Novel Square
Chapter 264
Chapter 264
Hayley, in her dramatic fashion, grabbed Cordelia's hand, ready to show it off to everyone.
Cordelia shot up from her seat. She wasn't one for physical contact, especially not with people she disliked. Her expression turned icy as she said, "Try touching me and see what happens."
Hayley suddenly remembered how, before Cordelia had left for the Autumn Gold Academic Bootcamp, she had given her and Juliana quite the beating in the school restroom...
Now, Cordelia's gaze was just as calm and intimidating as it had been that day.
Hayley's hand froze mid-air, not daring to move any closer.
But she doubted Cordelia would dare to make a scene in front of everyone, so, even though she didn't touch her, Hayley still muttered, "It's just a couple of rocks, right? And that bracelet looks homemade. What's the big deal? Can't even let anyone touch it, so stingy!"
Meanwhile, Abbey's eyes again landed on Cordelia's wrist. The five red gems tied together with a black string bracelet sparkled under the light, enhancing their beauty without overshadowing each gem's natural color.
Rocks...
Her eyes narrowed as she suddenly stood up.Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.
Those were definitely not just any rocks!
Not too far away, Mrs. Collins, Mrs. Brown, and Lorna were engrossed in their own conversation. Lorna, known for her mild temperament and introversion, still held her own in discussions, earning the respect and fondness of Mrs. Collins and Mrs. Brown.
Currently, Mrs. Collins was complimenting Mrs. Brown's ruby ring, "That's a fine piece you've got there."
Mrs. Brown lifted her hand for a better view, "Rubies are hard to come by, especially the red ones, but I've always had a thing for red. I've been collecting them for years. This one was a lucky find from many years ago, nothing special. But I must say, Ms. Robinson's pendant today was something else!"
Mrs. Collins chuckled, "You've got quite the eye. That pendant is indeed a beauty. But I've heard the Robinson family has something even more exquisite."
Mrs. Brown's eyes lit up, "Are you talking about the Heart of Ice and Fire auctioned off in Country M five years ago? I heard the Robinson family snatched it up for a hefty sum! I've always wanted something like that, a real heirloom gem, but luck wasn't on my side. I've never even seen it. Have you?"
Mrs. Collins smiled, "No, but when I visited the Robinson family, I inquired about it. However, Mrs. Robinson mentioned that Bill wanted to reserve that gem for someone special!"
Lorna, having been mostly silent, was then drawn into the conversation as Mrs. Collins suggested, "Now that your paintings are selling for so much, you should consider investing in some jewelry. It's a good way to preserve value, and it can be passed down to Cordelia later on!"
Lorna's eyes sparkled at the thought. Her artworks, once a hobby, were now fetching millions, significantly boosting her bank account. She had often thought of buying jewelry for Cordelia whenever she saw Juliana flaunting her collection, so she expressed an interest in attending future auctions to expand her knowledge, "Truth be told, I can hardly tell the difference between gemstones and ordinary rocks."
She examined Mrs. Brown's ruby closely, pondering, "This ruby... Why does it remind me of Cordelia's 'rocks'? Well, I guess gemstones are rocks too, in a way. I really don't know much about these things..."
Their conversation was suddenly interrupted by a commotion among the younger guests.
Mrs. Collins's demeanor changed as she noticed the disturbance, "Ms. Robinson can be quite headstrong. I'll see what's happening."
Mrs. Brown and Lorna followed, and as they approached, they heard Mrs. Collins inquire, "What's going on here?"
Joy, who could read lips but not speak, frantically gestured that Cordelia wasn't at fault.
Abbey, stunned, was staring at Cordelia, visibly shocked.
Cordelia, however, remained silent, her face a mask of annoyance.
Hayley, eager to shift the blame, blurted out, "I was just saying how nice Cordelia's bracelet looked and wanted a closer look, but she's being so petty about it! It's just a few pieces of rock, after all!" Content
belongs to NovelDrama.Org
Recognizing Hayley, Mrs. Brown frowned deeply, "Mind your manners!"
Feeling the pressure from Mrs.
Brown yet unwilling to be painted as the villain, Hayley continued, "I've
been nothing but polite! We just wanted to chat with Joy, and she got all uptight about it. So petty
At this, Joy, red-faced and frustrated, managed to push out the words, "Not true!"
The room fell silent, stunned by Joy's sudden outburst. Mrs. Collins knew then that Joy must have been truly upset.
Joy's throat was actually fine; it was her ears that had started giving her trouble, leading her to gradually stop talking. Now, she found herself in this predicament.
Mrs. Collins quickly reached out to steady her, only to see Joy glaring at Hayley with visible irritation.
Hayley was taken aback by Joy's sudden outburst, her shoulders shrinking slightly under the weight of her conscience.
Among the high-society ladies who
ne
had turned their attention to the scene, someone finally spoke up, "It was clearly you who were being aggressive towards Ms. Delaney, and now you're trying to pin the blame on her... You even had the nerve to say Ms. Delaney's bracelet was nothing more than rocks..."
At this, Mrs. Brown's gaze suddenly turned sharp.
Hayley, startled by the accusation, protested, "But they are just rocks! She brought a whole box of them to class, trying to pass them off as gems! If she can get away with that, why can't I speak up?!"
"Enough from you!" Mrs. Brown scolded Hayley sharply.
Then, both Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Collins's attention shifted to the bracelet on Cordelia's wrist.
Upon spotting one of the stones, Mrs. Brown's eyes widened in disbelief. Could it really be the Blazing Heart, the legendary gem?
Caught in her moment of shock, Hayley turned to Abbey, pleading, "Ms. Robinson, it was her who was being rude first. Say something, please!"