Chapter 590
—- Chapter 462 Hugo was stunned. “T-two billion?” Even Old Mrs. Miller and Helen were shaken. Old Mrs. Miller looked at Maggie. “Maggie, come take a look.” Maggie had heard everything they said. When she first received the box, she had already known from its weight and texture that Franklin’s gift wouldn’t be something simple. But she had never imagined it would be this extravagant. Just as her aunt Helen said, the diamond Franklin gave her was brighter and purer than the one she had bought before.
And if Helen said two billion was a conservative estimate, then the true value could only be higher. —- Seeing the calm yet surprised expression on Maggie’s face, Hugo and Old Mrs. Miller could tell she hadn’t expected Franklin to give her such a precious gift either. “So what do we do now?” Hugo asked. “Return it?” After all, she and Franklin were about to get divorced. How could she keep something so expensive? “Keep it,” Old Mrs. Miller said, closing the velvet box firmly. “Consider it something you’re holding on to for Isabella. When she grows up, you can give it to her.
If you refuse it now, it’ll only end up benefiting someone else.” That someone else clearly meant Julia. Maggie nodded. “All right.” She thought the same. Though she was surprised by the gift’s value, her heart was steady. —- She didn’t know why Franklin had chosen to send her something so costly, and she didn’t care to find out. After breakfast, she went upstairs, placed the box casually on her cabinet, and left for work without a second glance. Johnny, of course, remembered her birthday too. As soon as Maggie arrived at the office, she received flowers and a gift from him.
Later, when she made her birthday wish and blew out the candles, she cut the cake and shared it with everyone. Johnny accepted the first piece she offered him, looking quite content. Amid the laughter around them, he leaned closer and spoke quietly. “Franklin didn’t call you today about the divorce?” He had been worrying about that for days. Since Maggie had come straight to the office early in the —- morning, she clearly hadn’t gone to meet Franklin, and he finally relaxed. “No,” Maggie said evenly. “He didn’t.” She didn’t mention Franklin’s gift at all.
When everyone had finished their cake and was getting ready to return to work, the receptionist came over carrying another bouquet of flowers. “A courier just delivered this,” she said. “It’s addressed to you.” It was a bouquet of red roses. On the card was a short line: Maggie, happy birthday. -Jimmy. Glen had walked over just as Maggie received the flowers. He saw the card, and his smile faded slightly. After the cake celebration, people gradually went back to their desks. —- Even so, over the next ten minutes, Maggie received three more bouquets. One was from Jessica.
Another from Glen-also roses. Since Maggie wasn’t officially divorced yet, Glen didn’t want to cause gossip by handing them to her in person. Even though he was in the same office, he asked someone else to deliver them on his behalf. He had actually wanted to give her something more than flowers, but he knew if he did, she probably wouldn’t even accept the roses. So he held back. The third bouquet came from Harry.