Chapter 6 Humiliated and Enraged

• After a brief moment of shock, Bill quickly became flustered. Seeing the fury in Vanessa's eyes, he grew even more anxious and rushed to explain, "Vana, don't listen to his nonsense. How could I ever harm Anya?"
• Bill was filled with regret. He knew little about red diamonds; if he had known they were so expensive, he would never have given that bracelet. He had only paid his subordinate 9 thousand dollars to acquire it.
• "You think I'm lying, huh?" Hadden sneered.
• "Red diamonds are rare and extremely valuable. If you don't believe me, look it up online right now and see if I'm wrong."
• "Hadden, shut up!"
• Just when Bill was trapped in a difficult position, Rebecca angrily reprimanded Hadden. "Who do you think you are? How dare you criticize Mr. Conner? He's already explained that the bracelet was bought by a friend overseas. Even if there's a problem, it's not his fault. At least he went to great lengths to prepare a gift. But what about you? After being gone for five years, you show up for the first time to see your own daughter and give her nothing but a worthless stone you found!"
• Hadden knew it was pointless to explain further. In Rebecca's eyes, he was nothing but a useless fool. To her, there was no comparison between him and Bill, who she saw as a perfect match for Vanessa.
• What she didn't realize was that the reality had already been turned upside down.
• "That's enough!"
• Vanessa, who had been silent this whole time, finally exploded. She trembled slightly as she took a deep breath, trying to control her anger. Her gaze landed on Bill. "I'm sorry my husband threw away your bracelet, but don't worry, I'll compensate you for the 90 thousand dollars."
• "Huh?"
• Bill was taken aback, shaking his head frantically. "No, I was duped this time. I trusted the wrong person. Since the bracelet has radiation, it's obviously not a suitable gift for Anya. I'll replace it with something better next time."
• "That won't be necessary," Vanessa replied coldly.
• Seeing this, Bill didn't press the matter. He knew Vanessa was furious and had a lot of resentment toward him. Arguing now would only reduce his chances with her even further.
• Just then, a black Rolls-Royce with the license plate A88 slowly pulled up to the entrance of the Smith residence, followed by a brand-new white Maserati, adorned with a bright red interior, clearly a car for a woman.
• Two burly men emerged from the Rolls-Royce, carrying a large box, and made their way into the Smith household.
• "Mr. Smith, some people outside claim they're here to deliver a gift. They brought in a large box," the housekeeper announced, beaming.
• "Oh, and there's a Rolls-Royce outside with an A88 plate."
• Initially, no one paid much attention to the news of a gift, but the mention of the A88 license plate caused a stir.
• Andrew immediately jumped to his feet, asking urgently, "Are you sure it's A88?"
• "Mr. Smith, I'm sure. It's A88," the housekeeper confirmed.
• "Everyone, come with me outside to greet them!" Andrew ordered, rushing toward the front courtyard.
• The owner of an A88 plate? That could only be Lucas, the richest man in Jerton! How could Andrew not be nervous?
• With everyone following him, Andrew hurried outside, only to see a middle-aged man dressed in a sharp suit.
• "Hello!"
• Andrew quickly jogged up to the man, enthusiastically offering his hand.
• Seeing the middle-aged man, Bill was visibly shocked. This was Elbert Ward, Lucas's personal butler. Though only a butler, even Bill's father had to bow and greet Elbert respectfully.
• "Well, if it isn't Mr. Ward! I apologize for not welcoming you sooner," Bill said, acting overly familiar as he walked up to Elbert, extending both hands.
• Elbert frowned and looked at him. "Who are you?"
• Bill quickly answered, "Mr. Ward, I'm Tristram Conner's son. We met just last week at—"
• "Get lost!"
• Before Bill could finish, Elbert barked, cutting him off sharply. Bill nearly wet himself in fear.
• The Conners might have been considered a second-tier power in Jerton, but compared to the Porters, they were nothing.
• Bill had been trying to show off, but his facade had been shattered in an instant.
• Andrew, who had initially wanted to ask something, now didn't dare utter a word.
• Elbert pulled out a gift list and began reading aloud, his voice echoing the grandeur of the offerings.
• "We wish for a fortune in commerce, ten shops at the esteemed the Crescent Plaza.
• "We wish for longevity and prosperity, thus we offer 99% shares of the Jubilee Hotel.
• "We wish for assets, one Maserati, and a residence at the prestigious Sunspire Manor.
• ...
• "And lastly, we wish for a shower of riches, one million and fifty thousands in cash as dowry."
• Only when Elbert concluded the dowry list did the full weight of the gifts sink in.
• The room gaped at the stacks of cash, the car keys, the share certificates, the property deeds, which was a dazzling display of wealth. Even after Elbert's departure, a stunned silence lingered.
• "Andrew, you've got yourself a remarkable daughter!" someone finally stammered.
• "No wonder Lucas is the richest man in Jerton," another chimed in, "Such generosity! Vivi is truly blessed."
• "Indeed! To have Mr. Porter as a relative ... what luck!"
• ...
• In an instant, everyone was surrounding Vanessa's younger sister, Vivian.
• As Jerton's top beauty, Vanessa was naturally striking, and her younger sister was no exception.
• Vivian, a bit slow on the uptake, finally grasped the situation after hearing the flood of compliments and well-wishes. Since Vanessa was already married, these lavish gifts must have been intended for her. Still, she couldn't recall ever crossing paths with anyone from the esteemed Porter family.
• Standing beside Vanessa, Hadden caught the glint of envy in her eyes. His heart ached with bitterness. These gifts were meant for you, Vanessa, so why should your own sister covet them?
• But even if he explained, no one would believe him.
• "See? This is what true love looks like! My sister married you, but not only did she not receive a dowry, you even took 500 thousand dollars from us. You'll never be able to make my sister happy. I suggest you hurry up and divorce her," Vivian declared smugly, approaching Hadden with the Maserati keys and villa deed clutched in her hand, her face radiating pride.
• Hadden gave her a faint, mocking smile. "Are you so certain these gifts are meant for you?"
• Hearing this, Vivian faltered for a moment. After all, she had never had any contact with a man from the Porter family. But she quickly dismissed the thought, her embarrassment transforming into anger. "What's that supposed to mean, Hadden? You worthless fool! My family only has one unmarried daughter; that's me! If these gifts aren't for me, then who are they for? You?"