Chapter 32
Karine’s face turned red with fury. Her reputation was everything to her, and now that she felt humiliated, she directed all her rage toward Cordelia. With a swift movement, she lifted her arm as if to strike, but the people around her quickly intervened. They pointed at the surveillance camera on the ceiling, urging her to hold back.
Karine shot a venomous glare at Cordelia, her teeth clenched as she spat out, “What’s there to flaunt about marrying a poor man? You can’t even afford a diamond ring, let alone a copper or iron one! Stay poor forever, you miserable couple!”
With that, she turned to storm off, leaving Cordelia standing with a grin. It seemed that peace in the office would be a distant dream for her from now on. She would need to plan carefully and come up with a backup strategy.
The next day…
Cordelia walked into the office with a noticeably different demeanor. Unlike her usual look with no makeup, today, she wore a subtle layer of makeup. Her finger sparkled with a large emerald ring that caught everyone’s attention. The ring, seemingly made of pure gold with intricate carvings, showcased a translucent emerald that looked striking, though the design appeared to be from an older era.
She gently caressed the ring with a lowered head.
The night before, Cordelia had taken the ring from its box. Her fingers were slender, so the ring was slightly too large, but she didn’t mind. Marcus had suggested they get it resized at a jewelry store, but she couldn’t wait any longer. After all, hadn’t Karine made the claim that her husband couldn’t even afford a ring?
She had to show her what she had on her finger now.
“So beautiful, Cordelia!” Several of her female colleagues gathered around her, admiring the ring. “I’ve never seen a ring like this. It must be custom-made, right?”
“But it looks kind of old,” someone noted. “It has a vintage feel to it.”
“Cordelia, did your husband give you this?” another asked. “Why is it so big? Did it belong to your mother-in-law? Is it an heirloom?”
Cordelia smiled but remained silent.
As Karine walked by, she couldn’t help but glance at the ring. Her eyes widened, recognizing its value despite its old-fashioned design. However, suspicion clouded her thoughts.
With a sneer, she scoffed, “Don’t tell me it’s fake?”
The office fell into an awkward silence, everyone returning to their desks without a word.
“Cordelia, we did come from the same school, after all,” Karine continued with a mocking roll of her eyes. “As your senior, I feel it’s my duty to inform you. This ring is clearly old and used. It’s obviously dyed glass. What emerald? Hah! Your husband must’ve deceived you into thinking it’s real. You actually believe it’s worth something?”
Cordelia, still caressing the ring, didn’t flinch. She met Karine’s eyes with a steady gaze. “I’m wearing this ring to show I’m married. That’s all. I don’t care if it’s glass or a precious stone. It makes no difference to me.”
She paused and smiled softly. “Also… As long as it was given to me by my husband, I don’t care if it’s made of bronze or iron. It’s the thought behind it that matters. I’ll cherish it no matter what.”
Karine snorted, “Hah! That’s the kind of thing a poor person would say!”
Cordelia didn’t take her words to heart. She simply turned back to her work, focusing on the stressful task at hand.
Later, as she was drafting the sales plan in the afternoon, she heard Annie muttering, “She must be desperate to close sales if she’s bringing anyone into the office.”
Surprised, Cordelia glanced over. Annie gestured for her to look up. It was then that Cordelia saw Karine leading a group of people into the office, no doubt clients. If she wasn’t mistaken, this was the fifth batch of clients Karine had hosted that afternoon.
It seemed like Karine had taken it personally after losing the sales to Cordelia the last time.
Cordelia chuckled quietly to herself as she prepared to dive back into her work.