He Lost Me to His Best Friend novel Chapter 723

Corinne's eyes widened in disbelief. Furious, she snatched a throw pillow off the sofa and hurled it at her two older daughters.

"You spineless cowards! Do you hear yourselves?"

"She's just Scarlett! The only reason she's untouchable right now is because Julian Croft is propping her up!"

"You're telling me not to mess with her? Watch me! Once I get Elara to turn on her, we'll see how high and mighty Scarlett acts!"

Corinne didn't listen to a word they said. If anything, she completely despised Clarissa and Catherine for being so weak.

Of her three daughters, Melanie was the only one who reminded Corinne of her younger self. Clarissa was too rigid and sensible, a carbon copy of Franklin. Catherine was pretty but utterly dim-witted—God only knew who she took after. But Melanie had Corinne's looks and her cunning.

Thinking of this, Corinne called Melanie into her bedroom and opened her safe. She pulled out a stunning blue diamond necklace and placed it in Melanie's hands.

"You've had to put up with a lot lately, honey. This necklace was an auction piece your father bought for our third anniversary. Consider it a little gift from me."

Melanie's eyes sparkled with greed. "Mom, this is worth a fortune! Are you sure? What if Clarissa and Catherine get mad?"

Corinne scoffed, pressing the jewelry into her daughter's palm. "They are my things. I decide who gets them."

"They do nothing but argue with me. You're the only one who actually understands me. You just keep listening to Mom, and one day, everything I have will be yours."

Thrilled, Melanie immediately clasped the necklace around her neck and practically sprinted out to flaunt it in front of her sisters.

Since moving back, she hadn't even met her niece. Catherine loved children, but after five miscarriages over the years, she and Vincent still didn't have any of their own.

Almost in a trance, she parked the car and walked into the store.

"Hi," she said to the clerk. "I'm looking for a golden locket for a baby. Could you show me some options?"

-

At that exact moment, Scarlett and Talia were standing at a different counter in the very same store.

Dawn was turning one soon, and Talia had insisted on buying her goddaughter a golden locket, dragging Scarlett along to pick it out.