Chapter 3

I had a hunch that Seraphine must have slandered me.

Sure enough, Owen spoke, confirming my suspicion.

"What you sent over was nothing but a piece of pink glass. That padparadscha sapphire? Seraphine bought it herself to cover for you. Instead of being grateful, you have the audacity to brag about some fifty -million pink diamond rough?"

Impossible. When I shipped that diamond, I entrusted it to a specialized escort agency. Delivery would only be valid if Owen signed for it in person.

"That stone was transported by dedicated guards and vehicle. Since you signed for it, there's no way you could mistake it. It was a pink diamond rough."

But Owen only frowned in irritation.

"I don't have time to fuss over some worthless rock you mailed. As soon as it arrived, I gave it to Seraphine to handle. If she says it's a piece of glass, then that's exactly what it is."

Seraphine seized the chance to press harder.

"If I hadn't switched the glass, do you know how much humiliation Owen would've suffered today? Besides… my dream has always been to marry with a pink padparadscha sapphire. I gave that dream to you, and you don't even know how to cherish it."

Owen's expression darkened further.

"Rachel, get over here and kneel before Seraphine. Apologize! I wouldn't dare let her suffer even the smallest grievance, and yet you dare disgrace her like this?"

Seraphine threw herself into his arms, trembling like a delicate bird. Her lips brushed faintly against his cheek as she whispered, "Owen, for you, I don't mind anything. But… for her to cause such a scene at your wedding, that's truly too much."

I picked up the padparadscha sapphire from the floor and hurled it at them.

"I did nothing wrong, and I will not apologize. I said it before. Compensate me for the pink diamond and let me walk away, or no one will be leaving this place."

Seraphine let out a mocking laugh.

"Of course no one's leaving. We'll make sure everyone sees you for the fraud you are!"

With a snap, she tossed out another piece of pink glass.

I dodged, and the shard shattered into fragments on the floor.

"Hmph. So this is your so-called fifty-million pink diamond? The truth is right here. What else do you have to say?"

I stared at the glass for a long moment, then suddenly laughed.

"Seraphine, weren't you the one who first accused me of stealing the Buckley family's diamond? How did the diamond suddenly turn into glass? Unless… the Buckley family has been peddling counterfeits all along?"

For a brief second, Seraphine faltered, but she quickly recovered.

"That's because we've always guarded against thieves like you. The Buckley family's diamonds are locked in a secure vault so you'd never have the chance to steal them. That glass is just bait, to trap greedy women like you."

"Enough!" Owen barked. "A vain woman like you is unworthy of joining the Buckley family."

He was about to continue when his phone rang.

Seraphine naturally answered it.

From the other end, a voice said, "Is this Owen Buckly? Rachel should already be at the wedding. Why did her call suddenly cut off, and now we can't reach her?"

"Oh, so the old fraudster the little liar invited finally shows up." Seraphine put the call on speaker.

"Listen, old man, your little scammer is about to strip for us as entertainment. What are you waiting for? Get over here and serve us tea, or I'll make sure your whole family rots in prison!"

The voice on the other end stiffened.

"Who are you? Isn't this Owen's phone?"

"And if it is? His phone is mine now. You think you can scam us? Let me tell you, it's useless. I've seen plenty of cheap cons like yours."

The caller's tone hardened.

"Show some respect. I am not a fraud."

"Oh? Are you going to claim you gave Rachel a pink diamond rough worth fifty million?"

"Of course. That diamond was a gift to Rachel—"

"Perfect. You admit it. Old fraud, just wait. I'll have the police here in no time. How dare you use a chunk of glass to swindle the Buckley family? That's marriage fraud, outright fraud—you deserve to rot in prison!"

But what she didn't know was that our institution is revered wherever we go. Financially, no one can rival us. Other divisions begged us when they ran out of funds.

"Where's Owen? Where's Rachel? I need to speak with them," the caller demanded.

I sighed and answered, "Boss, Owen said I was nothing more than a pawn to curry favor with his grandpa. They switched the diamond you gave me for a padparadscha, slandered me, and even ripped off my gloves, crushing the bones in my fingers."

For a moment, he thought he'd misheard, then his voice sharpened with alarm.

"Rachel, are you alright?"

But Seraphine cut in before I could reply.

"Alright? She won't be for long. You won't escape either. Crawl to me on your knees, or I'll see to it you can't survive in this city!"

As she spoke, she shoved the phone into my face, snapping picture after picture.

"If you beg nicely, maybe I'll take Rachel's place at the altar and marry Owen myself. Now hurry up, don't make me say it twice!"

With that, she hung up and switched off the phone.

"Come! Break her knees and make her kneel. I'll have her and her con-artist boss bow together to celebrate my wedding with Owen."

I lifted my gaze to the clock on the wall. It was precisely 4:36 p.m.

"You're out of time, Owen. I told you—you would pay the price."

At that moment, sirens wailed outside. Police escorts cleared the road as one after another, convoys with special license plates pulled up at the hotel entrance.