Chapter 716: Chapter 718

“I know exactly what you’re trying to say,” Stella told Warren slowly as she stared at the floor. “You’re thinking that Weston would eventually lose interest in me if I just let him do whatever he wants to do to me, don’t you? Well, trust me, I’ve tried that, and it didn’t work.”

“But now it won’t just be you letting him do whatever he wants,” he patiently explained. “It would be his whole family letting him do whatever he wants. There’s a big difference there.”

“Up until now,” he continued, “we’ve all wanted him to be with Guinevere , but he had his mind set on you. The more we objected, the more rebellious he became. Now, however, we’ll change our tune and let him be with whoever he wants, even you. As time goes on, he’ll eventually get bored.”

“I can pretend to please him,” Stella defended, still not entirely trusting Warren. “But what are you going to do if he wouldn’t let me go?”

Warren laughed.

“The best-case scenario would be for him to naturally lose interest in you, but if he doesn’t, then surely you would have lowered his guard over time, correct? When that happens, I can easily help you escape his grasp.”

“Okay,” Stella replied, finally convinced. “I got it.”

The Ford Mansion had a long and illustrious history, with its stately walls and lavish furnishings exuding true grandeur. Only now, after being surrounded by such splendor, did Stella truly appreciate the century-long accumulation of wealth enjoyed by the Ford family. It was at a level no ordinary person could imagine.

In one hallway alone, she could see numerous famous paintings that she had only seen in art textbooks. Yet there they were , looking as if they had always belonged there.

The housekeeper led Stella to a room and said, “This is the guest bedroom prepared just for you, Miss Ella. Right next to it is Mr. Weston Ford’s room. Feel free to tell me if you need anything.”

“Does Weston Ford live here too?” she asked as she swept a glance across the room.

“Yes,” the housekeeper answered. “But he is with Mr. Chris Ford right now, sending the guests off. He should be back in his room later. Would you like to stay here, or would you like someone else to show you around the mansion?”

“No,” she shook her head. “I’ll just stay here and rest. I’m exhausted. It’s been a long day.”

“Sure, Miss Ella. Have a good rest.”

The housekeeper had just left when Stella suddenly overheard a quarrel coming from the hallway.

“What was Father thinking letting that woman stay here?!”

It was Chris Ford’s voice, and he sounded incensed.

Stella didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but hearing that their conversation revolving around her made her pause…

Meanwhile , inside the room, Wendy, who had returned earlier, was undergoing her usual skincare routine, cleansing her face at first, followed by a steam facial.

Zach had behaved himself well and threw no tantrums at all. He had just quietly gone to sleep, so Wendy handed his care over to the nanny.

She glanced at the clock. It was almost time to go to bed.

Then Chris suddenly stormed into the room and saw her sitting in front of the vanity mirror holding a cream jar. He banged the door shut, completely fired up with rage.

Because he banged the door with excessive force, it bounced instead of closed properly, leaving a tiny gap through which Stella could hear them as she stood there in the hallway without being seen.

“…what are you so angry about now?” asked Wendy coolly as she was applying moisturizer to her face. She had let her hair down and was now dressed in her silk nightgown.

Chris had been used to her nightly ritual for decades, but this sight inexplicably irritated him for some reason. “Are those creams all you care about?” he snapped.” Think about something else other than yourself! Don’t you know that the family is in an uproar?” Wendy was about to frown, but then she remembered that she had a mask on, so she went back to being expressionless. “I know you’re in a rotten mood,” she said, “and you’re just taking it out on me.”

“I’m not taking it out on you,” he argued. “Just explain it to me. Why did you suddenly announce that Ella Steele is your goddaughter? Are you crazy? And now Father even let her stay in our house! Are we really going to let Weston be with a woman like that?”

“Whatever happens between them is none of your business. Why are you so concerned about it?”

“Because Weston is our son! And he has a child now! Are we really going to let Ella Steele be Zach’s stepmother?” “Judging by how much you care about him,” Wendy sneered, “I would’ve thought that Zach was your son if I didn’t know any better!”

“Nonsense!” Chris yelled. “You’re getting more and more unreasonable by the day!”