Seeing the smug look on Steven's face, I chuckled. "Such an expensive watch, even if she dared to buy it for you, would you dare to wear it?"
Steven's eyes instantly welled up with tears. His earlier joyful expression turned somber and he said with a hint of grievance, "I'm sorry, Mr. Cruz. You're absolutely right. It's way too valuable. I don't deserve to wear something like this."
"I'll return it to Miss Sunray immediately."
Looking at his humiliated state, it was as if I was the one bullying him with my power.
He went to unbuckle the watch strap, but Josette stopped him.
"Okay, okay, Ronan. It's just 100 million, not even pocket money for you. There's no need to scare Steven."
She leaned close to my ear, her breath warm against my skin. "When we get home, I'll give you a big surprise as an apology for Steven."
I kept a cold face and didn't respond or look at Steven again.
It was already late at night when I got back home.
I loosened my tie and asked the housekeeper to pour me a whiskey.
Sitting on the sofa by the French windows, the cigarette between my fingers slowly burned down to the filter.
My phone screen stayed lit, showing a yellowed photo.
It was a picture of my childhood sweetheart, Winona Claire and me.
I carried her on my back and was chased by a puppy.
In the photo, she was laughing, her eyes curved like crescent moons.
Memories flooded back like a tide.
She was sixteen that year, standing in a white dress at the airport. Her eyes were red, but she refused to cry.
"Ronan, you have to come find me," she said, holding her little finger. "Pinky promise."
I hooked my pinky around hers, feeling the tremble in her fingers. "Once I've fully taken over the family business, I'll first bring you back."
"Then I'll wait for you to marry me."
She suddenly came close, kissed me lightly on the cheek, then turned and ran into the security check channel, never looking back.
The cigarette burned my finger and I snapped back to reality, stubbing it out.
A lingering ache spread through my chest. I murmured to the empty living room, "I broke my promise."
The phone suddenly vibrated, then a notification popped up.
Steven had just updated his status.
In the photo, the Patek Philippe, which was auctioned for hundreds of millions, gleamed on his wrist.
But what stung even more was the ruby pendant hanging around his neck.
The large "C" character on it pierced my eyes.
That ruby pendant was passed down through generations of my family, symbolizing the Cruz Family heir.
[Thank you, Miss Sunray. It's the first time in my life that I've worn such an expensive watch. It's worth remembering!]
[I said I feared walking home alone at night and she gave me her family's heirloom for protection. Such a thoughtful boss, one in a million.]
My fingers tightened uncontrollably and the veins were exposed.
This was no longer just a provocation but a blatant declaration of war.
"What are you looking at?"
Josette's voice came from behind me.
I turned around and saw her walking towards me, wearing only a thin black lace underwear.
It was sensual and bold, full of a wildness that made my blood rush.
She had never worn this style in all our years together.
Her wet hair was draped over her shoulders and water droplets slid down her collarbones into the barely visible cleavage.
I would have already pinned her to the sofa if it had been yesterday.
Now, I just felt nauseous.
"Where did the pendant in the study go?"
I asked calmly, my voice as cold as ice.
Josette was taken aback for a moment, then shrugged nonchalantly. "That day, Steven came to the house to deliver client documents. He saw the pendant and really liked it, so I gave it to him."
She walked over and straddled my lap, wrapping her arms around my neck and nibbling my earlobe, her face flushed.
