Emma forced a smile and said nothing, thinking to herself: *Monica really acts like she''s Yvonne''s real mother. The Joneses are something else. Their own daughter dies, so they find a goddaughter to seduce Bet. They''re really determined totch onto our family.*


    Yvonne, sitting next to Monica, was thinking: *We aren''t even married yet, and the elders are already pressuring us about kids.*


    "Bet has already told us that both of you are at crucial points in your careers, so the engagement will be kept private for now. But even though there won''t be a wedding ceremony yet, we will not shortchange Yvonne in any way."


    As Frank spoke, he ced a gift list and a ck card on the coffee table.


    The list detailed all the betrothal gifts the Thompson family had prepared for Yvonne —more than three times what Eden had given the Walker family. The ck card held a hundred million dors.


    Both families understood each other''s situations. Money was thest thing the Thompsons needed.


    Monica picked up the gift list, scanned it quickly, and seemed satisfied.


    It wasn''t about the value of the gifts; it was about the attitude they represented.


    Monica pushed the list and the card toward Yvonne, then looked at Frank and Emma, her smile both proud and humble. "While I''m not Yvonne''s birth mother, I love her as if she were my own. Bruce and I are so happy to see her and Bet find their way to each other."


    "It was fate that brought these two together," Frank replied.


    Bruce nodded with a smile. Although Emma remained quiet, she didn''t spoil the mood.


    "Dinner is ready. Let''s take our seats. Frank, it''s been too long since we''ve had a proper drink together. Tonight, no one leaves sober," Bruce said.


    Frankughed and nodded. "I will certainly keep youpany."


    The dinner was a pleasant affair for everyone.


    Bruce and Frank drank and talked merrily, and Monica was a lively


    conversationalist. Emma, though quiet, didn''t cast a pall over the evening. Bet had been making an effort to cate his mother recently, and while she still wasn''t fond of Yvonne, she had stopped actively opposing the rtionship.


    By the end of the meal, not only was Bruce quite drunk, but Monica was tipsy as well.


    Yvonne helped Monica back to her room.


    Sitting on the bed, Monica pointed a finger toward the bottom drawer of the nightstand.


    "Yvonne, can you get the ck box from that drawer for me?”


    Yvonne did as she was asked, pulling open the drawer and taking out a ck jewelry box.


    She handed it to Monica, but Monica pushed it back toward her.


    "This is my wedding gift to you. See if you like it.”


    Yvonne paused for a moment before opening the box. Inside was aplete set of ruby jewelry. It might not have been priceless, but it was certainly very expensive.


    The Jones family wasn''t exorbitantly wealthy, but they had their own


    Monica had been saving up a dowry for Yvonne since she was a little girl.


    legacy With only onently


    Yvonne had seen this set before; it was one of the many Monica had prepared for


    her.


    Because her daughter had loved jade, Monica had prepared more sets of white jade and emerald, but she didn''t give those to Yvonne Instead, she chose the gemstone set


    "Monica, this is too valuable, I..."


    Yvonne tried to refuse, but Monica cut her off.


    "I don''t know


    vwhy,


    but whenever I


    see you, I feel as if my Vonnie hase back to me. This was part of the dowry prepared for her I''m“. giving it to you now. I''m sure Vonnie''s spirit would be happy for you.”


    Monica then took Yvonne''s hand and spoke with heartfelt sincerity.