Chapter 256: Give Her a Gift
The necklace. A flicker of profound exasperation crossed her eyes, her expression growing even more subtle.
This necklace—she'd casually sketched it on a flight from Paris to Washington last month.
Finding the process of setting the small diamonds too tedious, she'd tossed the design straight into the reject pile.
She never imagined the design director at the subsidiary would fish it out and turn it into this season's limited edition.
Now, this "reject" of hers was being presented to her as a priceless treasure by Vernon—the same Vernon who'd trampled her medicinal herbs—after he'd gone through all this trouble.
"Thank you." Audrey closed the box and set it casually on the side table, her tone still utterly flat. "You shouldn't have."
Seeing she had zero interest in even trying it on, Vernon felt a small pang of defeat.
But he quickly reassured himself—maybe Audrey was just reserved, not good at expressing emotions.
Dinnertime.
The dining room was laden with a lavish spread as the family gradually took their seats.
Helen had changed into a pure white loungewear set and applied a carefully crafted "no-makeup" look before gliding down the stairs.
The moment she spotted Vernon sitting at the table, her eyes lit up.
"Vernon!" Helen hurried over and slipped naturally into the seat beside him, her voice sweet and dripping with affection. "You're finally back! I watched your London concert on TV—it was absolutely incredible."
Vernon still held a measure of warmth for this Audrey he'd watched grow up since childhood.
He smiled and accepted a thick envelope from his assistant behind him, passing it to Helen.
"Didn't forget what you asked for." His tone was easy. "All those autographed photos you wanted—they're all in there."
Helen clutched the envelope like a treasure, tearing it open eagerly.
Inside were personally signed photos from A-list Western celebrities.
There was the pop diva who'd swept the Grammys, the Hollywood leading man whose per-film salary hit nine figures, and even a few nearly impossible-to-get private photos with legendary European actors.
This was an old arrangement between her and Vernon.
Whenever Vernon went abroad for tours or attended international film festivals, he'd collect autographs from these celebrities for her.
She'd used these items more than once to show off and build connections in Washington's socialite circles.
"Thank you, Vernon! You're the best!" Helen clutched the photos to her chest excitedly, though the corner of her eye discreetly flicked toward Audrey across the table.
She deliberately spread out the most eye-catching photos on the dining table, trying to flaunt the deep sibling bond she shared with Vernon in front of Audrey.
She wanted Audrey to know—so what if she was the real daughter? In this house, Vernon's favorite would always be Helen.
Audrey sat across from them, methodically cutting the steak on her plate, not sparing the photos a single glance.
Thinking Audrey felt left out, Vernon immediately turned to her, his tone enthusiastic as he proactively asked, "Audrey, do you have any favorite celebrities? Hollywood actors, or maybe a band's lead singer? As long as you can name them, Vernon can get you exclusive photos and autographs. If you want to visit a set, I can take you directly."
In Vernon's mind, girls this age had to have at least a few idols they admired. This was the perfect opportunity to strengthen their sibling relationship.
Audrey set down her knife and fork and picked up her napkin to dab at the corners of her mouth.
She lifted her head, her gaze calm as it met Vernon's, her tone crisp and leaving no room for negotiation. "No. I don't follow celebrities."
Vernon froze, the enthusiasm on his face stiffening slightly.
"Not a single one?" Vernon found it hard to believe, attempting to salvage the moment. "What about Taylor Swift? Or Leonardo DiCaprio? I can bring you to their private parties too."
"Not interested." Audrey picked up her glass of water and took a sip, her expression cool. "I don't need those things."
She barely had enough time each day to handle the subsidiary's cross-border acquisitions, research complex targeted pharmaceuticals, and design SY's haute couture pieces.
Chase after celebrities who lived through cameras and manufactured personas? She considered that a waste of life.
Vernon looked into her utterly unruffled eyes, confirming she genuinely had no interest.
He sighed helplessly, his heart full of regret.
His identity as a mega-star was completely useless in front of his real sister Audrey.
Sitting beside them, Helen listened to their exchange and let out an intensely disdainful inner laugh.
Don't follow celebrities? No interest in Hollywood superstars?
What a pretentious act.
Helen lowered her eyes, concealing the mockery in them.
In her view, Audrey was absolutely putting on this detached, rational persona on purpose to seem different in front of Lucienne and Vernon.
Which socialite daughter in Washington's elite circles didn't chase celebrities or compete behind closed doors? How could Audrey, a country bumpkin who grew up in the slums, genuinely be unmoved by these glamorous things?
She was just jealous that Helen could get so many autographed photos, so she was deliberately acting like she didn't care.
Helen tightened her grip on the photos, her scheming mind stirring once more.
Since Audrey loved playing this game so much, once they got to Wharton School, Helen would have plenty of ways to rip off that fake mask.
The dinner atmosphere hit a brief lull due to Vernon's awkwardness.
Watching Vernon's deflated expression, Lucienne couldn't help but laugh and shake her head, breaking the stalemate.
"Alright, Audrey's different from those girls you usually deal with. She doesn't have time to pay attention to entertainment industry celebrities." Lucienne set down her glass, her tone carrying undisguised pride.
Vernon looked somewhat confused. Lucienne turned to him and began listing Audrey's accomplishments. "You're constantly flying around, so you don't know much about what happens at home. Audrey is now the top decision-maker at Collins Group's North American subsidiary. Last month's cross-border acquisition and the finale show for the FL brand at New York Fashion Week—she orchestrated both single-handedly. Next month, she's starting her graduate program at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School."
Vernon froze.
Lucienne continued, "And that's not all. A few days ago, your grandmother contracted a mutated adenovirus. Even the specialists at the nursing home issued a critical condition notice and were completely stumped. Audrey personally performed a pericardial puncture and worked through the night to formulate a targeted drug solution. Now your grandmother isn't just out of danger—she's already walking around."
Vernon's hand, holding his knife and fork, completely froze mid-air.
He'd originally assumed his real sister Audrey, who'd been lost for twenty years, was a pitiful little thing who needed careful protection and hadn't seen much of the world.
The reality? CEO of a multinational corporation, miracle-working physician, soon-to-be Wharton graduate. This wasn't some pitiful creature—this was a max-level boss who'd conquered multiple fields.