"Oh," William quirked an eyebrow, "you haven't mentioned Uncle Leopold's good points yet?"
Aurelia couldn't think of any at the moment, drawing a blank.
"I don't have time to think right now. I'll let you know when I come up with something."
William stuck out his tongue and turned around just in time to see Leopold strolling over.
He scoffed with a smirk, "Uncle Leopold, I just asked Mom what your good points are and she said she needs to think about it really hard. Seems like your good points are so scarce that they need deep thought to uncover. It's not like Dad, you know. One could rattle off a long list of his good points without even thinking."
Leopold felt like he'd been punched in the gut, "Boy, she's my wife now. She has nothing to do with your dad anymore. Even if you can't stand it, there's nothing you can do about it."
William snorted, "If Mom decided to divorce you, I'd be all for it, hands and feet. You are not at all the kind of husband Mom likes. She likes someone who's compliant, and you never listen, unlike Dad who always took Mom's advice."
Leopold was left speechless, taken aback by his bluntness.
Aurelia had always said she preferred a man who wasn't afraid to play second fiddle. After all, the Hawthorne family was known for being matriarchal, where the women called the shots on both big and small matters.
But the Stirling family had always been patriarchal, with men making the big decisions and women taking care of the household and smaller concerns.
He couldn't believe Arnold would be content being henpecked, otherwise, he wouldn't have married Lisa without considering Aurelia's feelings.
"Marriage should be about mutual respect and equality, exchanging opinions and adopting the most reasonable suggestions," Leopold said, trying to sound composed.
Aurelia scoffed, "Everyone has their own perspective. How can you judge whose reasoning is sound and whose isn't?"
William grimaced, "Mom, if you and Uncle Leopold can't see eye to eye, it just means your values don't align. You're not compatible at all. You never had these issues with Dad."
Outside the kitchen, Jelena had pulled William onto the balcony and whispered, "Are your mom and Uncle Leopold fighting?"
"Yeah," William nodded, "It's definitely about your situation. Mom will surely be on your side, but it's a pity she doesn't have any say in this house. Uncle Leopold never listens to her."
Jelena felt a twinge in her heart, realizing that Fredric had overestimated Aurelia's influence. Her pillow talk had no effect on Leopold.
"I don't want your mom to be put in a difficult position."
"Don't worry, Aunt Jelena. Dad and I are with Mom all the way. She supports you, and so will we. It's just a shame I don't have a vote. In the Stirling family, only Kane has one as a kid. I'll try to think of a way to persuade him."
For William, supporting Aurelia was the right choice. In his heart, Aurelia and Arnold were the most important people. Everyone else came second.
Jelena smiled, patting his head, "What a darling. It's good to know all the love I've showered on you hasn’t gone to waste."
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