SWNOVELS Chapter 531
Hearing this, Jacob finally felt a flicker of life spark within him. But he still thought Lisa was walking a tightrope. He could see right through her plan-she was trying to win Neil's favor. Her ambitions went beyond just the five hundred million; she wanted to be part of the Shaw family as a daughter-in-law. Jacob had his doubts about whether Lisa could pull it off, but for the moment, it seemed like she had managed to steer the situation back on track.
Right then, Neil had picked up the box from the table and opened it. Inside was a pinkish, translucent emerald pendant. It was beautifully carved, with intricate designs that looked like ancient totems. There were stories about this pendant, whisperings of a treasure from a century ago. But Neil never gave those tales much thought. True or not, he had no interest in chasing after treasures. The Shaw family was already swimming in wealth. Besides, for him and his wife, money wasn't what life was about. What mattered was being with the ones you love and cherishing each day.
Neil ran his fingers over the gemstone. He had originally meant to give this emerald pendant to his youngest daughter. Tragically, his daughter with Ruby passed away soon after birth. As he touched it, a frown creased Neil's brow, and his face changed dramatically. He slammed the box back onto the table.
"Mr. Jacob, if you didn't want to return the emerald pendant, I wouldn't have made a fuss-it was my gift to you, after all. But to give me a fake, especially one so shoddily made? Do you take me for a fool?"
Jacob's face went rigid. This evening had been a rollercoaster for him, his heart battered and struggling to keep pace. For a moment, he was completely at a loss.
"Mr. Neil, what are you saying? How could this possibly be a fake emerald pendant?"
Neil's gaze was unyielding. "This is a Shaw family heirloom. I've held it countless times since I was a child. Do you really think I can't tell a real one from a fake?"
Truth be told, the fake wasn't a bad copy; Neil hadn't noticed at first. But the original pendant was crafted from a special pink emerald, cool to the touch. The one in the box lacked that familiar feel.
Isaac quickly moved in to take a closer look. With his keen eye for gemstones, he inspected it briefly before tossing it back on the table. "If you're gonna fake it, at least use jade. You used glass-it's a worthless imitation."
The looks on everyone's faces were priceless. Leah had a feeling the night wouldn't go as planned, but she didn't expect Lisa to mess up this badly. Lisa was in shock. She grabbed the pendant. "Glass? No way! This is the emerald pendant, the one you gave, Mr. Neit. Please, look again."
Neil's expression towards Lisa was tinged with disdain now. Jacob's
patience finally snapped, his a ét
bubbling over like lava from a
volcano. He threw caution to the wind, stepping up and slapping Lisa across the face. "Lisa, spill it. What the hell's going on here?"
Meanwhile, Winston and Wayne slipped through the little gate that connected their yards, making their way to Cassie's place. The moment they stepped in, they were greeted by a riot of lights and the thumping beat of music. A crowd was dancing and having a blast around the pool.