Chapter 49
Chapter 49:
Only Maxton managed to keep a composed front, though the tension in his brow betrayed his thoughts. The whispers about which daughter was truly “unlucky” hit harder than he wanted to admit. Could it be that they’d been wrong all along? That they had misjudged Noelle?
Meanwhile, in the private suite, Rupert carefully placed the elegant box on the table and opened it.
“Mr. Martin, Ms. Moss—this is the necklace. It’s called Lifelong p>
Noelle stared at it, still trying to process everything.
A gift? From Ethan? And not just any gift—a necklace so rare and extravagant it left her speechless.
Rupert wasn’t finished yet. He placed the contract offering Noelle a senior appraiser position on the table and handed her a pen.
Still dazed, she signed. Then, with a polite nod, Rupert signaled to Ruben, and both men quietly left the room, closing the door behind them.
Now, only she and Ethan remained.
Y𝗼u𝘳 dа𝗂𝗅𝘆 𝘥𝗼𝘴𝖾 о𝖿 no𝘃𝖾𝗅𝘀 o𝗻.с𝗈𝗺
She turned to him, her eyes wide and uncertain. “What’s going on? Why are you giving me this p>
Instead of answering directly, Ethan asked, “You don’t like it p>
Noelle blinked. She did like it—Violet’s designs were legendary—but that wasn’t the point.
“So you’re giving it to me just because I like it p>
His tone was smooth, teasing. “Why not p>
She opened her mouth, hesitated, then said quietly, “It’s not that you can’t… it just feels strange p>
When they were younger, they could barely tolerate each other. Things had softened over time, especially now that they were legally married—the tension wasn’t as sharp. But still… a hundred-million-dollar necklace? It was overwhelming.
Her lashes trembled as she searched for the right words, but nothing came out right.
Ethan’s lips curved into a faint smile. “Think of it as a wedding gift p>
He liked the name of the necklace—Lifelong.
Noelle froze. A wedding gift? For her? She genuinely didn’t understand.
This was her first marriage—how was she supposed to react? She’d never even heard of couples giving each other wedding gifts before.
Looking down at the necklace again, she pressed her lips together. Then, frowning slightly, she asked, “Do I have to give you something in return p>
She expected him to brush it off or say it wasn’t necessary. Instead, he replied almost instantly, a small grin playing on his lips.
“Of course p>
Noelle froze in disbelief. Seriously? Now she had a real problem—what could she possibly give Ethan in return for this?
Before she could even begin to figure it out, Ethan picked up the necklace. His slender fingers held it carefully as he stepped closer, his gaze meeting hers.
“Should I help you put it on p>
Still lost in thought about what she could possibly give him in return, Noelle gave a distracted nod.
Ethan moved behind her and gently fastened the necklace around her neck. Noelle’s neckline was graceful and smooth, her skin glowing softly under the light. The luxurious piece didn’t overpower her—it complemented her perfectly.
As he clicked the clasp shut, his fingers brushed lightly against the back of her neck.
Noelle’s thoughts snapped back into focus.
That single touch—so brief, so light—sent an unexpected warmth spreading through her skin. It wasn’t intense, but it lingered.