Chapter 4

Alison arrived at Hale Manor to find her mother-in-law, Anita Ford, arranging flowers in the living room. She stood in the entryway and slipped into a pair of indoor slippers while greeting softly, "Hey, Mom."

"Well, look what the cat dragged in." Anita didn't even look up. "How come you had time to come back here today? Aren't you supposed to be busy running around for your own family?"

"Erik asked me to come back and get something," Alison answered, forcing herself to be patient.

Anita finally raised her head and looked Alison up and down. Her gaze swept over the latter's dress, faded from one too many washes, and landed on her bare face. She curled her lip. "More like he told you to come and borrow something."

Alison knew Anita had never thought much of her. She'd grown up in an ordinary family and was nowhere near good enough for Erik or the Hales.

"The jewelry's all in the safe. Come with me." Anita put down the scissors and wiped her hands with a handkerchief. She rose unhurriedly and headed upstairs.

Alison followed her.

The safe was built into the wall of the study on the second floor. Anita entered the code, and the door swung open with a soft click, revealing rows of delicate jewelry boxes inside.

The glittering gems were so bright they almost hurt Alison's eyes.

Anita took out a dark green velvet box and opened it. Inside was a full set of emerald jewelry—a necklace, a pair of earrings, and a bracelet. The luster was rich and translucent; the set was obviously worth a fortune.

"Erik told me this set would be the most suitable for tonight's gala." She held out a piece of paper. "Sign this."

Alison was taken aback for a second. She took the paper to see the words "Loan Agreement" written on top in bold.

It read, "I hereby borrow from the Hale family one full set of emerald jewelry, valued at 30 million dollars, to be repaid in full in the event of damage or loss."

A space for the borrower's signature was at the bottom of the page.

Alison looked up at Anita. "Mom…"

Anita raised a brow. "What? You won't sign? I'm certainly not letting you take anything if you don't sign. This is a 30-million-dollar set. Who's supposed to pay us back if you lose it?"

Anita pushed the box back toward her. She said quietly, "Then this won't be necessary. Thank you, Mom."

She turned and walked downstairs.

Behind her, Anita's voice drifted down the staircase, sharp and disdainful. "She has no manners at all. I honestly don't know what kind of family raised her."

In the living room, Erik's father, George Hale, sat on the couch reading the paper. He didn't even look up. "She's gone?"

"Yeah," Anita replied as she came down. "What was that attitude for? That was an emerald set worth 30 million dollars, not something off a street stall. So what if I asked her to sign a loan note? It's not like we'd actually expect her to pay if she really ruins it. We could squeeze every last dollar out of her family, and they still couldn't afford it!"

George turned a page. "People from lowborn families are like that. Don't lower yourself to her level."

"Mrs. Hale Senior is awake," one of the maids said softly as she came over.

Anita's expression shifted.

Henrietta walked into the living room with a maid's support. When she saw the empty entryway, her brows knit together. She asked, "Where's Ally? Didn't she say she was coming?"

Anita squeezed out a smile. "Mom, she just left."

"Left?" Henrietta stared hard at her. "Did you tell her to leave?"

"Mom, I just asked her to sign a—"

"Sign what?" Henrietta's voice suddenly shot up. "Did you make her sign that loan agreement again?"

Anita took an involuntary step back.

Leaning on her cane, Henrietta took a step forward and pointed straight at her. "Listen closely. Those jewels belong to me, not to the Hale family! If my granddaughter-in-law wants to wear them, she can come take them whenever she likes. Don't you dare throw your weight around here!"

"Mom, calm down."

"You bullied Ally again, didn't you?" Henrietta cut her off, slamming her cane hard against the floor. "You think I can't tell?"

George put down his newspaper and stood up. "Mom, don't be mad."

"You two—" Henrietta pointed at him, then at Anita. "Remember this—the Hale family didn't get to where it is today because of your petty scheming!"

…

The gala was being held at a private club downtown.

When Alison walked in alone, the noise in the hall dipped for a second.

