Chapter 51
‘Well, isn’t it like finding money on the ground? Tiffany thought, but when she realized the “victim” she had indirectly taken advantage of was standing before her, she suddenly felt guilty.
Richard asked again, “Do you need a piggyback ride?”
“Huh?” Tiffany was caught off guard, momentarily stunned.
Richard’s voice lowered as he spoke slowly. “You were in the bathroom for almost two hours. Is everything okay?”
Richard was implying her stomach was better.
Tiffany choked on his words, feeling embarrassed. Then she reached out to push Richard away. “Oh, come on! I just had a stomachache. I don’t want to keep running back and forth, so I stay put.”
But before Tiffany could react, Richard grabbed her hand, and suddenly, something cold touched her wrist. When she looked down, she saw that the rare pink diamond bracelet worth 40 million dollars was now on her wrist.
Tiffany looked up in shock and exclaimed, “You…”
Tiffany didn’t even know what to say.
Richard, however, remained calm. He even seemed a little pleased. The bracelet looked great against her smooth, fair wrist.
Tiffany asked, “Is this for me?”
Tiffany wanted to say it was too expensive to accept originally, but she’d used the excuse of being in the bathroom for two hours to explain why she missed the appraisal event.
Revealing that she knew the price now would only expose her lie. So Tiffany tried a different approach. “It looks pretty valuable. I can’t accept it.”
“Not at all,” Richard interrupted.
Without even lifting an eyelid, Richard said casually, “It’s fake. Just a cheap knockoff from a street vendor, not worth a thing
If she hadn’t been the one who sold it, she might have believed him. Despite her inner complaints, Tiffany understood that Richard said this to make it easier for her to accept the gift.
So Tiffany nodded. “Thank you.”
“Remember, you’re not allowed to take it off. It’s only fair,” Richard said. Then he pointed to the necklace around his neck, which was the one Tiffany had given him.
Richard really hadn’t taken it off even once. Tiffany couldn’t help but laugh.
It felt good to see Richard treasure the gift she had given him. To return the gesture, Tiffany smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. “Alright, I won’t take it off.”
By the time they walked out, most of the guests had already left. It was getting late, and the sun was setting. Richard offered to drive Tiffany home.
When they reached the Cedar Ridge Villa, Tiffany was about to go inside when Richard stopped her.
Meanwhile, Richard handed her a small box, his tone casual, his smile almost imperceptible. But that devilishly handsome face could charm anyone. He said, “Just another street vendor trinket. It’s for girls only, so it’s yours.”
That smile of Richard’s was dangerously charming.
It wasn’t until his car had driven away that Tiffany snapped back to reality. ‘What is it this time?’ she wondered as she opened the box.
Inside lay a beautifully ornate necklace. It was the one Tiffany had described in her story as the love token of an empress and emperor.
Tiffany blinked. ‘Am I reading too much into this?’
The next day at school, Tiffany found Zoe waiting for her at the school gate, just as they had agreed.
Last night, Tiffany had told Charlie, that she wanted to arrange for a friend to join her class.
For Charlie, this was no big deal. After all, even Sandra had been pushed into the school by him.
For Tiffany, his precious daughter, Charlie would never refuse such a request. So, the matter was settled quickly.
Even after going through all the procedures and sitting in the classroom, Zoe still felt a bit dazed. She had never imagined she could study at the best school in Lovell City. To her, this was a huge opportunity.
“Yay! Tiffany!” Zoe was so happy and moved that she almost wanted to hug Tiffany and kiss her.
But Tiffany dodged her with a look of disgust. “Stop it!”
Even so, Zoe couldn’t stop grinning like a fool.
The morning passed quickly, and Tiffany and Zoe prepared to go to the cafeteria for lunch. They slowed their pace deliberately, waiting for the crowd to thin out.
However, as the other students walked away, Sandra was waiting by the stairwell, looking gloomy, with Kenneth by her side, trying to comfort her.
“Kenneth, do you think Tiffany will forgive me?” Sandra asked.
But before Kenneth could answer, Sandra caught sight of Tiffany approaching and her eyes filled with tears as she spoke first. “Tiffany, are you still mad at me? Please tell Auntie not to be angry anymore. If you’re still upset, you can slap me again.”
Look at that-such skillful wordplay. ‘Still upset? Slap her again? The word “again” is perfectly chosen,’ Tiffany thought. Tiffany glanced at Sandra indifferently, her gaze sharper than ever. Then she said, “Didn’t I tell you to stay away from me?”
Sandra, seeing Tiffany’s eyes, remembered the day Tiffany had grabbed her by the throat with a terrifyingly cold and murderous aura suddenly as if she were a demon from hell.
Sandra couldn’t say she wasn’t scared. In the short term, she didn’t want to provoke Tiffany again.
But after the Kelley family kicked her out and ordered her not to return until the holiday, she had gone crying to Kenneth, making him believe she had been wronged.
The reason for her expulsion? Sandra claimed she had angered Tiffany accidentally, and Thalia had even hit her.
The implication was that she was suffering, living like an unwanted guest in the Kelley family home, and even being physically abused.
Sandra had hoped Kenneth would feel sorry for her and take her back to his own home. But instead, Kenneth had dragged her to confront Tiffany, claiming he wanted to stand up for her.
Sandra, who had learned her lesson just a few days ago, was now caught between a rock and a hard place.
When Kenneth saw Sandra was scared, his protective instincts kicked in. He didn’t care about the facts, he just lashed out at Tiffany. “You’re so unreasonable! Sandra is still your sister. How could your family gang up to bully her?”
They began again. Tiffany was used to this and wasn’t planning to argue with a fool. She lifted her foot, ready to walk away.
But Kenneth wasn’t done. He shouted, “Sandra didn’t do anything to you. Can’t you be a little more forgiving? Do you really want to drive her to her death?”
Before Tiffany could respond, Zoe exploded. “Oh wow, you don’t even know the whole story, but you’re telling others to be forgiving? How can you say this?
“By your logic, can I just stab you and then say sorry? You have to forgive me, right? Otherwise, you’re just not being forgiving enough.
“And everyone’s living their first life. Why should we let you off so easily?
“Oh, and Tiffany, we should keep our distance from people who preach forgiveness. Otherwise, karma will get you!”
Zoe had always been quick with her words, and she was rattling off words like a machine gun, leaving Kenneth stunned and humiliated.
Tiffany nodded seriously, agreeing with Zoe. “You’re right. Some people are just jerks!”
Then Tiffany looked at Kenneth and added with a sweet smile, “Oh, don’t wonder. I’m talking about you.”
Ignoring the furious expression on Kenneth’s face, Tiffany and Zoe made their way to the cafeteria happily.