Chapter 57 Marco's Puzzling Gift

Elena Garcia POV:

Amos was just too cute. After the banquet wrapped up, Amos gave me a big hug at the entrance of our house.

Emily grinned and gave me a shoutout in front of the whole Garcia clan. "This contract's success is all thanks to Elena. She made me rethink trusting you, James. I hope you gave her the props she deserves when you last called. She's brave, kind, and thoughtful. She deserves all the praise."

Isabella and Sofia's smiles got a bit strained.

James didn't seem bothered at all; he even forgot how he acted at dinner after Emily's last call. He was all smiles.

It looked like the contract Emily signed was a big deal for him.

He bounced back from his losses, and this new contract could prove his repentance to the media, making his other clients trust him more.

"Absolutely! I'm so proud to have such an amazing kid. Thanks for appreciating her!" James blurted out.

When Emily left, I headed back to my room and skipped the rest of the guest farewells.

The guests were there for Sofia; they didn't care about me. Most of them just gave me mocking smiles as they left.

William got a text right before the banquet ended and apologized, saying he had to go.

"If it's urgent, you should take care of it. William, I can handle myself," I reassured him.

William kissed my forehead before leaving, making my heart flutter.

In the days that followed, I sorted out my housing and school stuff. I had never expected James to fulfil his promise anyway. When he asked for my help with Amos, most of my excuses were just to push back against their lack of attention.

It was my small way of rebelling.

Lily packed my clothes for me. She seemed more excited about my college plans than I was.

"Miss Garcia, maybe you could take me with you?" Lily joked.

"You're kidding, Lily," I laughed.

"I didn't apply to college. Those exams were too tough, and the costs are high. I'd rather spend that money on something else," Lily said as she organized my books. "But I'm really curious about college."

"Curious about what?" I asked.

"More activities and meeting new friends, maybe?" Lily guessed, "You might even find a wonderful and romantic love in college."

That was when I realized I hadn't told anyone about William and me.

"No, studying medicine will keep me busy. I won't have much free time. And as for finding love, it's not just limited to college. I've already found it," I replied.

Lily was stunned for a moment, then she covered her mouth and squealed softly.

Of course she got what I meant.

"Oh my gosh, Miss Garcia! You never mentioned it! Who is it? Which gentleman?" She ran over, holding the books she was organizing, curious and excited. "Is it the guy who gave you the gift?"

I realized Lily was talking about the box on my desk. I hadn't opened it since Marco gave it to me.

All the awkward stuff at the banquet had killed my curiosity, so I shelved the box.

That gift reminded me that Marco would lie to get me away from William.

At that moment, he seemed pretty despicable to me.

"No, it has nothing to do with that gift. None of my family knows about my relationship yet. Maybe I'll find the right time to tell them later," I mumbled.

But honestly, I doubted I'd get any blessings.

Given how things were with my family, I figured they wouldn't care about my relationship, thinking it was just some trivial thing not worth mentioning.

"Right now, you're the only one who knows, Lily," I emphasized.

Lily got even more excited, knowing she was in on the secret before my family.

She couldn't wait to hear who the guy was.

I told her it was William.

"William?" Lily asked, a bit unsure.

"Yep, it's William, William MaDonald," I replied.

I filled Lily in on how William and I first met, how gentlemanly he was, and how we confirmed our feelings for each other on the beach.

"Did Mr. MaDonald confess to you on the beach then?" Lily asked.

"No, actually, he took it back at that time. Maybe he thought he was being too hasty," I said, raising my eyebrows, feeling a bit smug. "He confessed his love at Sofia's banquet a few days ago and asked me to be his girlfriend, and I said yes right away."

Lily gasped, "It sounds like you two fell in love at the first sight of each other. Even though it took some time, you both eventually realized you loved each other. That's so romantic!"

Lily wanted all the details. She even started suggesting date spots, drawing from the countless romance novels she'd read online.

Lily was the perfect friend. She gave me great emotional support, making me feel really lucky.

After chatting for a while, she remembered to keep packing for me.

Once we finished everything, she asked if I wanted to put the gift box on the bookshelf.

"Or in the drawer under the desk? Miss Garcia, is this a gift someone got you for your enrollment?" Lily asked.

"Yeah. You can put it in the drawer," I replied casually.

"Aren't you going to open it?" Lily looked at the box curiously. "Sorry! I'm just a bit curious. This box is so fancy; it doesn't look like an ordinary gift box."

Lily didn't offend me. It was natural to be curious, especially since she was just asking.

I was also a bit curious about what was inside the box.

"Could you please hand me the box?" Lily asked cautiously.

"Sure," I said.

I took the box from Lily, then opened it. Inside was a bracelet with deep blue butterfly gemstones.

It looked uniquely designed, like it was custom-made. My name was engraved on the inner circle of the bracelet.

"This bracelet is gorgeous. The gemstones are the same color as your eyes, Miss Garcia. The person who got this for you must have put a lot of thought into it." Lily's eyes were full of admiration for the bracelet.

It was indeed beautiful. Even if I didn't want to admit it, I couldn't deny its beauty, so I stayed silent.

There was also a handkerchief in the box, embroidered with: [No gem can compare to you in my eyes.]

"Is this a love note?" Lily exclaimed.

I didn't answer, just wrapped the bracelet in the handkerchief and put it back in the box.

"Aren't you going to wear it?" Lily asked.

"No," I refused.

I felt like I wasn't meant to accept this gift, whether I chose William or not.

This gift would only make things complicated.

After thinking for a bit, I asked Lily to hide it in my desk. When I saw the drawer close, I breathed a sigh of relief.