Chapter 228 - Chapter 228: Father and Daughter
Steve returned home and called for Arthur and Isabella.
Then, he conveyed what Aurora's aim had been.
"It was arranged to clear out those aiming for the successor's seat and to convey what is lacking to Miss Alexa."
He concluded with that.
Hearing that, Isabella bit her nails.
"She is still cunning. She didn't need to use Archibalt Steel for the Sowell family's internal affairs."
"Well, I think it was good that a huge cannon didn't leak abroad thanks to her."
"Is that fine with you, Papa?"
"It was a harvest that Professor Cyril didn't have to be sad. It was a pity that the Archibalt Conglomerate's signboard got scratched."
Isabella's dissatisfaction exploded at that reply.
"What about that old lady?"
"Lord Sowell has no fault. So what do you propose to do?"
"You are too soft, Papa. If we accuse them of insider trading evasion using futures and stock arbitrage, the impression will get worse, won't it?"
"What comes after that?"
Steve looked at Isabella, revealing a rare quiet anger.
Isabella noticed Steve's anger and could say nothing more.
Isabella and Arthur aimed for further development of the Archibalt family, which meant the reversal of the Archibalt family and the Sowell family's positions in the western region.
Steve had no intention of stopping that, but it came with the premise that no harm would come to the common people.
Therefore, he would not allow them to clash with the Sowell family by worsening the common people's impression.
There is not enough material for that now, but if one steadily accumulates such things, they will eventually explode. He had no intention of letting that happen.
Thinking of that, he remembered the conversation he had alone with Aurora a little while ago.
"Please, even if I die, will you stop setting traps for the Sowell family? If possible, I would like you to protect that for your descendants."
That is what Aurora had told him.
Aurora knew that the Sowell family would not be able to oppose the Archibalt family after she was gone. Therefore, she asked Steve not to do so.
"I have a lifespan too. But let's promise not to let that happen while I am alive."
That was Steve's reply. In Steve's head, the Margrave Sowell, Aurora's father, came to mind.
The Margrave, her father, feigned poor health and stayed out of sight to ensure that Aurora, a woman, would not be looked down upon, monitoring the movements of his subordinates and surrounding nobles.
That worry turned out to be unfounded, and meeting Steve caused the Sowell family's influence to expand all at once. When that Margrave realized his time was coming to an end, he called for Steve.
"I entrust my daughter to you."
He bowed his head like that.
"You mean my daughter, not the family?"
Steve asked back, and the Margrave nodded.
Since it referred to Aurora when speaking of the Sowell family, it seemed to mean the same thing, but it was the result of parental feelings seeping out.
And this time, Aurora had entrusted the future of the Sowell family to him.
It was a way of speaking fitting for her, who could accept even children and grandchildren as mere pieces on a board.
And that fear was quite realistic. Besides Isabella and Arthur, Steve's children and grandchildren included many excellent ones. Those who were shrewd about profit, wondering who to follow to enjoy the most benefits, could be seen moving to cling to the Archibalt family after Aurora's death.
Maintaining the current state of affairs for Alexa would not yield more profit than now. And if a head emerged who couldn't even maintain that status quo, the situation would tilt all at once.
However, a hint of this was also visible during the previous Margrave's time. Despite that, the Margrave said, "I entrust my daughter to you." In response, Aurora prioritized the family over individual life.
Suddenly, Steve wanted to confirm with Aurora, so he asked the same thing he heard from the previous one.
"Miss Alexa, your granddaughter, or the Sowell family?"
Aurora answered without a moment's hesitation.
"Yes. If one inherits the Margrave title, it means living for the Sowell family. One cannot inherit without that resolve."
She answered like that, but a thorn pricked Aurora's heart.
(What would have happened if I had abandoned the family and lived freely?)
Looking at Steve before her, she thought of such a life.
However, this was only in Aurora's mind, and Steve, who was recalling this, did not know it.
"The possibility of a Sowell family internal conflict has decreased, which is a good thing," Arthur said, and Steve nodded.