Love Burned, She Rose Unscathed

"Absolutely."

"Alva, thank you so much!" Raven said as she took the gift and set it aside, planning to open it later.

Alva Cole, however, took the initiative to say, "It's a diamond bracelet. If you don't like the style, you can exchange it."

Abbey let out a low whistle, "Alva, always the generous one, gifting a diamond bracelet..."

Alva raised an eyebrow, a hint of pride in her expression, but she humbly replied, "Oh, come on, what haven't you seen before? This is nothing for you."

"We're all family here, but if you have something for the eldest, what about you and Madge?" Abbey half-joked, half-serious. "You're a bank manager, always dealing with big clients. You know how to handle these social niceties, don't you?"

Alva was not one to indulge her: "So, Abbey, you want a gift too?"

Abbey's smile remained, "Who wouldn't want a diamond bracelet? Madge, do you want one too?"

The conversation turned to Madge, with Abbey and Alva both looking her way.

Madge was at a loss for words.

"Come on, Madge, say something?"

At the critical moment, Norris spoke up, "She's not fond of jewelry. She never wears the pieces I give her."

a bumpkin, not

not like it, but I do!" Abbey shamelessly pushed,

host a dinner for everyone at her place, there'll be plenty of

darkened. Her place was no mansion;

everyone to dinner at a nice restaurant?" Alva seemed to know what she was thinking and cut off any attempt at refusal before Abbey could speak. Abbey was

just any restaurant; it had to be somewhere decent, or it would be embarrassing. How much would that cost? Accepting a diamond bracelet might end up costing

just joking, Alva took it

Alva just smirked.

are we eating or what?" Abbey changed the

that comment clearly made

matriarch's face darkened. "Didn't you eat breakfast? Are

Abbey was speechless.

point, anyone

a voice came from

isn't the meal

dressed in a polo shirt

a bit of a beer belly, his face still showed signs of his youthful handsomeness

her eyes, thinking: Without you, who dares

her husband

but everyone wanted to wait for

me?" Maddox frowned. "Letting everyone go hungry? What about mom and dad, at their age, can they handle