Unedited. Previous chap already edited.
…………
Everyone’s attention immediately turned towards Harringfort.
“Will you?” Lily asked again when Harringfort didn’t respond after a few seconds.
“Is there… really a need for this?” Harringfort asked. He was completely surprised by Lily’s words. He immediately wondered if this was some test. Was it possible that Lily wanted to embarrass him in front of everyone? Was it possible that Zhou Jingren told Lily about him? But … why? Wasn’t he afraid that Lily will cower in fear of the organization and leave him?
“Of course, there is.” Lily smiled. ” I am sure that your highness’ connections are vast. After all, you have been traveling the world for months now. So… I am assuming you know such a famous person. Or… am I wrong?” Lily’s eyes turned towards Eliza who was smirking at Harringfort.
He silently gritted his teeth. So that was her intention, Harringfort thought inwardly. This was not because of Zhou Jingren but because of Eliza. That woman must have complained to Lily about his absence, making the latter hate him. Harringfort immediately started planning on how to get rid of this Eliza.
In Harringfort’s mind, there was no way that Zhou Jingren would tell his wife about what happened in China. So this should be Eliza’s doing. Lily was retaliating because of Eliza!
“Madam Zhou… you are not wrong,” Harringfort said. That man knew him not as a businessman in the oil industry but as someone from the Spectre. How could he contact him now? “But… I don’t see any reason for me to call him at this hour just to ask him about the ring, no?”
“Then… there is no way that we can confirm if it’s real?” The hateful Rafa chimed in. Until now, he was still convinced that Zhou Jingren and Lily was lying. Meanwhile, Harringfort lowered his head, hiding his rage against Rafa.
How could Zhou Jingren make Lily wear something this huge just for it to be fake? He knew that it would attract a lot of attention! There is just no way he would want to embarrass his own wife! “Rafa… I think Mr. Zhou would not want to embarrass his own wife in an event like this.” He said in a low tone. He really would not want Zhou Jingren to hear that he, Harringfort the messenger of the Spectre is defending him!
This was just so embarrassing! He complained inwardly. Why did he end up defending Zhou Jingren in front of Lily? Wasn’t he supposed to embarrass him? The more Harringfort thought about it, the angrier he had become.
This situation was truly out of his expectations!
“Stop it!” he whispered, hoping the man standing next to him will listen. “Stop it! Now!”
“Hah… isn’t this my future son in law?” the shrill voice of a woman interrupted the thick silence in between the group. Everyone turned their attention towards the red-faced woman walking their way. Wearing a black gown with a huge sparkly clutch, the woman smiled at Rafa before turned her gaze towards the other people surrounding them.
“Madam Lian,” Eliza said, acknowledging the businesswoman from the US who married someone a rich businessman from France. This was the mother of Rafa Neeson’s fiance who is currently out of the country for some modeling shoot.
“Wait… is that what I think it is?” Without waiting for Rafa to answer her, Lian Shi swiftly approached Lily and held her hand, staring straight at the black diamond in her hand. “How did you get this ring, young lady?” She asked without even bothering to asked Lily’s name.
“Mother in law…do you know that ring?”Rafa immediately asked.
“Of course! I was there during the auction eight years ago! Even your father in law was there!” Lian Shi immediately got excited, almost jumping out of joy, unaware that dark look in her future son in laws face. Lian Shi actually arrived late and the moment she entered, the side door, she immediately saw Rafa with the others. Of course, the first thing that she did was approached the young man to greet him. “This is so beautiful! I can still remember the way this was presented like it was yesterday!”
“So… you know that this is the real ring?” Rafa asked.
“Of course this is the real one!” Lian Shi said without looking at anyone but the exquisite ring. “I can already tell by just looking at its diamonds. Seven hundred diamonds… ah… I remember my eyes lit up, my heart palpating and my mouth— “
“Mother in law… how did you know this is the real one and not some fake stone? I believe… people from their countries love to copy fake things. There is no way of knowing that they also— “
“Aish… this child,” Lian Shi interrupted him. “If his young lady will check the other side of the ring, there should be some initials on it. Beside the initial is a small dent!” the older woman immediately turned excited. To her, having to see the ring up close is such an honor. “This ring was originally made by the jeweler for his wife. But when they argued one day, his wife got so upset and threw the ring in their room Unexpectedly, it hit a marble statue. Thus, there is a tiny… tiny dent on the other side of the ring.” She beamed. “Of course, this did not depreciate the value of the ring. After all, this ring was made of love from a man to his wife.
“Ehem…” Harringfort cleared his throat, relief washed over him. “So… this is the real ring?”
“Yes! Of course! Someone who grew up in a family of jewelers like me can recognize a piece of real jewelry from a fake one.” Once again, Lian Shi confirmed. “Isn’t this so beautiful?” She started talking about the history of the huge diamond again.
“See? I told you, this is real!” Eliza blurted out loud, interrupting the older woman. “Cousin… I believe you should have your eyes checked. Maybe there is something wrong with it.”
