Chapter 71
Seeing everyone’s eyes on her, Joanna finally pulled out her phone and held it up for the group to see
She said, “Look, my daughter just sent me this. The previous owner of this jewelry set has already donated it to a charity auction, and it’s going to be auctioned off any day now.
“And check out the description. It’s super clear. When Queen Elizabeth wore it, it got bumped, so the biggest gem has a tiny flaw. But it’s not obvious at all; only someone who’s owned the set would ever spot it.
“It was originally just a flaw, but since Queen Elizabeth herself made it, what was once a flaw has now become a mark of distinction.
“Pretty much everyone in circle knows about this flaw. It’s like the set’s own little authenticity stamp”
Joanna’s voice sounded light and almost indifferent, but to Hannah, it crashed over her like a tidal wave.
Her ears rang as she realized every single person was staring at the gem on her neck, their eyes glued to it like it was the only thing in the room.
She couldn’t help but lower her head and glance at the gem herself. The stone was too flawless, gleaming with a shine that looked too new. It practically shouted that it was fake.
“Mrs. Eliot, your gem doesn’t have any flaw at all. Looks like you really got a fake. Aurora must’ve been duped, one of the ladies gossiped.
“Seriously, Mrs. Eliot. You should tell Aurora to go after that seller and see if she can still track them down. This is definitely a knockoff.
“I checked too, the real deal is about to hit the auction block, and the starting bid is sky–high. Maybe Aurora got fooled because the price was too good to be true?” another chimed in.
“Aurora just wanted to do something sweet for you, but who could’ve guessed she’d run into a scammer? Mrs. Eliot, how much did you pay for this set? I hope you didn’t get ripped off too badly,” someone else added.
“Aurora always seemed so clever, but how did she end up falling for something like this? Honestly, it’s just… another woman sighed.
“Mrs. Eliot, do you think Aurora brought this home just to pull one over on you? Maybe she just wanted to spend some cash and made up this whole story,” someone else speculated.
These ladies were always sharp–tongued and mean, and Hannah had known that for ages. But now, even Aurora was getting dragged into their gossip, and Hannah’s face fell instantly.
She’d invited them over here just to show off her own skills and prove she had what it takes. She’d brought up Aurora just to let her get some attention.
But now, both she and Aurora had become the laughingstocks of the whole circle.
Hannah could barely keep her smile from slipping, but she knew she had to grit her teeth and play it cool. If she blew up at these ladies now, she’d really be the joke of the whole circle.
“Livia, you’re too funny. We never watch over Aurora. She’s free to spend her money however she likes. “There’s no way she’d try to pull one over on me with something like this.
“She’s just too soft–hearted and a little too trusting. Whatever people say, she believes it, never suspects anyone could have a
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Chapter 71
hidden agenda.
“But honestly, it’s no big deal. We didn’t lose much, just pocket change to us, not worth the hassle,” Hannah said, trying to sound unfazed.
As she spoke, Hannah turned to Isabella, who was already a nervous wreck, and said, “Isabella, hurry up and help me take this off. Can’t believe I didn’t spot it was a fake.”
“Okay,” Isabella replied, her voice shaky as she rushed over to help Hannah with the necklace.
She was so nervous that her hands trembled, fumbling with the clasp again and again, unable to get it undone. The more she struggled, the more all eyes in the room seemed to zero in on them.
Hannah was already tense, and seeing Isabella getting more and more embarrassed, she comin’t help but say, “Isabella, how can you not even handle something this simple?
“What is it, has the Hewitt family fallen so far that you’ve lost even the basic grace and dignity a socialite should have?
At Hannah’s harsh words, Isabella winced, her expression one of pure embarrassment.
But knowing she was in the wrong, Isabella didn’t dare talk back. She just bit her lip, focused on the necklace, and tried her best to take it off.
As soon as the necklace came off, Isabella let out a breath she’d been holding and gingerly set it down in front of Hannah
Hannah didn’t even bother to look at it. She just snatched it up and tossed it straight into the trash.
The ladies around couldn’t help but exclaim, “Mrs. Eliot, isn’t it a bit wasteful to just throw it away? Maybe Aurora could try talking to the seller and work something out?”
Hannah forced a small smile. “It’s fine, really. Just a few million, hardly worth making Aurora run around over pocket change.
“Alright, let’s not let this ruin our day. We don’t get to gather like this often. The coffee today is something Aurora brought back all the way from Urouis.
“It’s got a really rich flavor. What do you guys think?” Hannah said, trying to steer the conversation away.
The ladies finally shifted away from the necklace and moved on to other topics.
Hannah glanced up and saw Isabella still lingering nearby, disgust flashing in her eyes. “Why are you still standing here? Hurry up and go help out in the kitchen.”
Isabella knew full well that Hannah was only making things difficult for her now that the necklace was exposed as a fake. She was doing it on purpose, drawing things out just to punish her.
But the money had already all gone to pay off those overseas loan sharks. If Hannah asked for it back now, Isabella wouldn’t be able to produce a cent.
So whatever Hannah did to her, Isabella could only swallow her pride and put up with it in silence, not daring to say a single
word.
Hearing Hannah’s order, Isabella didn’t dare talk back. She just answered quickly and left the room as fast as she could.
Once Isabella was out of sight, the other ladies turned to Hannah and asked, “Mrs. Eliot, we heard you were thinking about having Isabella marry Logan. Is that true?”
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Chapter 71
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Hearing that question, Hannah’s lips twitched slightly. Back when Isabella seemed so thoughtful and considerate, always looking out for her, Hannah had genuinely considered it.
After all, if Logan was going to remarry, Hannah didn’t really care about anything else, just as long as he ended up with someone sweet and sensible.
But after the mess Isabella had caused, Hannah’s opinion of her had completely tanked.
She slowly picked up her coffee, took a sip, and finally spoke up, “You guys must be kidding. There’s no way that would ever happen. They’re just not a good fit, right?”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
