master… Future sister-in-law… Master…
The next second, Niamh whipped around to look at Reginald downstairs, then back at Lucinda, then back at Reginald again.
Finally, the shock on her face slowly morphed into disbelief. "Wait… no way?"
Hayden was also a little confused. He'd been worried his daughter and future daughter-in-law wouldn't get along, but judging by this reaction, they knew each other?
Lucinda looked at her apprentice's dumbfounded expression and finally couldn't hold back a laugh.
She spoke naturally. "Let me reintroduce myself. Lucinda. Your brother's fiancée."
Niamh's brain completely exploded. The entire world went silent. Only one sentence looped endlessly in her mind.
Your brother's fiancée. Your brother's fiancée. Your brother's fiancée…
She stood frozen for a solid five or six seconds. Then, the next second, a scream echoed through the entire estate!
Niamh charged forward and threw herself into Lucinda's arms. "Master! It's you! It's really you! Oh my God! You're my sister-in-law! You're really my sister-in-law!"
Niamh was so excited she nearly cried. She hugged Lucinda and bounced up and down, babbling incoherently with joy.
Just moments ago, she'd been sulking in her room, convinced her brother was a scumbag and that her future sister-in-law had stolen her dad and brother away.
But now she was being told her future sister-in-law was her master?
What kind of plot twist was this?
She wouldn't even dare dream something like this!
"Master! Why didn't you tell me sooner? Do you know how upset I was just now? I even called Reginald a scumbag!"
Downstairs, Reginald was silent.
Thanks. He heard that.
Niamh didn't notice her brother's expression at all and continued excitedly hugging Lucinda. "This is amazing! Really amazing! I was even planning to introduce you to my brother! But you two are already together! Isn't this what they call a meeting of minds?"
Lucinda was jostled back and forth in her embrace. She felt a little helpless but didn't push her away. She just reached out and ruffled Niamh's hair. "Satisfied now?"
"Satisfied!" Niamh didn't hesitate. "Super satisfied! There's nothing in the world more satisfying than this!"
With that, she couldn't help nuzzling into Lucinda's arms again.
Downstairs, a vein twitched at Reginald's temple. Finally unable to take it anymore, he strode up the stairs. "Niamh."
Niamh didn't even turn around. "What?"
Reginald reached out, trying to pry his sister off Lucinda. "Let go."
"No." Niamh held on tighter. "This is my master and my sister-in-law. What's wrong with me hugging her?"
Reginald let out a cold laugh. "She just got off a plane. She's tired. Are you trying to squeeze her to death?"
Niamh's movements froze instantly. She quickly loosened her grip a little—but still didn't let go. "Then I'll hug her gently."
Reginald was silent.
He took a deep breath and reached out again.
"Get down."
"No."
"Get down."
"I don't want to."
The siblings stared each other down. Neither was willing to budge.
Lucinda stood between them, suddenly feeling a headache coming on.
One was the boss of Sylvanor's Dusk Reign Crew. The other was a top-tier scientific genius. And now they were practically about to fight over hugging her.
Hayden watched the scene and finally couldn't hold back a laugh.
The butler beside him chuckled as well.
Hayden laughed so hard that wrinkles appeared at the corners of his eyes. The weight in his heart finally lifted completely.
He'd been worried his daughter wouldn't accept her, but judging by this? She didn't just accept her—she adored her.
At that thought, Hayden grew even happier.
One was his most beloved son. The other was his most beloved daughter. And now both of them revolved around Lucinda.
And Lucinda herself was flawless in every way.
Where else could he find a daughter-in-law like this?