Chapter 7: Grit Your Teeth, It'll Be Over Soon

Words : 1542 Updated : Oct 23rd, 2025

At that, Edith Lynch furrowed her brow. Loud, unabashed jeers rose from the crowd. "I think so too. Something nobody wanted, and you're acting like it's a treasure." "I used to feel sorry for you; now it's clear you've got no self-respect." "You just don't get it. Trash with trash-a washed-up 'phoenix' and a fake. Figures." "Edith, just show it to everyone. What if it's real?" … Many in the Lynch family hurled barbs to curry favor with Tori Lynch. As the malice piled on, Edith's slender fingers tightened. She didn't care whether the necklace was real-it was Diego Santee's heartfelt token. She didn't want his sincerity turned into a punchline. "Edith, have Zayn get someone to take a look at that necklace." Bailey Shadboult sat at the head of the table, paused for a moment, then nodded lightly and said, "It's just a necklace, not important. But the Lynch family cannot be played for fools." The matriarch had spoken. Even though Edith felt reluctant, she didn't dare defy her elders. Reluctantly, she took off the necklace. Zayn Waller lit up at the sight. Savoring the thought of exposing Diego's pathetic trick and dragging his name through the mud in front of the Lynch family, he felt a secret thrill. He pulled out his phone and dialed his friend Warren. "Hello, Mr. Warren, remember me? It's Zayn Waller." There was a brief silence on the other end, then Warren's hearty laughter came through. "Zayn! What can I do for you?" Zayn smiled. "Here's the thing, Mr. Warren. I've got a piece of jewelry I need you to appraise." "After all, you're the expert. Shouldn't be a problem, right?" "No problem at all," Warren replied. "Jade or agate? Who's the designer?" "I'm not sure. It's a necklace called Love of a Lifetime. The designer is from Merica…" Warren cut him off. "Zayn, don't mess with me." He chuckled. "Love of a Lifetime is Merica's national treasure. The genuine piece used to be housed in a museum in Merica. Later, the master thief Juliana stole it, and it disappeared for years." "What-was the giver Juliana?" Zayn looked up, savoring the moment, and turned to the Lynch family. He'd had it on speakerphone from the start so everyone could hear. Faces darkened around the room, and more than a few had begun cursing Diego as a fraud. Tori's expression grew even more smug. She planted her hands on her hips and tossed Edith a scornful glance. "Please. I told you this loser couldn't produce anything decent. Guess I was right-he sent a fake." "Love of a Lifetime, my foot. Five years in prison turned his brains to mush." Zayn felt a quiet surge of satisfaction but kept his tone neutral. "Mr. Warren, since you've seen the original, how about I send you a photo?" "All right, send it over," Warren said, sounding resigned. "Though it won't help. There's simply no way it's real." "Let's see anyway." Zayn hung up, snapped a photo of the necklace, and sent it. Within seconds, a video call popped up. He shot Edith a pointed look. "See? It's obviously fake. Look how fast he called." He answered. Warren's voice came through, tinged with urgency. "Zayn, where is it? Let me see!" Zayn blinked, baffled. "It's right in my hand, Mr. Warren. Isn't this a high-end knockoff? Why the rush?" Warren's breathing quickened. He stammered. "No-no, that's not right…" "The Love of a Lifetime in your hand might be real!" The room fell dead silent. You could have heard a pin drop. Zayn and Tori exchanged a stare, shock spreading across their faces. Edith touched the necklace at her throat. It was cool to the touch, smooth and reassuring in her palm. "Mr. Warren, did I hear that right?" Zayn said, snapping out of it. "Could you be mistaken? You just said there couldn't be a genuine one." "Look closer," Tori jumped in, unable to hold back. "The man who gave it is an ex-convict. He sat in prison for five years." "He's flat broke. How could he possibly have the real thing?" Warren didn't answer. He stared through the camera, eyes locked on the necklace at Edith's neck. The room held its breath, unwilling to break his focus. "I've worked in jewelry for years. I don't get these things wrong," he said, his tone rough, carrying a faint tremor. "There's a strong chance it's authentic." "Verification is simple. Hold the necklace in sunlight. It should cast the image of the First Princess of Merica." "This treasure was originally a gift from Master Michaelson to Merica's royal family." On hearing this, Edith stepped into a pool of sunlight, a fierce certainty sparking in her chest. Maybe this Love of a Lifetime was real. After a few tense seconds, she bent slightly and lifted the necklace. Sunlight poured through it and spilled onto the floor. The blue gemstone blazed, scattering light. A figure sharpened in the patch of light on the floor. A silhouette, clear as day. On the screen, Warren went slack with awe, his eyes lit with a feverish gleam. "That's right. It's the Princess of Merica." "It's the true Love of a Lifetime-one of a kind." Excitement burst into his voice. "Zayn, would you consider selling it? Love of a Lifetime has been missing for years. Its value has doubled since then." "At auction, it's worth at least five hundred million dollars." But Zayn stood there, stunned, deaf to Warren's pitch. He stared at the necklace, slack-jawed, as if his brain had short-circuited. He wasn't the only one. The rest of the Lynch family gaped, unable to believe their own ears. Love of a Lifetime… was real.

Chapter 7: Grit Your Teeth, It'll Be Over Soon

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