The Replacement He Never Wanted

Chapter 20 Do I Look Like I'm Desperate for Money?

"Are you sure this is from Lance?" Addison's eyelashes fluttered slightly. Virginia's antics left her both amused. She thought Lance was stingy, but it seemed Virginia was even stingier! They were a perfect match. "Of course, it's what Lance wants," Virginia replied, her expression unwavering, showing no signs of guilt for lying. "You don't think that after three years of living off the Johnstons, they're going to hand you a big sum of money, do you?" Virginia scoffed, her gaze dripping with disdain. "I never mentioned anything about money, but you seem to bring it up constantly, Virginia. Just how desperate are you for money?" Addison said, blinking innocently as she scrutinized Virginia's dress. It was a Chanel dress from last season, at least a year old. However, Virginia clearly didn't notice Addison's gaze. "Don't try to change the subject. You still have to sign this agreement. You won't get a single cent of the Johnstons' wealth." Do I look like I'm desperate for money? Addison couldn't help but reflect on her situation. Had her quality of life declined so much that people questioned her motives for the family's wealth? Addison held up her hand, lightly shaking the ring. "Do you honestly think I would care about the Johnstons' insignificant fortune?" Keith bought this diamond ring from an auction abroad. She fell in love with it at first sight and let Keith buy it without hesitation. It was just delivered to her yesterday. Virginia narrowed her eyes, taking in Addison's fair, slender fingers adorned with a dazzling pink diamond. Its size, color, and clarity were perfect, shimmering in the sunlight and radiating an undeniable luxury. Is that a pink diamond? Virginia's eyes flickered with surprise, but her expression quickly hardened. Addison is an orphan with limited formal education. She probably doesn't know much about jewelry. This diamond is likely a fake. "Jewelry can be quite deceptive. How can anyone tell if yours is real or not?" Virginia scoffed, her disdain palpable."Oh, feel free to take a closer look and see for yourself whether this pink diamond is genuine." Addison dared to let her appraise jewelry? During her years abroad, her only passion was collecting gems, and she became quite knowledgeable about them. The blue diamond pendant that Lance gave her when she returned home was her favorite piece in her collection, valued at several million. Showing her a diamond to inspect would only invite humiliation. Once proven to be fake, where would Addison hide her fragile pride? Virginia let out a cold huff as she took the ring from Addison's hand. The pink diamond sparkled in her palm, its rich color and clarity captivating. It felt surprisingly heavy, radiating an elegance that was hard to describe, despite its delicate hue. This diamond was even more brilliant than the finest pink star in the country! Virginia stared at the gem in astonishment, silently estimating its worth—surely over a hundred million! "What do you think?" Addison noticed the flicker of surprise on Virginia's face and smiled, her voice tinged with anticipation. It seems Virginia really knows jewelry. She can tell this pink diamond is quite valuable. "Where did you get this ring?" Virginia asked. Addison would never have the wealth or means to have this exquisite pink diamond. The only thing Lance gave her was a blue diamond, how could any man go to such lengths to gift Addison something as precious as this pink diamond! "Why do you care where I got it? Just know I have no interest in the Johnstons' money, got it?" Addison stepped closer to Virginia with a smirk on her lips as she took the diamond from her hand. "Oh, right, take that divorce agreement with you. Your acting is so terrible. If Lance finds out you forged the agreement in his name, it won't be good for you." Then, Addison placed the divorce agreement into Virginia's trembling hand, her anger barely restrained. As Virginia stared at the pink diamond, a wave of jealousy, suspicion, and resentment washed over her. Her expression turned grave as she recalled the bodyguard's report from that day. "Mrs. Johnston met with Ms. Daves."That valuable pink diamond must have been secretly gifted to Addison by Marilyn during that meeting! Virginia realized she had underestimated Addison, who had somehow deceived Marilyn to give her the Johnston's diamond. Wasn't that essentially the same as stealing? "If you're really planning to divorce Lance, you should return the Johnstons' belongings, shouldn't you? "You claim to have no interest in the Johnstons' wealth, yet here you are, wearing their pink diamond. What a hypocrite!" Virginia's words cut sharply, her initial surprise fading to be replaced by disdain. … Here we go again. Last time, she accused me of hiding assets, and now she's saying this pink diamond belongs to the Johnstons. Addison felt exasperated. "You keep saying you're divorcing Lance, then return the Johnstons' diamond!" Virginia said, extending her hand expectantly for Addison to hand over the pink diamond. "Are you okay?" Addison asked, shaking her head and giving Virginia a reassuring glance. "If you have a problem, you should get it treated." After saying this, Addison carefully slid the pink diamond onto her slender finger before turning to leave. "You!" Virginia exclaimed, unwilling to let it go as she reached out to snatch the pink diamond from her.

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