Charles’ face turned pale, his molars clenched tight, "Leopold, as the head of this household, you must be fair and just. If even you

don't stand by me, what standing do the men of the Stirling family have left?"

Leopold settled beside Aurelia, picked up his cup, and took a sip of his coffee with deliberate calm, "Uncle Charles, I believe in

justice over family ties. This matter was mishandled by you. In the Stirling family, mistresses should not overshadow the wife. I

hope you won't be like Chad, making foolish mistakes that the next generations will scorn."

Charles’ speechless. He realized then that Leopold had becwhat they call 'henpecked’, a man who listened too much to his

wife. The future of the Stirling family was unpredictable if this was the new normal.

"Weren't you quite the force to be reckoned with before? You are decisive and authoritative. How cyou've turned into a

henpecked husband now and always bending to Aurelia's will."

Leopold replied, "Uncle Charles, this is my personal opinion, and it has nothing to do with her. It just so happens that Aurelia and I

are on the swavelength."

Aurelia nodded vigorously, "Uncle Charles, in our household, I always follow Leopold's lead."

She winked slyly at Leopold, causing him to stifle a chuckle. Aurelia sure knew how to present a united front.

Charles snorted. He failed to see this supposed unity, only perceiving Leopold as utterly dominated by Aurelia. No Stirling man had

ever been so ruled by his spouse.

"It's quite normal for a man to have affairs. A woman should be generous and stay at home, caring for her husband and teaching

the children, not meddling in a man's business or acting out of jealousy with vile actions."

Harriet was so angry she nearly choked on her own indignation, hastily taking a gulp of her tea.

Aurelia scoffed, "Uncle Charles, the Stirling family's rules have evolved with the times. The days of having mistresses are long

gone."

Harriet felt a surge of relief seeing everyone on her side.

Charles was seething, steam almost visible above his head.

Aurelia was always stirring trouble, was no easy candle to snuff out.

"So, we're just going to ignore the issue of that child?"

Aurelia said, "Uncle Charles, you have sons and daughters aplenty. Why cause a stir by introducing a child born out of wedlock?

Imagine if your son overseas heard he was to have an illegitimate brother. He wouldn't be pleased, would he?"

A muscle twitched in Charles’ face as he retorted. "My affairs are none of his business."

Aurelia continued, "Uncle Charles, what you do in your own tis your business. But bringing such unsavory matters to the table

during the holidays is unseemly and sets a bad example for the younger generation. The reason I pushed for updating the family

rules was to encourage self-discipline. 'A sword hangs over the playboy's head’, and men who are too frivolous often bring trouble

upon their descendants. Chad's mess of illegitimate offspring and hidden scandals are still unresolved."

Charles realized Aurelia was using him as a scapegoat to warn others.

"Aurelia, you should still abide by the old family rules. Whatever a man does outside, a woman has no right to question. You must

devote yourself to Leopold and children at hand not quarrel with mistresses over petty jealousies. You'd do well to take a leaf

out of Jessica's book."

Leopold said, "Hasn't my mother suffered enough in her lifetime? Aurelia doesn't need to learn such things because it would be too

demeaning."

All his life, he had witnessed Jessica's silent endurance and the hardships she bore.

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