Chapter 979: Suspects

After comforting Estella, Lucian left her room and headed to his study, contemplating Sonya and Estella's reactions. He furrowed his brow, pulling out his phone. Estella's distress upon her return troubled him. He worried about what Sonya might have said to Roxanne, but didn't want to upset Estella further by questioning her. After considering his options, Lucian decided to call Roxanne. He wondered if Sonya had spoken unkindly to her and felt he should apologize if so.

Roxanne had been plagued by unsettling dreams during her nap, stemming from Sonya's sudden arrival. She dreamed of Estella crying and longing for a hug, a hug Roxanne couldn't give. Waking with unease, her phone rang. It was Lucian. She recognized only two reasons for a call at this hour: his investigation into her stalker, or Estella. Regardless, she answered.

Lucian's deep voice filled her ear, catching her slightly off guard. His initial words were an apology, surprising Roxanne. He explained, "It wasn't my intention to bring Essie back."

This clarified things for Roxanne; she remembered Sonya's harsh words. She understood Lucian hadn't intended to send Estella back, otherwise he would have arrived himself. Still, she was surprised by his apology.

"It's fine," Roxanne replied, changing the subject. "Essie was crying terribly."

Lucian described Estella's distress and how he eventually calmed her. Roxanne breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good," she said.

"About my mother…" Lucian began, but Roxanne deflected, saying casually, "No worries. I understand Mrs. Farwell acted for Essie's sake." Her tone was conclusive, halting his line of questioning.

"Is there anything else, Mr. Farwell? If not, I'll hang up," Roxanne said, sensing his reluctance to let the subject drop. She noted a hint of avoidance in her own voice, and his silence confirmed her perception. She moved to end the call, but Lucian spoke again.

"By the way, any suspects regarding your stalker?"

Roxanne paused, then answered hesitantly, "No." The truth was, she suspected Aubree. Both Aubree and Sonya, she mused, shared a similar motive: keeping her away from Lucian.