When Ste found out Neville''s birthday wasing up, she spent a long time thinking before finally deciding to make him a gift with her own hands.


    Neville had helped her so much. If it hadn''t been for him, she would have been cornered by Haynes'' endless pressure, left with nowhere to go and forced to sleep on the streets. There was no way she could have gone through her divorce so smoothly without Neville''s support.


    She was deeply grateful to him.


    Neville nced down at the keychain in his hand, his dark eyes as deep and unfathomable as the sea.


    He looked at her, lips curled in a gentle smile, his voice low and warm.


    "Thank you. I really like your gift.”


    The way he looked at her was too intense, too soft, sending a shiver down her


    spine. It was not the way you''d look at a friend.


    Ste''s heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively avoided his gaze.


    She stood up. "It''s gettingte. We should head back."


    But as soon as she got to her feet, a hand closed firmly around her wrist.


    Startled, Ste looked up at Neville.


    His eyes were dark and intent. "Don''t go. I brought something back for you from my trip."


    He didn''t say anything inappropriate, so Ste let out a small, relieved breath.


    Neville handed her a small gift box. "Open it. See if you like it."


    She took the box from him. It wasn''t very big or heavy, making it impossible to guess what was inside.


    She unwrapped the packaging to reveal a square velvet case.


    When she opened it, a delicate, finely crafted bracelet came into view.


    It wasn''t shy or ostentatious-simple, elegant, exquisitely made. Tiny ck diamonds were set in the chain, catching the light with a subtle, mysterious glow. Ste''s breath caught in her throat.


    The bracelet was called "Forever," designed by the renowned jeweler Muses It was his masterpiece, his final work-the kind of piece you heard about but never actually saw, priceless and impossible to find.


    She remembered talking about this bracelet with Abby after she''d won herpetition and taken Neville and the others out for dinner. Abby had said the "Forever" bracelet would look incredible with Ste''s Nocturne performance. Ste had admitted she loved it, but it was destined for an auction she could never hope to win; it would sell for an astronomical price.


    She never imagined Neville would actually get his hands on it.


    Ste knew jewelry. She could tell at a nce that this was the real thing-not a copy.


    She immediately shook her head. "I can''t ept this. You should take it back."


    Neville raised an eyebrow. "Why not?"


    "It''s too valuable," she replied.


    He shrugged "It''s just a gift, no e matter how valuable. Gifts aren''t about the price tag-they''re about the thought behind them. If a cheap gift can hold meaning, why can''t an expensive one? Should something be rejected just because it''s worth more?"


    Ste''s breath grew uneven. "That''s not what I meant."


    "Then just ept it. I never take back gifts," he said, meeting her eyes. "It''s yours


    now. If you don''t like it, you can throw it away."


    Ste tried to hand the bracelet back, but Neville stepped out of reach.


    She said, "I appreciate the gesture, but I really can''t keep this."


    "I told you, I don''t take back gifts," Neville said calmly. "If you don''t want it, toss it


    out into the backyard."


    With that, he stood up.


    Ste thought he was about to leave and quickly got to her feet as well.


    She grabbed the sleeve of his coat, about to say something, when hurried footsteps sounded from down the hall.


    Joshua''s voice called out, not far away.


    "Sorry, Star, I''mte."