From His Invisible Wife to the World's Icon novel Chapter 16

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His dark eyes were bottomless, devoid of any emotion. "Caleb, write my wife a check for $2 million."

"That's enough for you to buy a new one. This ends here."

"Money? In your eyes, can money solve absolutely everything?"

"Lydia, I already apologized, and Frederick is compensating you. What more do you want?" Sierra shot back defiantly. "It's broken, so just get it fixed, right?"

A bitter smile tugged at Lydia's lips. Looking at Frederick, she said, "Once a mirror is shattered, it can never be put back together. No matter how well it's fixed, it will never be the one my grandmother left me."

Watching Lydia cradle the broken pieces of the ruby necklace, Frederick's gaze darkened slightly. "You're the older sister. Be the bigger person."

Ignoring her completely, he led the others away.

"Frederick, I just thought the necklace was so beautiful and matched my dress perfectly today, so I took it to wear. I planned to return it right after, I never expected Lydia to get so mad. She wouldn't even listen to me, and when she tried to snatch it back, it accidentally fell and broke. You have to believe me, Frederick."

"I know, I believe you."

Hearing their conversation drift in from the hallway, her hands shook as she clutched the ruby pieces.

He only had eyes for Sierra; he never believed her from the start.

She tilted her head up, fighting back tears, but a single drop still slipped down her cheek. With a trembling hand, she swiftly wiped it away. After carefully packing up the ruby necklace, she went to the restroom to fix her makeup, took a few deep breaths to clear her head, and returned to the banquet hall.

The banquet came to a close, and it was time for her to manage the aftermath.

She personally escorted Xavier Ford to the door. "Mr. Ford, thank you so much for today."

If he hadn't shown up and bid on the pink diamond, it might have gone unsold, and she wouldn't have raised the funds.

Meeting the man's aloof gaze...

She finally realized that he had missed out on the diamond he wanted, so he should be disappointed, yet here she was, acting thrilled.

Covering up her awkwardness, she added, "Thank you to your company for the donated porcelain."

Lydia wore an emerald green strapless gown, her hair styled in an elegant updo. Without any jewelry, her luminous skin seemed to glow, making her look incredibly fresh and elegant. However, as a cold breeze swept past, her lingering cold caused her to shiver.

At that moment, Wesley West handed over the trench coat draped over his arm. "Ms. Sterling, please put this on for now."

"If your cold gets worse, it might delay the team's schedule for the trip abroad."

It was Wesley's coat.

Thinking of the upcoming trip and her goal of returning to the scientific community, she gripped the trench coat.

As the coat settled over her shoulders, a crisp, masculine scent mixed with a faint hint of cedarwood instantly invaded her senses. She didn't overthink it. "Thank you, Wesley."