But then Ela Grant barged in out of nowhere. It seemed that her previous meekness was all an act! This Ella Grant was no good!
"Don't worry, sweetheart. Mom will figure something out. I won't let that little brat overshadow you."
Stella nodded obediently, "I'm counting on you, Mom."
The Grant family was quite a prominent clan in the capital city. Dalton Grant was just one branch of the family, and he had an older brother, with countless cousins to boot. Anyone with a bit of capability would show up at the banquet today. Why? Simply to flaunt how well they were doing. Dalton placed great importance on this event for the same reason; who wouldn't want to make a splash at a gathering like this?
Ella Grant had the deepest impression of the family's matriarch, Grandma Grant. At nearly eighty years old, she had been eagerly waiting for her granddaughter to return. Once Stella recognized her roots, Grandma Grant was always there to support her, which made Stella incredibly envious.
As for the others, Ella didn't really remember much about them.
Upon arriving at the venue and greeting Grandma Grant, the group settled into their seats. The grand banquet hall was packed to the brim.
Aside from exchanging a few words with her grandmother, Ella spent most of her time sitting quietly by herself. Her brothers had followed Dalton around, toasting to everyone, and she had long lost sight of them. Stella, on the other hand, was quick to join any cousins she bumped into along the way, leaving Ella to enjoy the peace and quiet.
"Stella, is that your sister over there? She looks pretty good!"
Stella Grant was chatting with her sisters when she suddenly noticed Ella from across the room.
"Yeah, she's just a bit quiet and has a somewhat reserved personality,"
Stella Grant replied.
Her chatty cousin piped up, "Reserved? I think she's just embarrassed to face us after losing that person."
"Alright, sis, don't say that. We're all family here," Stella said, not denying it but hoping they would tone it down.
"No wonder people don't like her much; after all, we didn't grow up together like we did with Stella. I still prefer Stella," one of the cousins chimed in.
"Me too! Just look at how gentle Stella is. My mom always praises her," another cousin added.
Stella covered her mouth and smiled. See? No matter where she went, she was always the center of attention. How could it be any different here?
Once the dinner party began, Stella took her place next to Elle Grant, following the family hierarchy.
"Sis, why aren't you sitting with our cousins? They're all really curious about you," she asked.
Elle Grant shrugged, too lazy to respond, and continued fiddling with her phone.
She had recently picked up a few small gigs to earn some pocket money. After all, spending all day playing mind games with someone like Stella was just too boring, though Stella didn't seem to feel the same way.