Seeing her, Tristan couldn’t hide his excitement. He walked over and pretended to have a polite small talk with Lisa.
But the way his hands fidgeted and the unspoken emotions flickering in his eyes didn’t escape Nicole’s notice.
“Miss Snow, happy birthday,” Lisa said as she handed over a gift. “This is for you. I hope you like it.”
“How thoughtful of you, Miss Evans.” Nicole took the gift, though her expression remained far from warm.
“Why is Lisa Evans here?”
A few guests exchanged surprised glances.
“Exactly. She’s just an actress. What’s she doing at an event like this?”
“Careful what you say. Actress or not, did you notice the diamond necklace she’s wearing?”
“My God, how could someone like her afford something so expensive?”
Nicole’s gaze shifted to Lisa’s neck, and she noticed the exquisite necklace.
She recognized it instantly.
It was the same necklace Tristan had gifted her in their second year of marriage. He’d told her it was one of only two in the world and had bought it especially for her.
Now, the second necklace was around Lisa’s neck.
A sharp, unexpected pain struck her heart as she gripped the gift in her hand more tightly.
“Are you all talking about this necklace?” Lisa asked with a provocative smile, casting a glance at Nicole. “I heard Miss Snow has one too?”
“Yes,” Nicole replied coldly, her voice steady. “Who gave this one to you, Miss Evans?”
“My boyfriend gave it to me,” Lisa said smugly. “He loves me very much. He even flew overseas a few days before my birthday to bid on it just for me.”
She deliberately looked at Tristan as she spoke, her words dripping with provocation.
Tristan’s expression darkened, but Lisa didn’t seem to care.
Nicole took a deep breath, forcing herself to remain calm.
“I didn’t expect Miss Evans to already have a boyfriend.”
“Of course. We’ve been together for two years, and we’re deeply in love. Probably even more in love than you and your husband,” Lisa replied, her voice laced with provocation.
“Does Miss Snow want to know who my boyfriend is?”
Nicole raised an eyebrow, deliberately playing along. “I’m quite curious, Miss Evans. Do you dare to tell me who he is?”
Feeling displeased, Lisa nearly blurted out, “My boyfriend is Tristan—”
“That’s enough.”
