Chapter 929: Each Harboring Ill Intentions
Ezra followed suit and said with a grim look, “Grandpa, Uncle Samuel is right. No matter what, Lucas Gray is only an outsider and doesn’t have the blood of our Howard family. He has never contributed anything to the family, and he won’t even acknowledge his relationship with the Howards!
“Even if you want to help him and make him the next helmsman, he won’t help bring us any benefits since he doesn’t care about the Howards!
“Besides, if an outsider who isn’t blood-related to the Howards can become the helmsman, I’m afraid the other members of the family will be against this decision too!”
Ezra had always been extremely well-behaved in front of Felix. He would obey all of his orders, and he would rarely speak out against him.
But Ezra had no choice but to speak out now.
Initially, after Samuel was deprived of his status as successor, he had the greatest hope of becoming the future helmsman of the family. But Felix suddenly wanted to hand this position over to an outsider like Lucas. How could he do nothing about it?
Wouldn’t all his plans go up in smoke then?
He definitely couldn’t allow this to happen!
Even if he had to defy Felix’s orders, he had to stop him.
Although the other Howards didn’t speak up, they all wished that Felix wouldn’t hand the position of helmsman to a stranger.
…
Only Florence had a look of euphoria after being stunned for a moment and coming back to her senses.
She looked at Lucas excitedly and hurriedly urged, “Lucas, why are you waiting there? Hurry up and thank your grandfather for this great opportunity.”
If not for the fact that there were too many people in the hall and that she couldn’t make it too obvious, Florence would have laughed out loud.
Felix’s move was really to her liking!
If Lucas really became the helmsman of the Howards, she would be the mother-in-law of the helmsman and would obtain all the authority and status!
Speaking of which, this result was much better than she had planned!
At this moment, she simply couldn’t wait for Lucas to agree immediately.
“Florence Howard, shut up!” Samuel shouted at Florence in rage. “What nonsense are you spouting? Lucas Gray is just an outsider. How can he possibly take over as helmsman? Are we really going to give the Howard empire to an outsider?”
“Hah, Samuel, you’re really funny!” Florence sneered, refusing to be outdone. “Lucas is my son-in-law, so he’s naturally a member of the Howard family too. How is he an outsider?
“Besides, Father made this decision. Or do you think that his decision is wrong and that he’s trying to give away the Howard empire to an outsider?
“Aren’t you being too presumptuous for daring to question Father’s decision? Do you think you will definitely get the position of helmsman? Or have you already treated yourself as the helmsman a long time ago, so you even dare to disobey what Father says?”
Florence was extremely sharp-tongued as well. She kept striking Samuel in his sore spot and using Felix to suppress him, leaving Samuel choking and unable to utter a word.
Ezra stood up and said harshly to Florence, “Aunt Florence, Uncle Samuel is just doing this for the Howards’ good. Why do you have to say that to him?
“I know that Lucas Gray is your son-in-law, so you naturally want him to become the helmsman so that you can obtain the greatest benefits, right?
“But Aunt Florence, you mustn’t forget that he’s an outsider. Even if he really changes his last name to Howard, it won’t be of any use!
“I believe that Grandpa should have his reasons for this decision. But no matter what, I still have to make my stand clear. Lucas Gray is just an outsider, and I don’t think he’s qualified to take over the Howards’ helmsman. So, Aunt Florence, you don’t have to support him anymore.”
Now, Ezra and Samuel were on the same side for a common interest. They were both against Florence’s opinions and the idea of Lucas becoming the next helmsman.
Despite being the focus of everyone’s discussion, Lucas remained smiling like a bystander, as if he had nothing to do with this at all.
2
In fact, Felix’s sudden decision had indeed surprised Lucas. But after a brief moment of shock, he was clear about it.
Lucas didn’t believe that a sly old fox like Felix could really hand over the massive Howard empire to him.
He wanted to make the family develop well and live better, but this was on the premise that they still existed.
If he handed over the family to an outsider in order to allow them to develop better, it was getting their priorities wrong. Lucas didn’t believe that a smart person like Felix would really make such a decision.
The reason he said this was undoubtedly because he was treating the position of helmsman as a big fat carrot used to tempt Lucas into slogging his guts out for the Howards.
It was just like what Felix was doing to his daughter Florence. He was giving her an illusory opportunity and making her think that she could seize it. This would spur her to endure and contribute with all her might. But in the end, it would all go up in dust.
Florence was still involved in the situation, and she was blinded by power and hatred, so she failed to realize what Felix had been planning all along. But Lucas was different.
He didn’t harbor any designs on the Howards, and he didn’t want the position of helmsman either. So the condition Felix offered was not at all tempting to Lucas.
Besides, Felix even proposed wanting Lucas to bring Cheyenne back to the Howards and change his last name to Howard. This was something that Lucas would never agree to.
Just as Samuel, Florence, and Ezra were arguing over this matter, Felix, sitting at the master seat, suddenly hollered angrily, “That’s enough! All of you, shut up!”
Everyone immediately stopped arguing.
Felix looked at the few people in front of him with an extremely authoritative expression before looking at Lucas again.
“It’s settled then. I’ll give you a few days to take care of your own affairs. In five days, I want to see you with my granddaughter Cheyenne Howard!
“When the time comes, I’ll hold a family meeting and have you officially change your last name and establish you as the successor. Once I’m dead, you will be the new helmsman of the Howards!
“Now, do you have anything to add?”