Edith’s brow was tightly furrowed.
Why was it that as long as the door wasn’t locked, the stray dog always found its way in?
Beckett’s face was a storm of barely–contained rage.
Edith was running out of patience. The moment she saw Beckett’s face, she reached for her phone, ready to call the police.
There was nothing left to say to someone like him.
He’d barged in over and over again.
No manners, no sense of decency–and like a vicious dog, he was a potential threat.
“Edith, I need to talk to you!”
Beckett strode straight toward her, stopping just in front of her, his eyes full of misplaced confidence.
Edith couldn’t begin to fathom where that confidence came from.
“I only want to talk–I’m not here to cause trouble!”
Edith almost laughed at the earnestness in his voice. “Showing up uninvited is causing trouble. I have nothing to say to you. If you have something to say to me, it’s still causing trouble.”
Beckett glanced at the piles of gifts filling the living room, each one wrapped in festive red paper.
He guessed these must be the engagement gifts delivered yesterday.
Beckett looked Edith up and down. “So just because of these, you’re going to treat the Vance family like this? Honestly, it’s not even that much. Compared to what the Vance family gave you back then, this is nothing.”
Edith wondered: is that how it works? Once someone does something
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shameless, does their skin turn to stone?
At this point, Beckett’s shamelessness was nothing short of a fortress
wall.
He was lying through his teeth without so much as blinking.
Even Jayne, who’d been silent, couldn’t take it anymore.
She was about to say something, but Edith stopped her with a glance.
“Mom, there’s still a lot to prepare before the wedding. Go take care of those things. I’ll handle the Vance family myself.”
After giving instructions, Edith led Beckett out to a café near the Sumner’s
house.
As they left, Beckett couldn’t help but glance back at the mountain of gifts. Just one look, and he spotted a piece of top–grade jade, something that had fetched sky–high prices at recent auctions.
He snorted. Families like this–how could they afford such extravagance? Trying to keep up appearances without even bothering to check the market. All for show. In the end, it would only invite ridicule.
Inside the café, Beckett put on a show of generosity. “Edith, don’t say I didn’t warn you. If those gifts are genuine, they’re worth a fortune. The man you’re marrying can’t possibly afford all that–otherwise, he wouldn’t be buying a house in the suburbs.”
His tone was full of condescension, as if revealing this “truth” was the greatest favor he could do for Edith.
She pressed her fingers to her brow.
She’d thought that after Beckett’s visit to the Hawksleys, he’d surely have figured out who she was marrying.
But it was clear he hadn’t.
Otherwise, he’d never say something like that.
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Her lashes fluttered. For now, it was better Beckett remained in the dark.
If Beckett knew, so would the Vance family–and who knew what kind of mess they’d stir up then?
Better to keep things simple.
Edith didn’t bother correcting him.
To Beckett, her silence was all the confirmation he needed: the gifts were fakes!
His sense of superiority grew even stronger.
He picked up the coffee the waiter brought over, arching an eyebrow. “Edith, don’t be fooled by what’s in front of you. Those fakes aren’t worth a dime. The only people who truly care about you are the Vance family.”
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Chapter 67
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.