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."

what a bumpkin, not

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

Abbey, if you host a dinner for everyone at her place, there'll be plenty

darkened. Her place was no mansion; it

Alva seemed to know what she

kidding me? Hosting a dinner for such a large group, needing at least two or three tables? And it couldn't be 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 me

I was just joking, Alva took it

Alva just smirked.

or what?"

comment clearly made

"Didn't you

Abbey was speechless.

At this point, anyone still making people wait was either genuinely busy or putting on airs...

a voice came

isn't the

dressed in a polo

belly, his face still showed signs of his youthful handsomeness

Abbey secretly rolled her eyes, thinking: Without you,

her husband finally

wait for you. It's the holiday season, after all, and it's

about mom and dad, at their age, can they