The moment Addison spoke, Virginia's gaze immediately fixed on the necklace resting around her neck. It was a delicate piece, a short necklace with a combination of pearls and diamonds, the white pearls reflecting the light softly as they nestled gently along her collarbone. Each breath she took seemed to make the pearls shimmer, catching the light in a delicate, almost magical way. "Well?" Addison raised an eyebrow, her voice laced with a playful yet challenging tone as she observed the necklace. Virginia's expression grew darker, but she stayed silent, seething inside. Addison is actually daring to ask for my necklace? Is she completely out of her mind, this greedy? Doesn't she know her place? It's not even about the value of the necklace—it's her sheer audacity! She's a mere substitute, thinking she can take something that belongs to the real owner. This is a clear case of someone forgetting their position.... Addison stood there, unmoving, tapping her foot lightly as the seconds ticked by. Her patience was clearly running out. "Well? Are you still trying to decide?" she asked, her voice now sharper, more impatient. "I don't see what the problem is," she continued, her words dripping with sarcasm. "It's just a necklace. Not like it's worth much." Virginia's blood boiled at the dismissive tone, and it felt like a slap to her face. She couldn't take it anymore. "Not worth much?!" she snapped, her voice rising. "Take another look, and tell me it's not worth anything!" This necklace had cost her a fortune, sourced through a personal shopper from overseas. She hadn't used the black card Lance had given her, wanting to maintain the image of being "careful with money." Instead, she had dug into her personal savings, spending almost half of it on this piece. She had bought it because it was beautiful, and the diamonds had drawn her in.If it had been anything else, she might have hesitated, but this necklace was different. "Oh? Is it really that expensive?" Addison feigned confusion, her voice dripping with mock disbelief. "I can't tell." Her gaze narrowed, pretending to inspect the necklace, but in reality, it didn't even catch her interest. Whether the necklace was valuable or not didn't matter to Addison. She just wanted Virginia to suffer, even if it meant paying a small price. To Addison, this necklace was just another pawn in her game. It could be priceless, and it would still be just a minor expense in her world. Virginia's frustration finally broke through. She couldn't contain it anymore. Without a second thought, she yanked the necklace off her neck and shoved it toward Addison's face. "Here! Take a good, long look!" she demanded, her voice rising with frustration. "Do you see the diamonds? The pearls? This is worth way more than your worthless little herb!" She was desperate to prove the worth of the necklace, her words spilling out in a rush."Oh? Is that so?" Addison's smile widened, her eyebrow raised even higher. The more flustered Virginia became, the more it played into Addison's hands. This was exactly what she wanted. The goal was to get under Virginia's skin, to make her feel that burning frustration, and now she had succeeded. Addison took the necklace from Virginia's hands, pretending to study it carefully. "Hmm ... seems like the diamond really is high-quality," she said, her tone thoughtful, as though she were considering its value. Virginia scoffed, her annoyance obvious. "Well, at least you have some taste." She reached out for the necklace, eager to reclaim it from Addison's hands. Virginia's eyes widened in disbelief as Addison raised an eyebrow, effortlessly dodging her attempts to reclaim the necklace. With a subtle shift of her arm, she moved it just out of Virginia's reach. "What are you doing?" Virginia's voice wavered with a hint of panic as she flailed her hand in the air, trying once again to grab the necklace. Addison, unfazed, moved with grace, staying one step ahead. Every time Virginia tried to reach to the left, Addison shifted to the right, keeping the necklace just beyond her grasp. "Addison ... are you really stealing this?" Virginia's eyes widened in fury, her voice quivering with frustration. "How can you be so shameless?" Only someone as crass as Addison would pull such a stunt! Anger began to bubble inside Virginia, making her body tremble with indignation. "What did you just say?" Addison feigned surprise, tapping her ear slowly, her voice dripping with mock calmness. "Did you just call me shameless?" She raised an eyebrow, her lips curling into a sly smile, clearly amused by the accusation. How dare Virginia accuse me of lacking shame? The irony is almost too much to handle. "Give me back my necklace," Virginia demanded, her gaze sharp as she spoke with authority. But Addison acted as though she didn't even hear her. She casually rolled the necklace between her fingers, the smooth pearls slipping through her hand, catching the light and casting a soft, gentle glow. Addison knew very well that nothing was more aggravating than seeing something you desperately wanted but couldn't have. She could practically feel Virginia's frustration building. As expected, Virginia's patience wore thin the moment she realized Addison wasn't going to give up the necklace. Desperate, she turned to Lance for help. Grabbing his sleeve, she pleaded with him. "Lance ... you saw what happened, right? Addison is bullying me ... She stole my necklace! It's not fair. I'm so upset!" Lance pursed his lips, glancing at Addison as if deciding whether or not to intervene. Addison, unfazed, spoke first. "Mr. Johnston, are you going to step in for your first love?" she asked, her voice showing no sign of concern. "Feeling bad for her because she's upset?" She let the words linger in the air, indifferent to any response. "But I suggest you wait before comforting your dear first love," Addison continued, her voice taking on a calculated tone. "Take a look at this herb. It's Divofrass, from the deepest parts of Herbs Valley—there are fewer than 50 left in all of Kreshill. "This herb is mainly used for treating eye diseases. As for its value, I'm sure you know exactly how much it's worth." Before Lance could speak, Virginia shot back, her disbelief evident. "Divofrass? How do I know you're not just making that up?" Though she didn't know much about herbs, she had a feeling Addison was just trying to cause trouble. Addison shrugged carelessly. "Don't believe me? Ask Lance. He'll tell you if I'm lying." Addison had already noticed Lance's reaction when he saw the herb—his recognition was all the proof she needed. Virginia turned to Lance, her voice trembling with urgency. "Lance ... is Addison telling the truth?" Lance hesitated for a moment, his expression serious. "Say, something, Lance." Virginia sounded desperate. "She's right," he confirmed. "This is Divofrass. A single flower can cost anywhere from 50,000 to 100,000, but a full plant is much rarer—worth millions." Virginia froze, stunned as if struck by lightning. Her mind went blank.Millions? That humble-looking herb is worth that much? She had stepped on it carelessly, never imagining it could be something so rare and valuable. Her mouth fell open in shock, unable to process what she had just heard. Addison raised an eyebrow, a pleased smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "So, do you still think I'm overreacting?" With her goal accomplished, Addison began to walk away. "Trading that necklace for Divofrass, you're coming out ahead," she said lightly, almost playfully. She turned her back to leave, tossing the necklace casually into the air. It swung back and forth, dangerously close to hitting the floor, but Addison caught it effortlessly. To her, it was just a simple accessory—something to be tossed around as carelessly as a plastic bottle. But to Virginia, it was precious, and seeing it treated so carelessly made her heart sink with anger and fear. Virginia stood there while trembling, helplessly watching as Addison nonchalantly swirled the necklace in her hand. Torn between rage and dread, she felt paralyzed, unable to act.It felt like being tortured by invisible hands, each one more unbearable than the last.