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Angelo's eyes widened at what he heard. He couldn’t believe that the mysterious woman wanted the ruby bracelet he had won at the auction in exchange for her name. How could he explain that it was already with Chloe Aura? Chloe was one of the women he was trying to win over because of her wealth and beauty. The perfect wife, as they say.
That’s why he brought her here, to impress her. He knew Chloe was close to giving in. He’d been sweet-talking her, and during their dates, she would sometimes even pay for everything. He had convinced her that she wasn’t the only woman interested in him, that he had many options. It seemed Chloe had taken the bait, as she was becoming more obsessed with him.
He couldn’t take the bracelet back from Chloe. He had already given it to her. He had spent a lot of money just to impress her and show off how wealthy he was.
So, what should he do? He was confused.
"i***t! Why are you even thinking about it? Take the goddamn bracelet back from Chloe and give it to the woman in front of you! She’s a bigger catch. She’s not just rich—she’s a billionaire, for sure! It’s obvious her face behind that mask is stunning. You won’t lose with her. She’s your dream girl—richer by far!" screamed a voice in his head.
He blinked at what his mind was saying. "But what about Chloe? What about all the time and money I’ve invested in her?"
"That money will be nothing once you have the woman wearing the Tears of Aphrodite. As they say, there’s always a better option. Why settle for Chloe when this woman’s wealth is practically triple? Forget about Chloe and get the bracelet," his mind continued to tempt him.
He grinned. Yes, he needed to shift his target. Although the Aura family was wealthy and Chloe was beautiful, he was sure she didn’t compare to this mysterious woman. He had seen the shock and envy on her face when she spotted the Tears of Aphrodite, which meant her family couldn’t afford such an expensive necklace.
He needed to be smart. He had to charm this mysterious woman and make her his. No one would be able to take her from him!
Veronica was getting impatient. She knew exactly how her devil of a husband worked. She knew he had already given the ruby bracelet to Miss Aura and that now, he was surely thinking of a way to take it back.
He really was a worthless man. What kind of decent person gives someone a gift without being forced to, only to try and take it back? If he truly cared for Miss Aura, he wouldn’t be confused now—he would simply say it was impossible.
Poor Miss Aura. Even though she was flirting with her husband, Veronica didn’t feel any real anger or hatred toward her. After all, Angelo had never told Miss Aura that he was already married. And, of course, he would never tell her that he was the one responsible for his first wife’s death.
To everyone, Angelo appeared to be a wealthy, hardworking, and handsome single man. He was really a demon in disguise as an angel. His name shouldn’t be Angelo—it should be Lucifer.
"You can’t do it? Then I’m just wasting my time here. I’m going back, and don’t follow me," Veronica warned coldly.
She turned around and began walking away when Angelo hurried after her, clearly panicked. He wasn’t used to women ignoring him since he thrived on attention. "W-Wait!"
She stopped and glanced back at him with a bored expression. "I’m not trying to be rude, but I have no plans to make friends or engage in conversation with anyone. That’s not why I’m here. If you can’t give me the ruby bracelet, then don’t bother talking to me again. I’ll call security," she threatened.
Fear registered on Angelo’s face. He swallowed hard, knowing she wasn’t bluffing. He had to make a quick decision! His bright future and that of his family hung in the balance.
"I-I’ll give you the ruby bracelet," he stammered out suddenly.
A sly smirk played on Veronica’s lips. Her strategy had worked, but of course, she hid her grin. "When can you give me the ruby bracelet, hmm?" she asked in a sweetened tone.
Angelo swallowed again. When could he give her the bracelet? Chloe was likely on cloud nine right now, thrilled with the gift he had given her. It wasn’t something he could easily take back, especially since she might tell her parents, who happened to be one of his major clients. He stood to lose a lot if things went wrong with the Aura family.
But then again, just the Tears of Aphrodite alone was equivalent to 85% of the Aura family’s shares in his company. And that was only one piece of jewelry. What about her cars, businesses, assets, savings, bonds, and everything else? He was convinced this mysterious woman was worth billions.
If he hesitated any longer, money could slip through his fingers like sand. He couldn’t allow that to happen!
"I’ll tell you when I can give it to you. But there’s something I’d like to know, if you don’t mind?"
Veronica had an idea of what Angelo wanted to ask, so she nodded. "Sure, you can ask me."
"Why do you want the ruby bracelet I won so badly? I mean, sure, it’s beautiful and expensive. But it’s not even half the price of the Tears of Aphrodite you’re wearing. So why do you want it? I mean… you’re rich… right?" he asked, trying to be sure.
Veronica almost burst into laughter at his pathetic question. He was truly a money-grubber—a worthless gold-digger.
She decided to frustrate him with a shallow reason, just to make things difficult for this devil. "In some way, you’re right. There’s nothing really special about that ruby bracelet. And compared to my necklace, it’s practically nothing in terms of value. Why do I want it? Well, I like the color ruby. And… I want to see how much effort you’re willing to put in. I want to know if you truly want to get to know me. That’s it. If you can’t do it, well, you don’t deserve my time."
Angelo looked utterly stunned by her trivial reason. "What… that’s it?!"
To a gold-digger like him, who drained others’ wealth and likely worked hard just to buy that ruby bracelet, her words made her seem like a spoiled brat who got everything handed to her by Daddy. That was exactly the image she wanted to project.
"Yeah, that’s it. I mean, it’s a small thing. Other male wolves give me brand new sports cars, yachts, private jet planes, or even a whole damn island. I’m just asking for a ruby bracelet. What’s so hard about that? I understand if you can’t do it. I’m not expecting anything," she taunted him.
Veronica was impressed with herself for making up a story without stuttering. But even more, she was amazed at how convincingly she said those words, as if she truly were the only daughter of an elite family. What was she even talking about? She’d never had a suitor who gave her even a dozen flowers, let alone a yacht! She almost wanted to laugh at the nonsense coming out of her mouth, but it seemed to be working.
Angelo clenched his fists. Were the men competing for this woman really that wealthy? Well, he’d bet everything he had to win her. Because once they were married, he was certain he’d become one of the richest men in the country. Sometimes, in life, you have to sacrifice something.
Sweat dripped from his forehead as he nodded. "I will give you the ruby bracelet. Don’t worry. But I expect you to give me your name. I really want to get to know you," he said, trying to assure her.
Veronica finally smirked. "Of course. Once you do that, I’ll know you’re serious about getting to know me. So, when can I expect the ruby bracelet?"
"At the end of this month, the Governor of Valle Verde will be celebrating his birthday. I’m sure you’ll get an invitation. I’ll give you the ruby bracelet you want on that day," he said seriously, determined.
"Okay, I’ll be waiting."
She was startled when Angelo grabbed her hand, a devilish grin spreading across his face. "I can’t wait to see you again and put the ruby bracelet on you."
Instead of feeling the spark she once had with her ex-husband, she felt intense anger and disgust. He was so aggressive and pushy. She yanked her hand away, thinking he might try to kiss it.
"I’ll see you at the Governor’s birthday. Goodbye."
She was nervous. She needed to outdo herself at the Governor’s birthday! And she couldn't wait!
- Writer
