He could barely accept Zeta speaking up for Ella and gave her the benefit of the doubt that she might have misjudged the kind of person Ella was. That would have been understandable.
Whatâs more, for all he knew, Zeta might have done it out of spite toward him and deliberately ganged up with that woman against him.
But Old Mr. Ford was an intelligent and sharp man. Why would he bother speaking up for Stella?
Old Mr. Ford furrowed his brows and said sharply, âWho asked you to stand up?â
Xavier knelt back down reluctantly.
âWhatever it is, stay here and reflect upon your mistakes! When youâve thought things through, call me.â
With that, Old Mr. Ford stood up and left.
Stella instinctively turned to her side. Weston held his arm around her waist and waited outside the hall.
Old Mr. Ford appeared to have expected their arrival as he glanced carelessly at them. âHave you had enough of the excitement?â
Stella felt incredibly awkward and uneasy, as if she had been caught eavesdropping.
Weston, on the other hand, sat calm and composed next to her. He toyed with a lock of her hair leisurely, âNot really. Itâs rare to see him humble and obedient.â
Given how much Old Mr. Ford doted on Xavier, everyone in the Ford family gave in to him.
Old Mr. Ford was serious about teaching him a lesson this time round.
He smiled.
It made him look kindly. âI know who youâre most concerned about. Thereâs nothing wrong for a man to be concerned for his own woman.â
He looked at Stella smilingly, âIsnât that so, Ella?â
If it werenât for the consensus they had reached earlier and knowing that Old Mr. Ford would think of a way to send her away eventually, Stella would have thought he was supportive of her and Weston being together.
She nodded with a smile. âThankyou, Grandpa.â
Her address made Weston happy.
He pinched her long, lithe fingers and interlocked his fingers with hers. âSo anxious to claim my grandfather as yours?â
Stella looked down in silence.
She even looked slightly bashful.
Old Mr. Ford observed their interaction and simply smiled.
He sipped his tea and said, âWeston, youâre different from your father and uncle. For one, youâre a lot more reliable, and they have no say in their marriage. Things arenât the same for you.â
He meant something else deeper.
Marriage alliances were but a way to strengthen their power in the circle. Wealthy heirs and heiresses have their fate sealed the moment they were born.
Only those heirs and heiresses with true capabilities had a right to dictate their destiny.
Yet, a good majority of these heirs and heiresses ended up walking down the path of marriage alliances anyway.
Who would reject a win-win situation? Very few would sacrifice their lofty ambitions for the sake of something as fleeting as love and romance.
Of course, there were young, reckless, and emotional heirs and heiresses, but they would eventually end up walking down the same path.
Old Mr. Ford was very clear about that, but he said to Weston, â Youâre outstanding in every work at work, which is why I will not interfere with your marriage. I only hope that youâll be happy.â
Even though Weston was already married once, it was only for a year, and he made a clean break.
Therefore, no one in the Ford family probed much into it.
They simply treated it as an innocent mistake.
Stella stood at a side and was in awe at what Old Mr. Ford said.
It wasnât difficult to conclude that Old Mr. Ford wouldnât be blamed if she were to break things off with Weston. After all, he was so supportive of her being with Weston.
Weston would only have her to blame.
Even so, Stella didnât care.
She couldnât be bothered about Westonâs attitude toward her.
He could hate her or feel guilty, but as long as she could leave him, he could think whatever he wanted of her.