Chapter 18
In less than an hour, the jewelry was delivered to the Sinclair estate.
Only then did Richard and Victoria truly feel it in their bones-their precious daughter had really managed to latch onto the towering tree that was the Hawthorne family!
They were overjoyed, ecstatic beyond measure.
Only Benjamin remained an outsider, silently observing everything.
When the eleven pieces of jewelry were laid out in a row before Isabella, he recognized the blue sapphire bracelet at a
glance.
Suddenly, everything became clear to him. But he didn’t warn Isabella, nor did he tell anyone about the story behind that
bracelet.
Isabella was utterly dazzled by these top-tier jewels. Each piece was worth millions-while the Sinclair family was wealthy,
she had rarely had the chance to wear such expensive jewelry before.
Her fingers hovered over the ten exquisite pieces, lingering with reluctance.
As for that blue sapphire necklace? She couldn’t even be bothered to spare it a glance.
Though the assistant didn’t understand the significance of this particular necklace, Mr. Hawthorne had treated it with
such reverence-there had to be a purpose behind it.
Hesitantly, he ventured, “Does the sapphire necklace not meet your expectations, Miss Montgomery?”
Isabella’s brow arched in displeasure.
What was this assistant implying?
Looking down on her?
Suggesting someone of her status only deserved this mediocre necklace worth mere hundreds of thousands?
Just wait until she became Mrs. Hawthorne-this impertinent assistant would be the first to go.
But then it struck her-why would Mr. Hawthorne include one conspicuously inferior piece among ten magnificent jewels?
Unless… this was a test?
With practiced grace, she smiled. “One shouldn’t accept unearned rewards. Please take these back. I’m perfectly content with what I’m wearing.” She gestured to her ruby bracelet.
When Nathaniel received the report, he froze. “She didn’t choose the sapphire bracelet?”
Not just didn’t choose-hadn’t even spared it a glance, the assistant thought but wisely kept to himself.
With Nathaniel’s fierce protectiveness of Isabella, he wasn’t about to risk becoming the next Emily.
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“Miss Montgomery said she couldn’t accept such generosity and preferred to keep her current ruby bracelet.”
So that was it.
Nathaniel picked up the sapphire bracelet, an odd sensation prickling at him.
How could she not recognize it?
Had too much time passed? Had she truly forgotten?
He dismissed the thought. “Send her all ten pieces anyway. They were meant for her.”
He remembered her humiliation at the birthday party-how Emily had publicly shamed her for wearing castoff jewelry, then demanded it back.
He understood that feeling of being an outsider.
Living under Emily’s domineering shadow all these years… who knew what indignities she’d suffered?
Just then, his phone rang-the team transporting Emily to the remote island. “Mr. Hawthorne, Miss Sinclair hasn’t eaten or drunk anything since arriving yesterday. What should we do?”
Nathaniel’s voice turned to ice. “She doesn’t get to die without my permission. If she refuses nourishment, administer IV fluids. Must I explain basic procedures to you?”
The subordinate hung up, trembling.
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