Chapter 1127

Most were worried for Ralph when he took Heather's hand, having heard she was a strong and formidable woman. Even Ralph lacked confidence as he reached for her. He had to act, however, having already presented Heather as his fiancée. Failing to demonstrate their closeness to the elders, especially his mother, would only fuel suspicion.

Ralph, sweating slightly, offered a stiff smile and looked at her, silently pleading with his eyes for her cooperation on this important day. Whether his message was received or Heather was simply in a good mood—perhaps even reconsidering their working relationship—remained unclear. In any case, she didn't reject his touch, instead offering a smile.

"I hope everyone doesn't mind my intruding," Heather said.

"Not at all," the family members responded, shaking their heads. As Ralph's fiancée, she was now considered part of the Russell family. A confident smile spread across Ralph's face; this was shaping up to be his best day yet.

He guided Heather to a seat near his own, then turned to her two bodyguards, frowning. "You two can wait outside."

The bodyguards remained unmoved, feigning ignorance.

Ralph bristled at their attitude, but restrained himself, remembering they were Heather's men. Taking a deep breath, he glared at them before turning back to Heather. "While your presence is acceptable, this is a family meeting. Could you...?"

Heather lifted her head, looked at the bodyguards, and sighed. "You should wait for me outside. I'll come out when I'm finished. It won't take long."

The bodyguards nodded and left.

Ralph felt relieved, yet something about Heather's interaction with her bodyguards struck him as odd. They were merely subordinates; why the lengthy explanation? And their duty was to wait, regardless of her time spent inside.

Unfortunately, he had no time to dwell on it. He offered Heather a cup of tea and turned back to Alexander. "It's time we concluded this pointless argument. I've refrained from revealing the individual's identity to allow everyone a fair opportunity to decide.

"According to family rules, we will conduct a mass vote. Should the non-Russell member retain the family's wealth and power, or return it? We will vote anonymously, and announce the results immediately."

He'd already instructed the housekeeper to prepare ballots and pens.

He addressed Alexander directly. "Isn't this fair? We judge the issue, not the person. Once the results are in, everyone should accept them."

Alexander looked at him. "Are you sure about this?"

"Absolutely. Have a better suggestion? This is the best option," Ralph insisted.

The other family members agreed; this was their standard procedure for resolving disputes. Naturally, the head of the family concurred.

Lily had remained silent. Uncertain about the family feud's intricacies, she trusted Alexander's abilities. She also noticed Ralph subtly implicating Alexander, recognizing the obvious trap being laid.