Chapter 317
It Can't Compare to What Claire Bennett Gave
Everyone's eyes turned toward her wrist.
They saw that on the old madam's wrist was a vivid green jade bangle. Its translucence looked glossy and lustrous, emerald-green and crystal-clear, like a pool of blue-green water wrapped around her wrist. It had to be worth a fortune.
At once, quite a few people began whispering among themselves.
"There's an old saying: even a fortune can't buy what someone truly loves. If you're giving a gift, you have to give the right one!"
"Exactly. Look at what we gave—plenty of it was even more expensive, but none of it won Old Madam Sterling's favor. So from now on, we'd better put more thought into what the elderly lady actually likes."
"Honestly, I think it's the person giving the gift who's won the old madam's affection, so naturally she likes the gift too."
"I wonder who this Claire the old madam mentioned is, to receive praise like that from her."
Those idle comments kept drifting into Hazel Lewis's ears. The smile on her face stiffened. What Old Madam Sterling had done made her feel humiliated to the extreme.
She hadn't expected Old Madam Sterling to say something like that in public.
Did she mean that her gift couldn't compare to what Claire Bennett had given?
She had specially studied Old Madam Sterling's usual preferences. Knowing that she had been vegetarian for years, recited sutras and prayed for blessings on the first and fifteenth of every month, and often went to see Master Yuanhui for blessings, she had deliberately chosen that gift for her.
At that moment, Claire Bennett had just been pulled forward by Ruby Sterling, only to hear Old Madam Sterling say all that.
In an instant, it elevated the thing she had given to an extremely lofty status.
At once, she felt a little at a loss, as if she were practically shining with brilliance right now, the object of everyone's envy. At the same time, a wave of warmth rose in her heart.
Grandma Sterling must be doing this on purpose to support her and help her save face in front of Hazel Lewis, right?
"Claire, come sit by Grandma," Old Madam Sterling called out, spotting Claire Bennett with sharp eyes and beckoning to her.
Claire Bennett was still a little awkward. By now, she had no energy left to think about whether Julian Sterling was real or fake. Ruby Sterling pulled her over to sit beside Old Madam Sterling.
Hazel Lewis stood where she was, feeling utterly and completely ignored.
At the same time, she understood one thing: Old Madam Sterling didn't seem to like her at all.
She felt terribly wronged. She had clearly worked so hard to perform well, so why was she still being crushed by a low-status woman like Claire Bennett, all her pride shattered to pieces on the ground?
Hazel Lewis clenched the hand at her side and used all her strength to suppress the anger in her heart.
Just then, one of Old Madam Sterling's close friends took her hand and stared carefully at the bangle on her wrist, praising it. "Oh my, Muyun, this bracelet is really beautiful. The translucence looks even better than mine. It must have cost quite a bit, right?"
Hearing that, Old Madam Sterling finally thought of that point.
Claire Bennett didn't have much money right now, yet she had still given her something so valuable.
She looked toward Claire Bennett and said a little embarrassedly, "Claire, did this bangle cost you a lot? How about I give you the money for it later?"
Claire Bennett quickly waved her hands. "No need. I really didn't spend that much."
In truth, she had bought it from that guy Zane Cole using her own savings, so it didn't really count as spending all that much.
Claire Bennett had always believed that money could simply be earned again, so she didn't think spending this much on a bangle was extravagant. She had the ability to earn the money back.
Suddenly, the woman beside Old Madam Sterling let out a cry of surprise. "Oh my! I remember now! Isn't this the 'Green Hills, Blue Waters' that was sold at the auction some time ago? Why do I remember it being bought by someone?"
"That's right. I thought it looked familiar just now, but I couldn't place it for a moment."
"It really is 'Green Hills, Blue Waters'!"
The people around them once again looked toward the bangle on Old Madam Sterling's wrist.
Some people had also attended that auction and immediately said, "Now that you mention it, I remember too. That bangle sold for the sky-high price of fifty million. It's truly one of a kind."
"I heard it's a top-grade piece, and it was also blessed by Master Yuanhui. With the master's craftsmanship on top of that, that's why it fetched that price. I think it was bought by someone from the Cole family."
"It was actually blessed by Master Yuanhui? Then wearing it must bring all kinds of benefits."
"It sounds like it's much better than a Buddhist scripture, after all, you can wear it every day, and jade is supposed to nourish the body too."
...
Hazel Lewis's face darkened as if water could drip from it. She hadn't expected that it wasn't enough for the birthday gift she gave to be overshadowed by Claire Bennett's—now everyone actually thought that the Buddhist scripture she gave couldn't compare to what Claire Bennett had given!
But what had those people just said?
They said this jade bangle had been bought by someone from the Cole family?
How could someone of Claire Bennett's status possibly have any connection to the Cole family? Even if she had bought it from someone in the Cole family, where could she possibly have gotten fifty million?
There had to be something wrong here!
Her eyes darkened, and she deliberately asked in a puzzled tone, "Claire Bennett, so this jade bangle is actually that valuable. Fifty million isn't a small amount. Where exactly did you get that kind of money? Someone just said this bangle was bought by the Cole family at an auction. This isn't some imitation you bought, is it?"
Claire Bennett's expression changed.
When she had taken out the only one hundred fifty thousand she had to buy it, Zane Cole hadn't said anything, as though it weren't anything special, so she had felt perfectly at ease.
She had never imagined that some random jade bangle from Zane Cole's place could be worth that much.
If she said now that she had spent one hundred fifty thousand to buy this bangle from Zane Cole, probably no one would believe her!
When the old master of the Sterling family heard Hazel Lewis's words, his expression instantly darkened.
He had said it before—this woman was no good. She actually dared to buy an imitation and give it as a gift!
If no one had recognized the item, then if Evelyn wore it out in the future, wouldn't people laugh at her?
Would their dignified Sterling family ever need to wear an imitation?