Chapter 6 Return It
As expected of him. Emily let out a scornful laugh. “Didn’t you say that he swore he’d never gamble again?”
Maurice sighed helplessly. “He really said that back then! I promise you, Mills, this is
absolutely the last time!
“He’s your brother, Mills! Please just ask Mr. Holton for help one last time. This amount of money is nothing to him.”
“I don’t have a brother who’s hopeless beyond help like him.”
Emily refused to be guilt–tripped by family ties any longer, and she had no intention of supporting such parasitic relatives. “Besides, Gabriel and I are getting divorced soon. Don’t bother me with such things anymore.”
Then, she hung up before Maurice could answer and immediately blocked his number.
Exhausted from being up half the night and busy working the entire afternoon, Emily was completely drained. She took a shower and fell into a deep sleep as soon as she lay down.
Half–asleep, she thought she heard the door open. A slightly calloused hand gently brushed her cheek tenderly, as if handling a fragile treasure.
Her eyelashes fluttered, and she murmured affectionately, “Mom…”
Gabriel looked at her curled form under the blanket, sitting in silence for a long while before
retreating to his study.
He took out a velvet box from the safe. Inside was a sapphire necklace worth tens of millions of dollars. It was supposed to be his gift for Emily on her birthday last year. But he never ended up giving it to her.
As he ran his fingers over the gleaming gemstones, a video call notification popped up on his computer, interrupting his thoughts.
He accepted the call, and his assistant, Roman Drayton, appeared on the screen. “Mr. Holton, there was a gift delivered to the hospital where Mrs. Holton works, as scheduled. I’ve intercepted it.”
Gabriel snapped the box in his hands shut with a cold smile. “What did he send this time?”
“A butterfly brooch. The message on the card is the same as the previous years.”
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His face darkened.
For two years, ever since they married, a gift from an anonymous sender had arrived at Emily’s workplace the day before her birthday. It was addressed to her, but the contact number Gabriel used was the one listed.
The greeting card was never signed, bearing only the words, “Best wishes.”
Gabriel had used every connection to trace the sender. The trail showed that the package had
been sent from overseas.
There was only one person whom Gabriel could think of who would do something like this- Robert Dowling. He had gone through great trouble and expense just to send Emily birthday wishes.
How deeply touching.
“Mr. Holton, the gift you ordered for Mrs. Holton this year has also arrived. Should I—”
“No. Return it.”
He tossed the velvet box back into the safe. These unwanted, budding emotions should remain locked away, just like that gift, forever hidden in darkness.
Emily, meanwhile, had slept unusually well. Though she didn’t make a habit of celebrating her birthday, she still made herself a small dessert.
Sitting alone at the dining table in the cold, quiet villa, she was quietly eating when a
notification popped up on her phone. It was a message from Mallory.
“Quick, Mills! Check out the trending news. That damn mistress is at it again!”
Emily clicked into the app and saw the top search result. “Mr. Holton booked out Crestmont Harbor for his beloved’s birthday! Grand fireworks display at 8:00 pm sharp!”
Fuming, Mallory hastily called Emily. “That bitch shares the same birthday as you? What an unfortunate occurrence!”
“It’s alright, don’t waste your energy being angry. She’s not worth it,” Emily coaxed her.
“I just don’t get it! Looks, figure, education—what does Amelia have that you don’t? Is there something wrong with Gabriel’s eyes? How could he be taken in by someone like that?”
Emily looked down at the dessert on her plate. “Maybe I’m just not his type.”
After Mallory vented a while longer and hung up, Emily walked over to the window. The villa was near the harbor and was arguably the best spot to watch the fireworks, which led Emily to
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Chapter 6 Return It
contemplate whether this was an intentional move from Gabriel.
Had Gabriel meant for her to see this grand display? Did he want her to watch her own husband declare his love for another woman?
3/3
Emily didn’t know how long she stood by the window. All she knew was that when the first firework went off, half the sky turned pink.
Tilting her head back toward the sky, amid the noisy cheers, she whispered with a smile, ”
Happy birthday, Emily.”
Meanwhile, Amelia was standing beside Gabriel at the harbor pier.
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