A thought struck her, and her expression turned serious. "Joshua, this isn''t a family heirloom, is it?"


    "No," Joshua replied. "The family heirloom is still with me."


    Even so, judging by its ancient design, it was undoubtedly priceless. Ste thought of the fifty billion he had invested for her and suddenly felt that her past attempts to impress him with money had been almost insulting.


    After a moment''s thought, she decided not to refuse it. "Thank you, Joshua."


    A smile finally bloomed on Joshua''s face. He had seemed on edge ever since receiving her gifts, and Ste had worried that she had been presumptuous and given him things he didn''t like.


    "It''s not as convenient to wear traditional pendants these days," Joshua said, "so I had it modified. You can wear it as a ne." He stepped closer. "May I help you put it on?"


    "Yes," Ste agreed.


    Joshua took the pendant from the box and fastened it around her neck.


    The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed them back.


    Ste noticed his hesitation. "I love it," she said sincerely. "I''ll wear it always." Joshua''s eyes, like deep, clear pools, rippled with gentle waves of emotion. "Star, I love all the gifts you gave me," he said softly. He lowered his gaze to meet hers. "Today has been the happiest day of my life. No one has ever done so much for me."


    "From now on," Ste promised, "you''ll be this happy every year."


    Words caught in Joshua''s throat, a thousand things he couldn''t bring himself to say. In the end, they settled into a single, vulnerable plea. "Star... may I hug you again?"


    Ste smiled and nodded.


    He gently embraced her, not with the overwhelming force from before, but with a careful tenderness, as if holding the world''s most precious treasure. He didn''t hold on for long before letting her go. "Rest well, Star. Good night."


    "Good night," she replied.


    Back in his own room, Joshua opened his safe and took out another brocade box. Inside was an identical pendant. He took it out, his long, fair fingers tracing the intricate pattern. With a few soft clicks the design shifted, transforming the pendant. It now looked as if it were missing its other half. It was clear: the two pendants were a pair.


    ...


    Elsewhere, Harold returned home, his mind heavy.


    "Did you deliver it?" Jake asked immediately.


    "I did," Harold sighed. "I never thought I''d see the legendary Gardner family heirloom pendant with my own eyes."


    "You don''t think Mr. Gardner actually intends to give the other half to Ste, do you?" Jake asked.


    "It looks that way."


    Jake was quiet for a few seconds. "Ste probably has no idea that her half of the pendant represents half of the Gardner family''s fortune and powe The first Gardner patriarch was deeply in love with his wife, so he split the heirloom in two, hoping his descendants would enjoy the same kind of harmonious and loving marriage. He never could have imagined that, after him, the half representing so much power would never be given away again. I mean, who would willingly give away half of their power, even to their own spouse?"


    And yet, not only was Joshua willing to give Ste half while he was alive, but his will stipted that she would inherit everything if something. to happen to him. Jake suspected that if Joshua weren''t worried about being powerless to protect her, his lovesickness would drive him to give her everything he owned right now.