Chapter-15

Derrick’s POV.

 I didn’t think much when I offered to buy Kara a necklace. She was wearing an old necklace when she could have had a new one, so why shouldn’t I? It looked like something she picked up from a thrift store or a flea market. Something cheap that was made to look expensive.

So, yes, I offered to buy her a new one out of the goodness of my own heart.

But then Kara flinched as if my words broke her out of whatever reverie she was lost in, wide eyes glaring at me with disbelief.

“No thanks,” she snapped, her voice arctic cold. She tucked the necklace into her blouse, looking away from me. “I’m perfectly happy with what I have. You can focus your gift-giving attention on Jade instead, I’m sure she’d love to have a new necklace or ten.”

Typical. I offered to do something nice for her, and she’d snark about it and reject me. Sometimes, I wondered why I even tried.

“Whatever, see if I offer again. Come on, we’re going home.”

The car ride home was silent. Kara kept stubbornly looking out of the window, hands and legs tucked tightly into herself, plastering her body against the door as if she was trying to be as far away from me as possible. It was so tense, I wished I were anywhere but there with Kara in close quarters.

“Hey, guys, welcome home!” Jade greeted us as soon as we stepped foot inside the villa, a bright smile on her face. After dealing with Kara’s silence, it was like a ray of light on a rainy day. “I didn’t know both of you were going to be at the office the whole day, I was so bored in here, all alone on my own.”

“Oh, I’m sorry, Jade, I wasn’t thinking about that,” I told her, smiling sheepishly. “I wasn’t thinking, I’m sorry.”

“No worries, I did want to have some rest anyway,” Jade replied. “But can I come with you to your office tomorrow? I don’t know if I can take another day being cooped inside, you know I’m not that kind of girl.”

I couldn’t help but glance at Kara then, wondering how she would react to that.

Instead of saying anything, Kara walked past us down the hallway that led to her room, without caring about the world.

That made me mad because I wanted her to get jealous and question me like she used to. I wanted her to show some reaction, I wanted her to get upset about the way I was talking to Jade, and how Jade talked to me.

My own reaction to her indifference was to raise my voice and declare, “Of course Jade, you don’t even have to ask. My office is open to you.”

Kara stumbled, only a bit. But otherwise, she walked away like nothing happened, opened the door to her room, and disappeared, all without a sound.

After Kara left, my mood dropped so hard that I didn’t even try to engage in Jade’s attempts at conversation. I merely excused myself and went to my study, under the pretense of having some more work to do.

Even though I tried to focus on work, I couldn’t help but think about Kara and the old necklace she had. Something about it was important, I knew it, but I didn’t know what. I needed to do something about the way it refused to leave my mind.

Without thinking much about it, I opened my favorite web browser and looked up various luxury jewelry connections online. Cartier had a beautiful diamond collection, but I was looking for something that suited her. So, I pored over every website I could find, trying to find the one that was just right.

“Oh, are those jewelry?” Jade’s voice came before she came over to me and draped an arm over my shoulders, leaning into me and stroking my upper arm. Her voice was warm and filled with joy. A cup of coffee appeared on my periphery, steaming hot. “My, my, my, they look expensive. Look at those sapphires, aren’t they gorgeous?”

“No, no sapphires,” I muttered, more to myself than her. “She doesn’t like sapphires. Calls them ostentatious. Besides, red suits her better.”

Jade’s hand froze.

“Are you talking about Kara?” she asked.

“Yeah, who else?”

“Why are you suddenly buying her gifts?” Jade asked, and although her voice was calm, it felt forced.

“I might not like it, but she is my wife,” I replied. “And as my wife, the jewelry she wears needs to reflect her status, and in turn, mine. Can’t have her dressing like a beggar.”

Jade grew suspiciously silent at that, her body moving away from me. When I looked up into her face, I was surprised to find her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

The sight immediately concerned me.

“Hey, Jade, what’s wrong? Why are you crying-”

“Are you going to do it then?” she demanded, voice quivering.

“Do what?”

“Are you planning to publicly acknowledge your marriage to her?”

“What, no, of course not,” I replied quickly, reassuring her because it simply wasn’t true. “Look, my grandma’s on my ass about Kara because for some reason, she loves her. So, I need to placate her, especially after what happened at the runway. Suffice to say she’s pissed about it.”

“Are you sure that’s it?” Jade asked, woeful eyes gazing at me, pleading to make things right.

“Yes, of course I am,” I replied, wrapping my arms around her and pulling her closer to me. She tucked her head into my neck, and I felt the softness of her breath as she shuddered in relief. I felt like a monster for making her worry.

“It’s just a matter of reputation, Jade, and making nice with grandma. You know how grandma is when she’s worried. Don’t mistake anything I do for Kara as affection, okay? Because it’s not that. There’s not a shred of feeling left in me for her, that I promise.”