Chapter 90: I Love You

The sunlight poured in through the window, shining precisely on the diamond ring on her wrist. In an instant, the light passed through the diamond, creating a dazzling refraction effect that emitted a brilliance akin to the stars, making it impossible to look away. Daisy Stone sat beside, her eyes wide open, mouth slightly agape, with a face full of disbelief, as if she was nailed in place and unable to move. Standing nearby, Samuel Grant was equally shocked, his expression mixed with an undisguisable astonishment and complex emotions, his gaze locked firmly on the ring on Clara Bennett’s hand. A moment later, Samuel finally came back to his senses, but his tone was still a bit stuttering and flustered. "How, how could this thing..." He took a deep breath, trying to make his voice sound more composed, "How did you get it?" Clara heard his question and merely shrugged, the corners of her mouth slightly curling up, as if she thought there was nothing worth making a fuss about. However, although her face was full of indifference, there was a faint hint of provocation in her words: "Surprised? It’s just a token from William." She paused, her tone carrying a bit of contempt, "Compared to those expensive betrothal gifts, this thing doesn’t count as anything particularly valuable." Upon hearing these words, Samuel’s heart sharply ached, that intense feeling spreading like an invisible wave, quickly enveloping his entire being. The pain not only stemmed from Clara’s casual attitude but also from what she was wearing. That diamond ring of extraordinary significance. Clara, at this moment, remained oblivious, still leisurely toying with the ring in her hand, seemingly unaware of its value. This diamond ring was bestowed with a mysterious and meaningful name—"Secret." On the surface, this story seemed to have no direct connection with traditional love storylines. But that’s not the case, as the ring’s name suggests, it actually holds a hidden and profound meaning: it conceals the unspoken phrase "I love you." This is a secret guarded by someone silently, with no third party knowing the emotional entanglements within. Even Clara herself might not know how romantic the story behind this delicate gemstone truly is. As for the inspiration behind the ring’s design, one must trace back to an extremely rare natural gem—the Conch Pearl. It’s known that these Conch Pearls are meticulously nurtured by nature, with an extremely low probability of formation, estimated to be discovered in only one out of fifty thousand conches. Regarding those Conch Pearls of perfect appearance, their occurrence is even more minuscule, almost one in thousands. More wondrously, the legends about conches add a touch of dreamlike quality. It’s said that when people press their ears close to a conch, they can clearly hear the distant and ethereal sounds from the depths of the ocean. Moreover, a beautiful saying circulates widely: when you pour out your heartfelt love to a conch, it becomes the listener of your heart, quietly conveying these passionate words to the vast ocean, transforming them into eternal strength. For this reason, one by one, the translucent Conch Pearls actually condense countless silent "I love you" sentiments. No one knows from whom they originated, but they all represent a pure emotion buried deep within, waiting for time to interpret, or perhaps never to be unveiled. Thus, the ring named "Secret" was born. Centered around that rare Conch Pearl, its design incorporates rich romantic elements, resulting in a finished product that is both understated and elegant. Although its emotions are not explicitly expressed, they surpass words. "I love you," three words, simple but weighty, are indeed the most beautiful scenery in this secret garden. And last week, this uniquely designed diamond ring was successfully sold at an auction by the internationally renowned auction house Sotheby’s for an astonishing 780 million RMB, breaking numerous records. This transaction shocked the entire jewelry world, adding another layer of legend to the ring. At this moment, Samuel still stared blankly at the luxurious and unparalleled diamond ring on Clara’s slender finger, his heart surging with turbulence. He couldn’t possibly believe that his usually cautious and rational uncle would actually go out of his way to buy such an extremely expensive and meaningful diamond ring and give it to Clara right in front of him! Could William really intend to marry Clara? This question pierced into Samuel’s heart like a sharp needle. He stood there in a daze, chest rising and falling violently, his mind constantly flashing various images. His uncle William, always calm and composed, especially cautious about relationships, why suddenly willing to step into marriage this time? And with Clara, a woman with whom there was once complex entanglement. Thinking of this, Samuel felt as if a stone was lodged in his throat, a suppressive bitterness rushing straight to his nose. He gritted his teeth, trying to calm himself down, but uncontrollable unease surged from within. Was there really true affection between them? This question exploded in Samuel’s mind again like a thunderbolt splitting the night sky. If it were merely a union of interests, it would be okay, but if they genuinely loved each other, the consequences were simply unimaginable. What would he lose? Power, family status, or... Something deeper? These thoughts, like numerous poisonous snakes, slithered in his chest, stirring up the world he had thought was stable. The more he thought, the more agitated he became, even his breathing turned heavy in the end. "How is it possible?" He refuted quietly in his heart, "My uncle wouldn’t be so silly." Yet, another voice silently reminded him: "Never forget, love is the thing most likely to make smart people act foolishly." This thought stabbed Samuel’s heart with a sharp pain, and he didn’t know why he suddenly felt so uncomfortable. The feeling was like something pivotal was collapsing and disintegrating bit by bit, yet he couldn’t grasp the root cause. His palm clenched into a fist, then slowly loosened, repeating several times before he barely stabilized his emotions. But the pain in his heart did not disappear; instead, it became sharper, each beat like a blade cutting through, sharp and real. He couldn’t help but lift his hand to press against his chest, where a faint pain was emerging. This discomfort wasn’t simply anger or jealousy; it was a profound pain that reached the bone like a certain unspeakable past once again engulfing him.