Chapter 19
After John finished talking, the room went nuts. Everyone's eyes bounced between Mandy and Rachel, totally floored. With the video being legit and John's bombshells sinking in, the vibe got super tense.
Michael was just as shocked. He turned to Rachel. "Rachel, why didn't you tell me?"
"Would you have even listened?" Rachel shot back, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Mr. Smith, we've been married for six years, and you can count our real conversations on one hand. All you ever see is Miss Brown."
Rachel thought back to all those days she spent visiting Mandy in the hospital, hoping that maybe, just maybe, Michael would notice her more. But in those six years, all she got from him was cold indifference.
Hearing this, Michael started to really look at Rachel. She was standing there in a sleek black dress with bold red lips, looking like a completely different person. Not the gentle, dutiful wife who waited for him to come home, but someone stronger and more confident. It hit him that he had never really known her.
Mandy, seeing Michael's attitude shift towards Rachel, freaked out. She scanned the crowd, made a quick decision, and stepped forward, bowing deeply. "Rachel, I never knew you were the one donating blood for me all these years. You've been so kind," she said, her eyes filling with tears. "I'm so sorry."
She signaled to a servant who brought over a jewelry box. "I'm also sorry about the video. My dad was just worried about me, and there were mistakes in the investigation that wrongly pointed to you."
Rachel glanced at Michael, thinking, 'So it wasn't Michael who released the video.'
Mandy bit her lip and handed the jewelry box to Rachel. "Miss Williams, as a token of my gratitude, please accept this gift from my dad."
When the box was opened, the diamond-encrusted crown inside sparkled under the lights.
One guest gasped, "Isn't that the crown Princess Harper Davis wore at her wedding?"
Another sighed, "Mr. Brown really spoils his daughter!"
The jewelry lovers in the crowd recognized the crown and exclaimed that while it wasn't as grand as the 'Azure Heart,' it was still incredibly luxurious.
Ethan, seeing the crown, thought for a moment. He understood Mandy's intention in giving the jewelry to Rachel. He stepped forward and, in a cold but somewhat polite tone, said to Rachel, "The video incident was my mistake, Miss Williams. Thank you for taking care of my daughter. Please accept this jewelry."
Rachel looked at the crown but didn't reach for it. Sensing her hesitation, Mandy's voice wavered, "This crown was designed by the famous Christopher for Princess Harper Davis's wedding. My dad bought it for sixty million at an auction. It's my favorite piece, so please accept it as a token of thanks."
The guests started whispering, clearly not happy with Rachel's hesitation. One of them piped up, "Miss Williams, don't be difficult. Miss Brown already apologized."
Another added, "Yeah, it was a mistake. They've owned up to it, and you should accept the apology."
A third guest jumped in, "Look at the gift she's offering. It's incredibly valuable! What more are you looking for?"
The murmurs grew harsher, making it seem like Rachel was the one in the wrong. Even Michael frowned.
"Michael," Mandy said softly, turning to him, "I really didn't know about Miss Williams donating blood to me. Please believe me and help persuade her to accept my gift."
Michael looked at Mandy's frail figure and pale lips, feeling a pang of pity. "Rachel, Mandy and Mr. Brown have both apologized," he said in a deep voice. "Mandy's gift is very valuable. You should accept it."
Rachel knew that no matter what, Michael would always side with Mandy. Hearing him say those words, she clenched her arms tightly, feeling like her heart was being stabbed. She had loved this man for eight years. How ridiculous!
John, who had been standing nearby, was furious at how Michael was treating Rachel and wanted to rush at him. He snapped, "Michael, you're despicable..."
"John," Rachel reached out to stop him. She felt a bit tired and was about to tell John they should leave when she caught a glimpse of Mandy's smug smile. She thought, 'Yes, I'm here for revenge today, not to save face for them.'
Just as she was about to say something, she stopped herself, pressing down on John's hand and said coldly, "I'll handle this."
She turned to Mandy, her demeanor icy. Mandy quickly wiped the smile off her face and extended the jewelry box again.
"Miss Brown, over the years, I've donated quite a lot of blood for you, which has left me rather weak," Rachel said, her fingers brushing over the crown. "This crown doesn't seem enough to compensate, don't you think?"
Turning her gaze to Michael, she continued, "Mr. Smith, what do you think?"
Michael's gaze shifted from her radiant face as he asked, "What else do you want?"
"I want the 'Azure Heart' that you have," Rachel said with a serious look, pointing to the jewelry box in Michael's hand.
Mandy interrupted sharply, "No, Miss Williams. You can choose from my collection, but not the 'Azure Heart.' It's the necklace Michael is going to propose to me with."
The guests were also outraged. "That's right, Miss Williams, you're being too much. Miss Brown is giving you an expensive crown, and you still want the 'Azure Heart'! Are you upset about the divorce and taking it out on Mr. Smith?"
Ignoring the growing hostility, Rachel fixed her eyes on Michael. "Mr. Smith, Mandy wants to thank me. Are you now reluctant to give the gift?"
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