Elena Carter thanked her, but staring at the meager sum that could barely solve anything, she was forced to part with the relic her mother had left behind.
It was an antique emerald bracelet, a keepsake her father had once given her mother when they got engaged.
It wasn’t particularly expensive, but after years of careful preservation, its luster still shone. Elena took it to a pawn shop in Los Angeles and managed to exchange it for half a million dollars. The amount wasn’t high, but it was enough to put out the immediate fire.
As fate would have it, the bracelet barely entered the shop before it fell into Nathan Quinn’s hands.
Nathan was the sole heir of the Quinn family, holding a cushy position at the Shaw Corporation with little real responsibility. He often wandered outside when he had nothing to do, and with his grandmother’s birthday approaching, he was hunting for a suitable gift.
The moment Nathan saw the bracelet, he knew it wasn’t a top-grade piece, but years of being handled had imbued it with warmth. He liked it instantly and bought it without hesitation.
Carrying the box with pride, Nathan rushed to Damian Shaw.
“Damian, I finally solved a big problem today.” He presented the bracelet as if it were a treasure. “Take a look—my grandmother has every luxury already, but she has a soft spot for pieces like this.”
Damian glanced indifferently at first. But when his eyes fell on the emerald bracelet resting in the cedar box, his gaze sharpened.
“Where did you get this?” he asked.
Nathan replied casually, “Ran into it at a pawn shop—lucky find. The owner said the seller had just left.”
Damian’s brows knitted. He remembered seeing this bracelet on Mrs. Carter’s wrist at social galas. What could have driven Elena to sell her late mother’s keepsake?
“Damian? Earth to you?” Nathan waved a hand in front of his face.
Snapping back, Damian suddenly reached out and took the bracelet.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
“I want it. Ryan Linwood will wire you the money later.”
Nathan flared up. “No way! If you take it, what am I supposed to give Grandma?”
“Thirty million,” Damian said flatly.
“Deal!” Nathan agreed in a heartbeat. He had paid only a million for it—turning that into thirty million was a windfall. With that kind of money, he could buy countless other gifts.
Still grinning, Nathan leaned closer. “So… who’s the lucky girl? You never spend on women. Don’t tell me this is—”
Damian’s expression turned icy. “If you’ve got time for gossip, go help the cats in your backyard give birth.”
Instead of backing off, Nathan grew more curious. Damian hadn’t denied it—so this was for a woman. And he had been completely kept in the dark.
“You’re really holding out on me, I—”
“Another word, and I cut the amount in half.”
“I—”
“Five hundred.”
“I’m leaving now!” Nathan bolted before his payday shrank again, vanishing from the office in seconds.
Once alone, Damian traced the bracelet with his thumb and sent a message to his secretary, Ryan. “Check into her situation recently.”
“Understood.”
With the money in hand, Elena rushed to smooth things over with the family she had offended, offering apologies and compensation until they finally relented.
Once that was settled, she wanted to visit her father.
He had been in prison for years, and she hadn’t seen him in so long.
But after waiting outside for hours, all she received was the message that her father refused to see her. Disappointed, she could only ask the guards to look after him.
When she returned home, her mood was heavy.
She didn’t notice Adrian Shaw come in until his arms wrapped around her from behind.
“Elena, what are you thinking about?” he murmured, placing a velvet box in her hands. “I brought you a gift. Open it, see if you like it.”
Everything he gave her was whatever Vivian Cole had discarded. How could she feel joy?
Elena forced a faint smile. “Leave it here. I’ll look at it later.”
“Alright.” Adrian circled around to face her. “Actually, I need to tell you something. Tomorrow is Vivian’s birthday. You’ll come with me.”
Elena frowned. “I don’t want to go.”
“You’re still holding on to that incident?” Adrian’s tone hardened. “You never used to be so petty. Vivian didn’t even blame you for injuring her, and you’re still upset?”
Elena’s heart chilled.
“I—”
Before she could explain, Adrian cut her off. “Vivian specifically invited you. Don’t keep making a scene. She’ll apologize. Don’t be difficult—just come with me tomorrow.”
Elena lifted her eyes to the man in front of her—her husband. No, a demon wearing a man’s mask.
She laughed bitterly, then looked away. “Fine.”
