Dalton Grant couldn't help but voice his worries; it made him feel uneasy.
"Got it, Dad. Don't worry, I'll take good care of Elle," Stella replied.
Dalton nodded in satisfaction.
What a picture of a loving father and obedient children! Ella couldn't help but chuckle at the irony. Was she really the older sister, or was Stella? Could Stella really keep her in check? What a joke.
Ella decided to let them talk;
whether she followed their advice or not depended on her own mood.
"Oh right, there's one more thing. After the family dinner, we need to start preparing for Stella and Quinn Lee's wedding. We'll all go to the Lee family together to give your little sister a proper send-off."
Stella Grant shyly lowered her head.
"Dad, I don't want to get married so soon! I want to spend more time with you," she protested.
Sabrina Anderson chimed in, "I can't help but feel a bit reluctant knowing Stella is still just a kid."
Ella Grant rolled her eyes internally. Reluctant about Dalton Grant? No way! It was more about not wanting to give up her status as a Grant family princess and hoping to squeeze more money out of Dalton.
She knew better than to voice her thoughts. At this point, anything she said would just fall on deaf ears, so it was pointless.
"Alright, my good daughter, we'll wait until you're ready to get married. For now, this is just a preliminary discussion. I'm not letting my precious daughter go that easily. The Lee family better be ready to shell out some serious cash; that way, when you do marry in, they won't dare to bully you."
Stella nodded obediently, her smile brighter than ever, occasionally glancing at Ella with a hint of pride.
"Dad is the best."
Ella Grant sat quietly to the side,feeling that the silence was something uniquely hers amidst the lively chatter around her.
Oliver Grant noticed her silence and furrowed his brow deeply. Stella was treated so much better in the Grant family than Ella was.
Dalton Grant, however, seemed indifferent, as if everything was perfectly normal. After giving a few more instructions, he dispersed, and everyone headed upstairs to their rooms.
Oliver Grant made a point to find Ella.
"The dress has arrived for tonight. I've sent someone to bring it over."
"You don't need to worry about tomorrow's hair and makeup; just leave it to our third sister."
He had arranged everything down to the smallest detail. For the first time, Ella felt what it was like to be cared for. Just as she was about to say thank you, Oliver pulled out a box from behind him.
"I noticed your phone was still the one Stella gave you. That's not quite right. You should use this new one from now on."
Ella looked at the limited edition phone resting in his hand, feeling as if it had a warmth of its own.
"Thank you."
"Why are you being so nice to me?"
For the first time, Ella voiced her confusion.
"You are my sister, and it's only natural for a brother to take care of his sister. Don't feel burdened by