"No surprise there—she's the heiress of the Stars Pack. Look at that extravagant gift." "Isn't that a witch's stone? I remember it was originally unearthed by the Stars Pack's Alpha. Must be worth a fortune by now." "Ms. Sullivan really is favored by Mr. Sullivan, huh?" "That's probably the most expensive gift so far." The murmurs of admiration spread quickly among the crowd of werewolves as soon as the witch's stone was revealed. Faces lit up with envy, their eyes glinting with curiosity and awe. Jessica soaked in their praises like sunshine on a summer day, her gaze sweeping toward Richard with smug satisfaction. "For such a valuable gift, you've really gone the extra mile," Richard said with a gentle laugh, nodding approvingly. His eyes never left the witch's stone. It was clear he was truly pleased—after all, it was a stone like this that had helped heal his illness years ago, thanks to Hughie. "Judging by the craftsmanship, I'd say this was carved by Norris Lawrence himself," someone nearby remarked, triggering a fresh wave of gasps and excitement. Jessica's eyes flickered with amusement. She turned slightly, her gaze resting lightly on Caden before finally speaking. "You guessed right—it was carved by Norris. I had to make several visits and pull a few strings to convince him to take the commission. But if Mr. Richard likes it, then it was all worth it." Norris was the most celebrated sculptor on the Werewolf Continent. Not even 30, yet his work already fetched high prices in prestigious art galleries. Getting him to take on a commission these days was close to impossible. So the fact that young Jessica had managed it was no small feat. While she basked in the admiration, her eyes drifted toward the small box in my hands. Her tone turned curious and a little too sweet. "And what about you, Ms. Sinclair? What kind of gift did you prepare for Richard? Another witch's stone, perhaps? I remember you once won an ultra-grade Crownstone worth a small fortune." Her voice was laced with false modesty, and instantly, all eyes turned to me. Jessica took a step forward, offering an explanation to those around her. "You may not know this, but Ms. Sinclair is something of a gambling stone expert. I actually lost to her once. I've been thinking of asking her to be my teacher—maybe she can show me how to spot a real witch's stone next time." That statement, coming from someone as famous as Jessica for her stone-gambling prowess, stunned the room. I curved my lips into a polite smile and said softly, "Sure. If you're serious about becoming my apprentice, I'd be honored." Jessica blinked, clearly caught off guard. "Wait, what did you say?" I tilted my head innocently. "Didn't you just say you wanted to learn from me?" She stiffened, the smile on her lips faltering. After a brief pause, she forced a laugh. "Ms. Sinclair, you really don't hold back, do you?" "Well, how can I be modest when even a genius like you keeps complimenting me?" I replied cheerfully. Jessica's face twitched ever so slightly. She wisely chose not to respond. Any more, and she might have had to actually kneel and call me an expert. "I didn't know you were skilled at this, Rosie," Richard said, looking at me with mild surprise. I smiled and gave a small shrug. "Oh, I don't know the first thing about stone gambling. It was just dumb luck. But hey, isn't luck a form of skill, too? Don't you think so, Ms. Sullivan?" That was a slap to Jessica's pride, and she knew it. The so-called prodigy beaten by someone who "got lucky"? If word got out, she'd be the laughingstock. Jessica bit her lip, said nothing, and quickly steered the conversation back to the gift in my hands. "Ms. Sinclair, don't keep us in suspense. What did you give Mr. Richard?" "You guessed right—I brought him that ultra-grade Crownstone," I said, opening the box to reveal a bracelet strung with vibrant red witch's stone beads, each one streaked with gold and shaped simply. Compared to Jessica's elaborately carved mountaintop sculpture by Norris, my bracelet looked almost rustic. Jessica's eyes glimmered with something close to glee, though she put on a disappointed look. "That Crownstone was so high quality, but you used it to make a bracelet? Isn't that a bit of a waste? I would've commissioned a display piece. If it wasn't already finished, I might've introduced you to Norris. He could've turned it into a masterpiece." I sighed lightly. "Well, it's definitely not as fancy as yours. I just asked an old craftsman I know to make it." "Enough chatter. Rosie, bring that bracelet over and let this old man have a look," Richard said, motioning for me. I nodded and walked over, kneeling slightly as I handed him the bracelet."Not bad, it's lovely," Richard murmured, nodding in approval. But just as he was about to slip it onto his wrist, his hand froze midair. "This bracelet ... " he said, trailing off. "Do you like it?" I asked with a smile. Richard didn't respond immediately. Instead, he turned the bracelet over in his hand, studying it intently, a crease forming between his brows. A long pause followed—then his face suddenly lit up as if something clicked. Finally, he looked up at me, sharp and curious. "Rosie ... who made this bracelet for you?"