The True Heiress Reborn And Slays (Alicia Delaney) novel Chapter 29

Chapter 29 The Jewelry Store

“You go ahead in. I’ll find parking,” he said to Riley.

Riley nodded and pushed through the glass door alone.

The boutique was luxurious and quietly elegant inside.

The store manager recognized Riley immediately.

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“Mrs. Ashford, good afternoon.” The manager walked over with a warm smile. “Are you here today to check on the custom jewelry set Mr. Ashford ordered for you?”

Riley, who had been about to speak, paused mid–step.

Lucas?

Has ordered jewelry here?

Her footsteps halted. Thoughts flickered through her mind, and a barely perceptible gleam lit her eyes.

Quickly latching onto the key detail in the manager’s words, she played along and gave a soft “mm” in acknowledgment.

“Of course, right this way, please.”

Seeing this, the manager’s enthusiasm grew. He guided her to the private VIP room in the back, then personally retrieved a delicate velvet album from the safe and carefully placed it before her.

The album opened to the first page, featuring a high–definition photo of an exceptionally large rough diamond.

Standing respectfully beside her, the manager explained, “Mrs. Ashford, Mr. Ashford personally brought this to us a few days ago. He mentioned it was specially prepared as an anniversary gift for you.

“However, regarding the weight distribution for this stone and the specific setting design, Mr. Ashford hadn’t finalized anything. He said you’ve been quite busy with work lately and wanted to wait until you had time to come in and confirm the final design. yourself.”

Everything clicked into place for Riley in an instant.

This jewelry set was clearly meant by Lucas for Sophia–the real Mrs. Ashford.

Yet, through a twist of fate, everyone outside now believed she, Riley, was the rightful Mrs. Ashford, and naturally, the jewelry store. manager had approached the wrong person.

“Mrs. Ashford…” After finishing his explanation, the manager inclined his head slightly and asked, “Do you have any ideas in mind now?”

Riley looked up at the manager, a meaningful smile slowly curving at the corner of her lips.

“As a matter of fact, I do.”

She reached out and lightly tapped the photo of the large diamond in the album, stating casually, “Since it’s an anniversary gift, let’s split it into two pieces.

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1:18 pm

PP

Chapter 29 The Jewelry Store

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“One piece will be a necklace, with the center stone weighing exactly 12.16 carats. That date holds special meaning for me.

“The remaining portion will be made into a ring, set at 6.28 carats–just my birthday.

“As for the design, nothing too complicated. Just shape it into my favorite magnolia flower style.”

The manager carefully noted each of Riley’s requests, not forgetting to compliment the couple’s apparent devotion.

“Understood, Mrs. Ashford. I’ve recorded all your specifications. You and Mr. Ashford truly seem so close.

“We’ll confirm the final design details with Mr. Ashford shortly. Once everything is approved, we’ll proceed immediately with cutting and production. Given the complexity of the craftsmanship, the timeline will be approximately one week.”

“Fine,” Riley responded flatly, then stood to leave.

Whether or not the jewelry actually ended up being crafted according to her specifications, it would be enough to thoroughly irritate both Lucas and Sophia for a while.

To avoid raising the manager’s suspicions about her actions, Riley walked directly toward the main entrance of the boutique.

Just as she reached the door, Sebastian, having parked the car, walked in.

He saw Riley hurrying out and raised an eyebrow slightly.

Before he could speak, Riley spoke first, wearing an apologetic expression, “I’m sorry, I just remembered I need to meet a friend and have to leave now. For the wedding ring design, just pick whatever style you prefer.”

Sebastian’s gaze turned several degrees colder in an instant.

He assumed Riley’s behavior meant she didn’t care about or value this wedding at all.

The man’s lips pressed into a tight, displeased line.

But in the end, he didn’t let his inner feelings show, forcing out a low, terse sound from his throat. “Fine.”

With his response, Riley seemed relieved. She turned and hailed a taxi by the roadside before driving off.

Sebastian stood still, the warmth in his eyes gradually freezing over.

Behind him, the manager who had just attended to Riley approached once more.

However, Sebastian was still relatively unfamiliar in Havenbrook, and the manager didn’t recognize him.

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