Hearing Scarlett’s words, Roland Hadley froze for a moment before bursting into laughter.
“Jerome Stevens gave it to you? What are you, his new sidepiece?”
Scarlett’s face turned pale as she hurriedly defended herself. “It really was Old Mr. Stevens who gave it to me!”
“Oh, really? Then tell me, what’s your relationship with him? Why would he give such a priceless piece to you?” Roland pressed, his tone sharp and condescending.
Hearing this, Melanie raised an eyebrow, then chuckled. “Scarlett, don’t tell me you’ve got a thing for older men now?”
“Yeah, no wonder you didn’t seem interested when we were talking about young guys earlier,” Ophelia chimed in. “But honestly, it makes sense. You don’t have our privileges, so you’d have to use your looks to get what you want.”
The two women worked together seamlessly, painting Scarlett as someone beneath them and throwing her dignity under the bus.
Scarlett tried to explain, “It’s not like that! My son-in-law knows Old Mr. Stevens and asked him to give it to me.”
Ophelia burst into laughter, pointing at Scarlett mockingly. “Your son-in-law? Isn’t your son-in-law that idiot everyone knows about? And you think he could get Old Mr. Stevens to send you this? Be real!”
Then she turned to Roland Hadley. “Mr. Hadley, she’s from the Adams family, and her son-in-law is a complete fool.”
Scarlett panicked. “Not that son-in-law, the other one!”
“What?” Ophelia gasped. “Your daughter remarried? You’ve got another son-in-law now?”
Scarlett believed the diamond ring came from Tony Scott, who she assumed had asked Old Mr. Stevens to deliver it.
“Enough!” Roland cut in. “If you’re claiming Old Mr. Stevens gave this to you, then I’ll call him right now and get him here. Let’s see if he even knows who you are.”
With that, he pulled out his phone to make a call, and Scarlett quickly dialed Georgia Adams for help.
About ten minutes later, Georgia arrived with Kayden Scott in tow, the two pushing through the crowd that had gathered to watch the commotion.
“Mom, are you okay?” Georgia rushed over, shoving away Reece, who still had a grip on Scarlett’s hand.
The moment Scarlett saw Georgia, tears welled up in her eyes. “Georgia, thank goodness you’re here! They’re accusing me of stealing this! They say this Blood Diamond Ring was stolen from their store.”
Georgia paused for a moment, staring at the ring on Scarlett’s finger as if trying to recall its origins.
“This ring,” Scarlett explained, “was a gift from Old Mr. Stevens. It’s… it’s…”
She hesitated, glancing at Kayden Scott.
Kayden looked at the ring calmly and said, “Yes, it was me. I asked Jerome Stevens to send this to you. That’s all there is to it.”
“What?!” Scarlett was taken aback, staring at him in disbelief.
Could he be bluffing? How could this ring possibly have come through him? She was certain it was Tony Scott’s doing.
“You?” Before Scarlett could respond, Roland Hadley fixed his gaze on Kayden, his expression darkening.
“Stop the nonsense!” Reece growled. “Do you even know who Jerome Stevens is? He’s a living legend in the jewelry industry. And you? Look at you! You think a big shot like that would even glance your way, let alone send you something?”
Reece sneered at Kayden’s modest appearance, clearly incensed by his audacity and perhaps jealous of the two gorgeous women by his side.
Kayden, unfazed, ignored Reece’s ranting and turned to Roland Hadley. “Yes, I do know Jerome Stevens.”
Roland squinted at Kayden. “Oh, really? Then tell me, how do you know Old Mr. Stevens?”
“Because I just do,” Kayden replied, his tone composed and firm.
Ophelia scoffed. “Oh, give me a break. Isn’t this guy just the Adams family’s fool of a live-in son-in-law? What makes him think he’s got connections with someone like Jerome Stevens?”
Kayden didn’t bother responding to her taunts. He stepped forward, facing Scarlett. “Mom, give me the ring.”
Scarlett hesitated, casting a worried glance at Georgia. “Georgia, don’t let him stir things up. Just call Tony and sort this out.”
Georgia shook her head. “No, Mom. He can handle this. He’s the one who had this ring sent to you. Trust him!”
Her unwavering faith in Kayden shone through, a stark contrast to her earlier doubts.
Scarlett frowned, skeptical. “Was it really you who got Old Mr. Stevens to send this ring?”
Kayden nodded. “Believe me, Mom. This ring is yours, and no one’s taking it from you.”
After a moment of hesitation, Scarlett reluctantly removed the ring and handed it to Kayden.
Kayden took the Blood Diamond Ring, walked up to Roland Hadley, and handed it over. “Here. If you insist it’s yours, take it. But soon enough, I’ll expect you to crawl back on your knees and return it to me.”
His words were calm yet carried an unshakable confidence that stunned everyone.
Roland Hadley-one of the most influential figures in Hiphia’s jewelry industry-was being challenged so brazenly.
He and Jerome Stevens-one ranked first, the other second-shared a friendship established by their fathers’ generation. He didn’t believe that this guy could make him kneel, nor did he believe that this guy’s relationship with Jerome Stevens was better than his own relationship with Jerome Stevens.
Even Roland, who prided himself on composure, felt a flicker of rage.
But he restrained himself. He had no intention of tarnishing his reputation by reacting impulsively.
Reece, however, was a different story. Unable to contain himself, he roared, “Who the hell do you think you are? This is Mr. Hadley you’re talking to! You’re asking for a beating, and I’m more than happy to oblige!”
He lunged toward Kayden, but Roland stopped him with a raised hand.
“Hold on.” Roland took the ring, his expression dark. “Fine. Let’s see if you really know Jerome Stevens and if he’s willing to vouch for you.”
The crowd murmured, their whispers filled with doubt and scorn.
“This guy’s just showing off,” someone sneered.
“He’s about to get publicly humiliated,” another chimed in.
But Kayden remained unfazed, a small, confident smile playing on his lips.