He Buried Me But I Painted My Own Resurrection novel Chapter 32

Yet, Eleanor only gave it a passing glance.

"Leave it there."

The smile froze on Lyla's face.

She waited a few seconds, but no further words came.

No delight, no praise, not even a second look.

She had no choice but to hand the box to a server, forcing a stiff smile. "Do you not like it, Eleanor?"

Eleanor picked up her cup of tea and blew on it lightly.

"True devotion is kept in the heart, not measured by price tags."

The words were spoken casually, but a heavy silence fell over the front hall. The person who had just praised the millions of dollars snapped their mouth shut.

Lyla didn't know whether to stand her ground or step back; the public humiliation was a stinging slap to the face.

Grant glanced at Eleanor but ultimately stayed silent.

As Lyla stepped back, her fingers dug so tightly into the side of her dress that they left deep creases in the expensive fabric.

Finally, it was Sienna's turn.

She pulled a small rolled canvas out of her bag.

It wasn't large, simply wrapped in plain fabric. Next to the lavish, extravagant gift boxes presented earlier, it looked incredibly unremarkable.

Seraphina had lost face earlier, and now, finally seeing an opening, she couldn't help but let out a snicker.

"Sienna, you didn't just grab something from a flea market to fool Eleanor, did you?"

Lyla took a half-step forward, keeping her voice soft.

"Sienna, the value of the gift doesn't matter as long as the thought is there."

She paused, sounding like she was offering genuine help.

"It's just that there are so many guests today. If you really don't have anything presentable, you should have asked me for help."

Eleanor didn't speak fast, but every word carried crushing weight. "Even if Sienna handed me a blank piece of paper, I would cherish it! I haven't even opened my mouth, yet an outsider is somehow judging her gift on my behalf."

"Eleanor, that's not what I meant..."

"Then what did you mean?" Eleanor cut her off.

"And who exactly are you trying to seduce by constantly saying Grant's name so intimately? Grant is a married man. To anyone who didn't know better, you look like a homewrecker desperately throwing yourself at him."

The dignified mask Lyla had worn finally slipped, and her eyes quickly grew red. "I've just been used to calling him that since we were kids. I didn't think anything of it, and Grant has never minded..."

Sienna looked at Lyla's pathetic, dramatic act and felt a sickening churn in her stomach.

"So because he doesn't mind, you think it's perfectly fine to openly play the other woman?"

The moment those words fell, Grant practically exploded with rage.

"Lyla hasn't done anything to you, yet you're snapping at her like a vicious animal."

"Who gave you the right to act like this?!"