Chapter 551
Jordyn handed Celeste the gift Trevor had prepared for her-but just as Celeste reached out, Jordyn pulled it back and clung to her hand coquettishly. “Mom, look at my gift first!” Celeste paused. “…Alright.” She opened the box as Jordyn watched eagerly. Inside was a neatly framed oil painting. The person in the painting was her. In the lower right comer, a line of small words read: “To my Mom, happy birthday.” Celeste felt her heart jolt as if struck. Her hand froze midair, gripping the frame. Jordyn shook her hand gently. “I painted it half a month ago!
Do you like it, Mom?” Snapping out of her reverie, Celeste looked at her daughter’s hopeful face. Her emotions were a tangled mess, but she answered honestly, “I love it. You’re getting really good at painting, sweetheart.” Hearing that, Jordyn’s face lit up with pure joy. “If you like it, I’ll paint another one for you next time!” “Okay.” —- Satisfied, Jordyn finally stuffed Trevor’s gift into her hand.” Mom, I have to go to school now or I’ll be late! I’ll come again tonight to have dinner with you, okay?” * Alright.” At some point, Betty and the others had also come out.
Jordyn waved at them cheerfully before hopping into the car and leaving. Once she was gone, Celeste turned back silently. The fact that Trevor sent a gift didn’t mean he wasn’t still going through with the divorce today-so no one in the Rodriguez family said a word. Adeline broke the silence. “The pancakes are ready, Cel. Come have some first.” “Okay.” Celeste went inside, casually setting aside both gifts-Jordyn’s and Trevor’s-without much thought. 5 Betty picked up the painting and studied it closely, her expression softening. “She did quite well.
That child really put her heart into it.” Hector, on the other hand, couldn’t stand the sight of Trevor. He —- glanced at the unopened gift box, lips curling. He almost wanted to throw it straight into the trash. 4 But since Celeste hadn’t done that herself, he restrained the impulse. “Celeste,” he asked, “can I open the gift he sent you?” Celeste honestly didn’t care what was inside. She had no desire to look-she knew Trevor only sent it to keep up appearances in front of Jordyn. + She thought that it didn’t matter. “Go ahead,” she said Hector picked up the box.
Just from the material, he could tell it wasn’t cheap, and it was heavier than he expected. When he opened it, Betty, standing beside him, froze. Hector blinked. “Is this… a red diamond?” Adeline, who knew a thing or two about jewelry, came closer for a look-and her eyes widened. It was a red diamond. A massive one-easily over a hundred carats. An extremely rare gemstone of that size… Its value was unimaginable. * Hector remembered hearing about how Celeste had once auctioned a diamond to pay for Isabelle’s medical treatment.
1 —- He didn’t know much about gems, but judging from his mother’s and grandmother’s reactions-and the way the stone glittered like fire in his palm-he could tell this wasn’t just expensive. + Seeing his confusion, Adeline finally said, her voice low, “This red diamond… is even purer and rarer than the one Cel had before-almost twice as big. I think it’s worth at least two billion.”