But this time, there was someone else with them—a smiling, demure Vivian.
“Trish!” Vivian greeted me, her smile sweet and innocent. She pulled a damaged diamond necklace out of her pocket, with a few stones missing.
“Trish, this diamond necklace was a gift for you,” she said, her voice full of fake sorrow. “But I’m so clumsy that I accidentally broke it. It’s still wearable, though. Hope you don’t mind.”
Vivian looked up at me with wide, pleading eyes.
I stared at Vivian, then glanced at the two men standing behind her, solid and unmoving, but said nothing.
Payton, however, couldn’t stay quiet. “What’s this? You’re giving Trish a broken necklace?”
Vivian’s eyes immediately reddened as she clutched the necklace tightly. “I’m sorry, Trish. It’s my fault. Please don’t be upset and stress yourself out. I’ll make it right—I’ll pay for the necklace. Please don’t be angry with me.”
I smiled at her. “Sure. I’ll hold you to it.”
A diamond necklace like that could easily be worth hundreds of thousands. How could Vivian, who came from a poor mountain village, ever afford to replace it?
Vivian’s expression began to falter, and I could see panic flicker in Zeke and Hendrick’s eyes.
“Alright, alright! Trish, stop making Vivian feel bad,” Zeke said, his tone urgent. “We bought the necklace. She doesn’t need to pay for anything!”
“Vivian’s already upset, and you’re pushing her like this,” Hendrick added angrily. “Trish, what happened to you? Why are you treating Vivian this way?”
They both seemed so flustered, as if I were bullying Vivian.
Vivian looked around at everyone, lowering her head as she softly sniffled. “It’s okay, Zeke, Hendrick. Don’t be mad at Trish. I deserved that. It’s all my fault. I’ll do anything I can to make up for the necklace…”
Zeke pulled her into an embrace, looking at her with concern. “Stop saying foolish things, Vivian. You don’t need to pay for it.”
He shot me a glare, as if I were the one in the wrong.
Hendrick, equally furious, gave me an icy look. “Trish, why do you keep making things hard for Vivian? Are you really that bothered by how we treat her?”
I almost laughed, but the bitter frustration was enough to make me want to scream.
“I told you both before—I’m getting married. Please stop causing a scene at my engagement party.”
