Chapter 451
451:
That said, Robin had to admit—this ornament wasn’t garbage. Eighteen hundred dollars for a handmade piece wasn’t cheap. Still, his grandfather’s enthusiasm seemed a little exaggerated.
Robin found his feelings complicated. He was glad Christina hadn’t provoked Kurt’s anger—but at the same time, something about all this made him uneasy. What had Christina done to earn Kurt’s appreciation? What had she said to make Kurt play matchmaker so aggressively?
“If only I’d realized sooner that Kurt had a fondness for trinkets like that, I might’ve brought him a dozen pieces just to brighten his day.”
“Too many of the same kind ruins the charm. Kurt clearly values the rarity of this item—it outshines every other birthday present by a mile.”
“I’ve got real respect for Miss Jones. She’s bold. This decision could’ve gone south fast, but the payoff is enormous. If it had bombed, the damage wouldn’t have been minor.”
The attendees murmured in hushed tones, their eyes occasionally drifting toward Christina, some with clear jealousy. Who would have imagined that something so modest and affordable would catch Kurt’s eye and become the best gift at the celebration?
Though irritation simmered beneath Lorraine’s calm exterior, she dared not let it surface. With an amiable expression, she turned to Kurt. “So that’s your style, huh? Well, if that’s what you like, I’ll grab a few more for you after the event.”
“That’s considerate,” Kurt replied, sparing Lorraine a glance before his eyes softened once again in Christina’s direction.
Lorraine’s mood lifted, but her excitement quickly faded when Kurt added, “One is more than enough. More would just lose meaning.”
His tone was gentle, but the message was unmistakable—he wasn’t interested in more.
“You’re absolutely right,” Lorraine said slowly with a strained smile, her chest tightening with frustration. Biting the inside of her cheek, she stared daggers at Christina.
“You’ve got an eye, Christina. You managed to impress Kurt instantly. Compared to your little offering, our lavish presents look almost ridiculous.”
ｍ𝚘𝚛ｅ ｕ𝚙ｄ𝚊ｔｅｓ 𝚒ｎ ɢ𝚊ｌ𝚗𝚘ｖ𝚎ｌ𝚜.𝚌𝚘𝚖
Lorraine kept her smile intact, but her tone carried a sharp edge, subtly hinting it was illogical and unfair for Christina’s cheap present to outshine their costly ones. She was accusing Christina of using some underhanded method. Some guests privately agreed, though none dared voice it aloud during the festivities.
“Of course,” Christina replied, lips curling slightly, her tone light and unapologetic as if she didn’t understand the underlying meaning of Lorraine’s words. “Naturally, my gift stood out.”
Lorraine was momentarily stunned by Christina’s brazen words. Then, she smirked inwardly. Could Christina be more foolish? Christina had no issue being the center…
… of controversy, nor did she seem concerned about offending an entire crowd. That tacky trinket she presented—she had the gall to label it the finest offering? Wasn’t that an outright slap in the face to those who had brought lavish items?
Most of the guests, already somewhat irritated, grew even more uncomfortable after hearing Christina’s declaration. Still, no one dared to challenge her openly. Kurt’s partiality was no secret, and Dylan appeared to back her as well. Who would risk crossing her? Regardless of how tone-deaf or tactless she sounded, no one had the nerve to call her out. Nobody wished to stick their neck out and become the next object of ridicule.
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