Gifts
Chapter 14 Trying Too Hard
Tina froze for a moment, not expecting Anne to respond so shamelessly.
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Alicia couldn’t help but step forward, looking genuinely upset. “Anne, how did you become like this? Are you still the person I once knew?”
Anne smiled indifferently, “What kind of person do you think I should be?”
Alicia was left speechless, unable to come up with a reply.
Anne gave a quick glance at Tina and Alicia, ignored them both, grabbed the dress she’d purchased, and turned to leave.
She walked away with calm elegance, while Tina and Alicia stood awkwardly behind her.
Tina watched as Anne completely ignored them, a wave of frustration rising inside her. She couldn’t help but feel that Anne was standing in the way of Alicia’s plan to take control of Chastain Holdings.
Alicia was also filled with frustration. She had tried to play the weak one in front of Anne, hoping that Tina’s words would make Anne feel humiliated. But to her surprise, Anne remained. completely unphased, as if nothing was even happening.
Anne’s simple outfit couldn’t hide her exquisite features. She shone brilliantly, effortlessly diffusing the tension in the air.
Alicia felt a surge of jealousy and wished she could take
Chapter 14 Trying Too Hard everything from Anne.
She shot Tina a look, signaling her with a new plan in mind.
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However, Anne didn’t immediately leave the mall. Instead, she walked into another high–end jewelry store.
This store specialized in custom luxury jewelry, offering unique designs that were hard to find anywhere else.
At that moment, Grace was busy arranging the next steps. Since Anne decided to take on the role in Shadows of Eternity, Grace had been tirelessly managing every detail of the process to ensure everything went smoothly.
These tasks could have been delegated to others, but Grace insisted on handling them herself, saying it was Anne’s first major role, and she needed to be hands–on.
Anne knew she couldn’t afford to slack off. In addition to dealing with Hugh and Joshua’s family, she had to make sure she lived up to the expectations of Grace, who envisioned her shining on the global stage.
Grace often talked about buying a necklace once they made at fortune, and Anne decided to personally pick one out for her. It would symbolize their bright future together.
Anne had been browsing for a while when her eyes landed on a stunning pendant.
“Excellent choice, miss,” the sales assistant said warmly. “This
Chapter 14 Trying Too Hard
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piece is one of our store’s limited editions. Just arrived today.”
As Anne reached out to touch the glass, she was about to speak when a sharp voice interrupted her.
“Wow, this necklace is gorgeous! Do you like it?”
Anne’s expression darkened at Tina’s voice.
“Yeah, it’s really pretty,” Alicia chimed in, casually.
Anne stepped aside, making room for Alicia and Tina, but Tina immediately blocked her way, pointing at the necklace in the display. “Sweetheart, you’re going to that gala, right? This necklace would definitely turn heads. Let me get it for you.”
Alicia flashed a smile. “Tina, you’re always so good to me.”
“Of course, we’re best friends,” Tina replied, waving her credit card in the air. She turned to the assistant. “Wrap it up. I’ll take
this one.”
“But…” The assistant started to explain, but Tina cut her off.
“Sorry, Ms. Chastain, but I saw this necklace first. Don’t say I’m stealing it from you,” Tina said with a smirk, her eyes dripping with disdain.
Anne met her gaze, unbothered, and smiled back. “Of course not, I haven’t bought it yet. Since you like it, go ahead and take it…” She turned to the assistant and smiled, “Since this lady wants the necklace, go ahead and wrap it for her.”
Trying Too Hard
“Sure thing,” the assistant replied, smiling at Anne. Then she turned to Tina, saying, “This Heart of the Universe necklace is our store’s signature piece, priced at 3.88 million dollars. I’ll prepare your bill.”
As the assistant reached for Tina’s card, Tina hesitated, quickly pulling it back.
“Wait… did you just say 3.88… million dollars?” Tina’s surprise was clear. She had expected the price to be under a million dollars, enough to embarrass Anne and make Alicia look good.
But she only had just over a million dollars in her account, a sum her father had given her to cover the month’s expenses. Spending that much on a necklace just to show off wasn’t worth it.
She glanced at Alicia, uncertain.
“Miss, is everything alright?” The assistant looked confused as she extended her hands to take the card.
Tina stood frozen, her expression awkward. She glanced at Alicia, who said nothing. Finally, she sighed and changed her approach.
“I already bought the dress you were eyeing earlier, so go ahead and take this one,” Tina said, glancing at Anne. “You first, Ms. Chastain.”
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