2.00PM, Saturday.
Charlotte and Leanna arrived at the jewelry gallery listed on the invitation. As Leanna expected, many designers had received the same invitation. She was greeted by many familiar faces the moment she stepped out of the car. There were also quite a few celebrities invited, including Tina.
A group of bodyguards escorted Tina into the building as soon as she stepped out of the car. She did not spare a glance at the people surrounding her, so she overlooked Leanna and Charlotte.
Seeing that, Charlotte curiously asked, "Is she someone to keep hidden from society and the sun? Why do they keep her surrounded?"
Leanna chuckled upon hearing her remarks. "That is likely."
"Poor unfortunate soul," Charlotte said with sympathy.
"Let's head inside," Leanna said.
It could not be considered large or small because it was a private gallery and was only large enough to fit a few dozen people in the building. The interior lighting was dim and of a cool white hue. The jewelry was displayed in glass cases that were subtly illuminated from below. In addition, an employee stood by each glass showcase to field inquiries from the invited designers.
Leanna knew most of the history behind the jewelry pieces being showcased, but there were some she had never seen before.
Suddenly, Charlotte stopped before the glass cases and said to her, "This piece is so beautiful, Leanna."
When she heard that, Leanna walked over to find a ring within the glass showcase. In contrast to the elaborate jewelry pieces in the gallery, the ring appeared rather plain, except for the pink gemstone set in the center. The ring's beauty consisted entirely of its minute, intricate details. It was regarded as one of the rings that captivated amateurs, while experts were subconsciously drawn to it.
Seeing their interest, the employee standing beside the showcase introduced the ring. "You have great tastes. This is the late Madame's favorite ring before she passed away. She loved it so much that she could not bear to wear it."
Leanna's eyes were trained on the ring. "Can you tell us about its history?"
"Certainly," replied the employee. "What we know about its past comes from the late Madame. It might not contain every detail, but the story is largely accurate."
"Very well."
"The late Madame said that about thirty years ago, a rich young man made a lot of effort to commission someone to make this ring for his proposal to his girlfriend. The stone is an extremely rare gemstone that means, 'I wish to give you a lifetime of romance.' They were the target of everyone's envy. Later on, during a charity auction, the event was at risk of being canceled because no one wanted to donate anything important. After discussing it with her husband, the woman who was proposed to at the time decided to donate her engagement ring. She said that she and her husband were thrilled with their life, so the ring should go on to help those who needed more help than she did. Everyone was shocked that she would actually auction off this priceless ring. Those in high society who had been shirking from contributing anything to charity events became too embarrassed to continue staying silent. Hence, the auction was a success. As for the ring, our Madame eventually bought it. She frequently stated that it is more than a ring but a symbol of love. No one may ever get to see such love in their lifetime."
Charlotte hung onto every word the employee said. When the story ended, she exclaimed enviously, "They must now live a life of great happiness. Thirty years... Their children must be married by now."
"Perhaps, even the Gods were jealous of their love," the employee said with a sigh. "Over 20 years ago, the entire family died in an explosion in their home."
Leanna froze in place when she heard that.
Charlotte was visibly shocked and asked, "Why did it happen?"
The employee shook their head. "I don't know the details. All I know is what I heard from the late Madame."
Charlotte was about to ask another question when she was interrupted by a man calling from behind her. "Charlotte? Miss McKinney?"
Charlotte turned around to face the speaker. "Uncle Joseph—"
"Why are you crying?" Joseph asked.
When she heard that, she reached up to rub her eyes and discovered they were wet. "I was moved by how touching the ring's history was," she whispered in reply.
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