“It is Rosa! I’ve heard their custom pieces start at a million. The fabric draping Elliana looks impossibly luxurious. Can anyone fathom the price?”
“I recall now! That fabric is woven with actual gold and silver threads-known in fashion circles for its unmatched opulence and scarcity.”
“No wonder her silhouette captivates. It’s clearly extraordinary, crafted from the finest materials, bearing Rosa’s signature. That gown must cost a king’s ransom!”
“I’ve been in the fashion industry for years, and by my estimation, Elliana’s dress would command around eight million.”
“Eight million? The Evans family allowing Elliana such extravagance? Who dares claim she lacks favor?”
“Compared to that, Paige’s five-hundred-thousand Emily dress seems almost pedestrian.”
“The richest irony? Emily’s designs have long been criticized in the industry for allegedly mimicking Rosa. Paige, standing there in Emily, beside Elliana draped in authentic Rosa-Paige appears woefully outclassed, several echelons beneath.”
The murmurs cut through Paige like knives as she teetered on the edge of collapse. Never had she imagined that beneath that innocuous sticker lurked Rosa’s prestigious mark. The revelation blindsided her completely. Her scheme to disgrace Elliana had backfired catastrophically, leaving her drowning in her own humiliation. She couldn’t-wouldn’t-accept this reversal.
Paige hissed, “Elliana, if your dress commands such a fortune, why hide the logo?” Her voice trembled with barely controlled rage. “Is it a counterfeit you feared would invite mockery?”
Her accusation planted seeds of doubt among the whispering guests.
Elliana regarded Paige with amused detachment, as though observing a particularly entertaining clown. “Paige, why must you always assume the worst? I’m wearing an authentic high-end Rosa creation. I concealed the logo because I didn’t wish to overshadow you, the soon-to-be fiancee. I aimed for modesty, but after searching my entire wardrobe, I couldn’t find anything simpler than your ensemble. I had no alternative but to select this understated color and mask the logo. Who would have thought my consideration would be rewarded with your suspicion and derision?”
Paige’s imagination spiraled with Elliana’s words, conjuring visions of what Elliana’s wardrobe must contain. It surely represented every woman’s fantasy-racks upon racks of custom designer pieces, each garment more exquisite than the last. Any single item would have eclipsed her entire collection.
This nearly drove Paige to madness, jealousy corroding her from within. All of it-all of it-should have belonged to her! Consumed by envy, her rationality disintegrated as rage blazed behind her eyes. “I refuse to believe Cole would lavish such luxury on you!” she spat. “That dress must be stolen! If Cole truly valued you enough to spend so extravagantly, where is your jewelry?”
To the onlookers, her argument carried a veneer of plausibility. The Evans family vault must overflow with designer creations. How simple it would be for Elliana to pilfer a piece or two for public flaunting. Elliana’s smile remained innocently serene. “My husband did gift me jewelry, but I deemed it too ostentatious, so I concealed that as well.”
Paige’s gaze darted instinctively to Elliana’s neck. Indeed, through the delicate lace shawl, the outline of a necklace was faintly visible. Yet, she dismissed the possibility that any ornament Elliana possessed could outshine-
Her own collection. Elliana appeared almost unadorned from head to toe, save for that single necklace. How could that possibly compare to her dazzling array? Her hair accessories, earrings, necklace, and ring collectively surpassed thirty million. Elliana couldn’t possibly compete with such opulence! She would use her jewels to crush Elliana’s pride once and for all!
With this vindictive thought blazing in her mind, Paige lunged forward and violently yanked away Elliana’s lace shawl..
When Paige challenged Elliana’s jewelry, the audience leaned forward in collective anticipation. The moment the lace shawl was torn away, every eye locked onto Elliana’s neck.
“Wow!” The crowd’s reaction erupted instantly-a symphony of gasps and whispers. The Endless Love necklace blazed with such extraordinary brilliance that it hypnotized everyone at first glance. Endless Love married diamonds, jade, and citrine in perfect harmony, employing mathematical precision and revolutionary cutting techniques to create an illusion where reality melted into fantasy and fantasy crystallized into reality-an artistic dialogue that transcended both time and space.
Though Rosa had emerged on the scene merely years ago, the design and craftsmanship of Endless Love stood unrivaled, impossible to duplicate. Only one existed in the entire world.
The Endless Love adorning Elliana’s throat was unquestionably authentic-this fact brooked no debate.
Such a masterpiece rarely graced mortal eyes. Most could only dream of glimpsing it through photographs or whispered legends. Today, Elliana had brought this singular treasure into their midst, casting an almost ethereal spell over the banquet hall.
“Heaven help me, its radiance is blinding! Is this truly the legendary Endless Love crafted by Rosa’s master artisan?”
“Without doubt! I’ve studied images online. It’s Endless Love incarnate! Word has it a mysterious tycoon claimed it at auction for ten billion. Mystery solved-that tycoon is Cole!”
“Who dares suggest Cole doesn’t cherish Elliana? He entrusts her with a ten-billion-dollar masterpiece.”
“I finally understand why Elliana wears no other adornments. Beside Endless Love, any other jewel would be mere trinkets-distracting clutter.”
“Precisely! Once Endless Love enters the room, what ornament could possibly compete?”
“Paige’s earlier jewelry parade suddenly seems laughably provincial. Her entire collection totals a paltry thirty million-not even a whisper compared to Endless Love. Now we see who truly lacks refinement.”
She genuinely wished not to eclipse the soon-to-be fiancee. She deliberately concealed Endless Love. Anyone else would have flaunted such a treasure to the heavens.
“How tragic. Despite Elliana’s purest intentions, the Jones and Hudson families misjudged her terribly. Now they face the bitter fruit of their own suspicions.”
As murmurs rippled through the gathering, Vivien-who had earlier mocked Elliana so ruthlessly-slunk away in mortification, retreating to a shadowed corner to hide her burning shame.
Paige withered beneath Elliana’s inadvertent triumph, staring at Endless Love with visceral hatred, her body trembling uncontrollably.
How could this nightmare be reality? How could fate be so cruel? Elliana had no right to such opulence-these treasures should adorn her neck. This should have been her moment!
Savage jealousy twisted Paige’s meticulously painted features. Minutes earlier, she had basked in Raylan’s devotion, but compared to Elliana, she now felt like a child playing dress-up. What move remained? Madness clawed at the edges of her sanity!
Raylan hovered at Paige’s side, witnessing the naked envy and desperation contorting her face. His own expression hardened into grim lines. He had lavished two hundred million on this engagement celebration to elevate Paige’s status, ensuring she could shine among the elite. Instead, all his elaborate preparations had crumbled beneath Elliana’s unintended brilliance.
Though the Hudson family commanded respect in Ublento, their wealth paled against Cole’s empire. In this ruthless game of affluence, they couldn’t possibly compete. What Cole bestowed upon Elliana, Raylan could never offer Paige!
Kiara and Darin stood paralyzed, their minds struggling to process this catastrophic reversal.
Amidst the cruel symphony of whispers, Paige forced her lips into a brittle smile, desperation fueling her words. “Elliana, you stole Endless Love as well, didn’t you? To humiliate me at my engagement party, you’d risk Cole’s wrath and severe consequences. Your audacity knows no bounds!”
Elliana couldn’t suppress an eye roll, concluding Paige was beyond salvation. “Paige, I had Endless Love carefully concealed. You exposed it yourself in your attempt to shame me. Haven’t you engineered your own humiliation?”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.