She wore a simple black velvet evening gown that showed off her slender figure and gentle features. Her hair was pulled back into a low chignon, her light makeup soft and understated. She was prettier than most actresses.

However, her neck and wrists were bare. The only jewelry she had was a small pair of pearl studs. In a room full of women dripping with diamonds and gemstones, she stood out in a jarringly plain way.

Erik spotted her as she approached him and frowned. "Where's the jewelry?"

"I didn't get them."

His frown deepened. This was a high-end event, and the women on the men's arms were part of their images. With how plain she looked, she made him look bad.

"What happened?"

"Mom asked me to sign a loan agreement," Alison said. "The whole set was 30 million dollars. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to pay if anything happened to it."

For a moment, surprise flickered in Erik's eyes. He immediately thought of how Anita, his stepmother, usually did things, and irritation flared in his chest. This wasn't the time or place to argue about it, though.

He just said, "I'll talk to her later."

Alison didn't respond.

Just then, a commotion rose near the entrance. A woman in a champagne-colored gown walked in on another man's arm. A set of brilliant diamonds encircled her neck, sparkling under the lights.

Alison recognized the man with her—Timothy Vance, one of Erik's high school and college buddies, a spoiled rich kid with a cushy family background. He was more Erik's drinking companion than a true friend.

Erik went straight over to them, his tone completely changing as he spoke. He asked gently, "Monique, what are you doing here? Are you feeling better?"

Monique's lips curved in a soft smile. Her gaze swept over Alison, and she nodded in greeting. "I'm finally meeting the famous Mrs. Hale. I can see why people say she tugs at the heartstrings."

Her smile was just right. "I'm Monique Shore, one of Erik's old classmates."

"It's an honor to finally meet you, Monique," Alison said with a polite nod.

Her words made Erik feel as though she were chiding him. He turned to look at her. "You know Monique?"

She blinked at him. "Sure. Back in school, I used to go over to the high school building to look for Noah all the time. I saw you there, and I saw her, too."

Erik said nothing. She seemed to be hinting at something, but he didn't want to dwell on it. He turned back to Monique. "You were still in the hospital yesterday. Why are you out here today?"

"I'm tonight's host. I couldn't back out. Anyway, I'm feeling much better. Thank you for taking care of me last night, Erik," Monique said.

Timothy let out a low whistle. "Erik Hale, heir to the mighty Hale fortune, personally keeping you company in the hospital… That's some serious clout you've got, Monique. Some people are going to be so jealous."

Alison stood right beside them, acting like she was invisible. Erik shot Timothy a glare, then glanced at her. She didn't react at all, her expression as blank as a doll's. It was as if she didn't understand a word they were saying.

Timothy looked her over, his eyes moving from her bare neck to her tightly clenched fingers. His lips curled in mockery, and he didn't even bother to say hello.

"I'm going to get something to drink," Alison said, turning and leaving.

Watching her walk away, Timothy leaned closer to Erik and lowered his voice. "So, when are you going to divorce her? Just look at her dressed so plainly. She's a total disgrace to you, standing next to you like that."

A cold glint flickered in Erik's eyes. "When did I ever say I was getting a divorce?"

"With the way you treat her, you come and tell me you're not getting a divorce?" Timothy jerked his chin toward Monique. "Besides, you and Mon were always meant to get back together. If it hadn't been for that whole mess back then, you two would've gotten married ages ago. She's the one who's truly worthy of you."

Erik glanced over at Monique. She quickly looked away, her lashes lowering as if she wanted to avoid the subject.

His brows drew together. When did Timothy, of all people, get to comment on his marriage?

"Monique and I are close friends," he said coolly. "Excuse me. I'm going to check on my wife."

He turned and walked off, leaving Timothy standing there in astonishment. Monique stood beside him, her expression slightly darker than before.

"Monique, don't take it to heart." Timothy hurried to reassure her. "That's just his pride talking. You know he loves only you. I bet he and his idiot of a wife are gonna be over soon."

Monique silently sighed and forced a small smile, keeping her composure and elegance perfectly intact. "Tim, don't say that. I didn't come back to break up anyone's family. I only see Erik as a friend."