Chapter 3 Necklace

Elena remained unfazed, her expression cold and unwavering. "Call the authorities if you like. But if I didn't steal the necklace, how do you plan to make it up to me?"

"You couldn't possibly-" Cecily flipped the necklace over, her breath hitching as her eyes landed on the engraving. "This... How could this be? I clearly remember purchasing Number 9, so why does this read 1?"

"Number 1?" Sylvia's smile disappeared, her face darkening with shock. "That can't be!"

Sylvia was convinced Elena had stolen her necklace. She quickly grabbed it, scrutinizing the back-and sure enough, it bore the number 1.

"This doesn't make sense..." Sylvia was dumbfounded. How had Elena come into possession of a piece from Helena's collection-especially the most prized and irreplaceable first edition?

Glaring at Elena, Sylvia demanded, "Where did you get Number 1? That's the prototype for the entire series, the original masterpiece, worth a fortune!"

Without hesitation, Elena retrieved the necklace from Sylvia's grasp, tucking it into her backpack with little care. It was nothing more than a design she had created on a whim.

"You're just shoving something so valuable into your bag like that?" Sylvia was dumbstruck. Did Elena even comprehend the worth of that piece?

Without sparing a glance, Elena responded, "It belongs to me. I'll handle it however I please. Weren't you going to call the police? Why haven't you yet? If there's nothing else, I'll be going. I have more important matters to attend to-like finding my real parents."

Sylvia, unwilling to let the matter go, searched through Elena's belongings once more but found nothing beyond everyday clothing. Frustrated at the lack of any dirt on Elena, she clenched her jaw.

Cecily pondered for a moment. No one had ever given Elena an allowance-there was no conceivable way she could afford such a high-end piece. It had to be a counterfeit! So, that was it-Elena was so obsessed with appearances that she had gone out of her way to purchase a cheap replica of Sylvia's necklace.

Cecily snorted. Did Elena not understand her place? The daughter of a hick had no business wearing the same jewelry as the daughter of the Reed family. And even if Elena dared flaunt it, anyone with an eye for quality would recognize it as a knockoff immediately. What a joke...

Cecily scoffed. Elena had never been to Cloudstream Village-she had no idea what kind of life awaited her there. The moment she met her real parents, she'd come running back to the Reeds, begging to stay. And when that time came, they wouldn't so much as open the door for her.

"You'll regret this soon enough!" Cecily snarled.

Elena merely shrugged. Without her, the Reed family business would soon encounter obstacles. Who would end up regretting things in the end was still up for debate.

With her bag slung over her shoulder, Elena stepped outside-only to spot an old, dust-covered van parked at the entrance.

A man stepped out. The moment his gaze landed on Elena, he approached with great respect. "Miss Harper, I sincerely apologize for my tardiness."

Elena frowned slightly, puzzled.

The man continued, "Miss Harper, I hadn't anticipated that there wouldn't be a helipad here. The helicopter had to be stationed farther away, so to prevent any further delays, I arranged for this vehicle instead. It hasn't been used in some time, so it may appear a little worn. I hope you don't mind..."

Hearing his explanation, Elena took a closer look. The so-called van was actually a vintage Maybach-an extremely rare limited edition. Suddenly, she wasn't so sure her birth family was as destitute as the Reeds had led her to believe. "Where are my parents?" she asked, noticing the vehicle was otherwise empty.

"Miss Harper, I am Declan Marsh, your family's chauffeur. Your parents had planned to personally escort you home, but upon hearing the news, your grandmother became so overwhelmed with emotion that she fell ill. They had no choice but to send me in their place."

Elena's gaze flickered, and then she gave a slight nod. "Alright, let's go."

"One moment, please." Declan moved toward the trunk. "Your parents prepared a token of appreciation for the Reed family, to thank them for raising you all these years."

The car had clearly been unused for quite some time, and with the strong winds outside, dust swirled through the air, creating a rather messy scene.

Just then, the Reeds stepped out, their expressions filled with open disdain.

Sylvia took one look at the weathered vehicle and immediately assumed it was scrap metal hauled from a junkyard. Were Elena's parents really so poor that they couldn't even afford a decent sedan and had to resort to this? It only confirmed what she had suspected all along-Elena's biological parents were impoverished farmers, living a world apart from the wealthy Reed family of Foiclens.

Cecily wrinkled her nose, taking a few steps back as if afraid the very air carried the stench of poverty. This man looked like he had just come from a long day of labor, his hands caked with dirt-probably from tending the fields. He must stink of sweat. Just the thought made her cringe.

Benjamin, more composed, remained silent while observing Declan. This man, older in appearance and speaking to Elena with such familiarity, must be her real father. It was understandable that someone from a destitute place couldn't own a proper car-but dragging out a worn-out van like this? That was downright humiliating.

With the recent rain, Declan had slipped on the lawn earlier, and his muddy hands had left stains on the gift box he now held out to Benjamin. "Mr. Reed, this is a gesture of gratitude for taking care of her for twenty-three years. Please accept it."

Benjamin eyed the dirty box. What could a humble family possibly have to offer? Likely just some homegrown produce, packed in a worn container... Still, he remained courteous. "That won't be necessary. You may leave."

Cecily snorted. What could possibly be inside that box that was worth accepting? The Reeds had no need for farm goods.

Declan hesitated, recalling his employer's strict instructions. The boxes in the trunk contained deeds to twenty-three properties, twenty-three high-end jewelry pieces, twenty-three luxury car keys, and a bank card with a balance of 230 million-all as a token of appreciation for the 23 years the Reed family had spent raising Elena.

"Mr. Reed, are you certain?" Declan asked.

Benjamin waved his hand dismissively, his patience wearing thin. "The Reed family has no use for such things. Take it back and go."

Declan had no choice but to close the trunk and escort Elena away.

But Sylvia had caught a glimpse of something inside the trunk and stiffened. The packaging of one of the boxes-wasn't it from Helena's exclusive jewelry line? No... That couldn't be possible. It had to be an empty case that man had found somewhere. There was no way it actually contained jewelry from Helena's collection!