Miranda frowned slightly, her tone cold. “This has nothing to do with you.”
She had no interest in wasting her time arguing with these women. She shifted her footing, intending to leave, but Jessica blocked her path.
“Listen, I don’t care who you are. Eric is mine, so you’d better stay away from him!” Jessica declared bluntly, her tone sharp and her eyes filled with hostility.
Beside her stood Lucy, a plump woman who chimed in to console Jessica. “Don’t worry, Jessica. I looked into her. She’s still fighting her ex-husband over assets! Someone that broke-how could Eric ever be interested in her?”
She deliberately raised her voice, ensuring everyone nearby could hear.
Lucy’s words seemed to satisfy Jessica, giving her a misplaced sense of superiority. Jessica had forgotten that she herself had snuck into the party uninvited and should have been keeping a low profile. All she could think about was how to humiliate Miranda.
Her gaze swept over Miranda again, and with a sneer, she mocked, “That dress of yours-did you snag it from a garage sale?”
The group of women burst into unrestrained laughter, their eyes brimming with ridicule.
Miranda, however, remained unfazed. The dress she wore was a masterpiece by Oscar, a legendary designer in the fashion world. Tailored meticulously to her figure, it was one of a kind. Oscar’s clients were either top-tier billionaires or royalty, and his packed schedule left little room for anyone else.
These women couldn’t recognize his work, yet they dared to mock her attire. It was laughable.
Miranda’s gaze fell on the bracelet adorning Jessica’s wrist. She deliberately slowed her voice, speaking with feigned admiration. “That’s a beautiful bracelet. It must have cost a fortune.”
Jessica, soaking in the compliment, proudly raised her wrist for everyone to see. “Of course, it’s a collector’s piece I personally acquired at an auction in Paris this year.”
Miranda shook her head lightly, her tone tinged with regret. “That’s a shame.”
Jessica frowned, her patience thinning. “What’s a shame?”
“It’s a shame that the bracelet you spent so much on is a fake,” Miranda replied calmly, her words landing like a stone dropped into still water, rippling through the group.
The women around Jessica began whispering.
“A fake? That can’t be true.”
“Jessica’s so rich-how could she be wearing a fake?”
Jessica’s smug expression vanished in an instant. Her face flushed hot.
She knew all too well that the bracelet was, in fact, a replica. But how could Miranda have spotted it so easily with just a glance?
Impossible. She had to be bluffing.
Jessica forced a cold laugh, masking her unease. “What nonsense are you spouting? This bracelet cost me two million dollars!”
Miranda took a slow sip of champagne before replying firmly, “Unfortunately for you, I’ve seen the original.”
“The genuine bracelet is set with natural sapphires-flawless in clarity, with no internal impurities. But this one… it’s clearly made with synthetic stones. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be tiny air bubbles inside.”
Jessica’s pupils contracted, and her fingers trembled slightly.
Miranda seized the moment, grasping Jessica’s wrist and holding the bracelet up to the light for everyone to see. “Under this light, the bubbles are even more obvious.”
“She’s right-there are bubbles!”
“Could Jessica really be wearing a fake?”
The murmurs of the women around her grew louder, and Jessica’s face paled.
Though she knew her bracelet was a counterfeit, she refused to admit it.
“I spent two million dollars on this! If it’s fake, the auction house will hear from me!” Jessica declared, feigning anger.
Miranda smiled faintly. “Why wait? Such a serious mistake deserves immediate attention.”
Jessica froze. She didn’t even have the auction house’s contact information!
Her expression darkened, her mind momentarily blank. Then, her frustration boiled over, and she lunged forward, trying to shove Miranda. “How dare you tell me what to do!”
Before her hand could touch Miranda’s shoulder, a strong hand caught it mid-air.
Jessica froze, her head snapping up in shock.
Eric had appeared behind her, his handsome face cold and steely, his piercing blue eyes filled with anger.
“What do you think you’re doing to my girlfriend?” he demanded.
Jessica’s shock quickly turned to fury. She pointed at Miranda, her composure unraveling as she shouted, “This woman slandered me! She said I was wearing a fake!”
Eric didn’t even spare her a glance. Instead, he turned to Miranda, his voice filled with concern. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine, darling,” Miranda replied with a soft smile.
Hearing their intimate exchange, Jessica’s jealousy flared. She clenched her fists and demanded, “Eric, who is she?”
Eric’s tone was icy. “If I catch you harassing Miranda again, I won’t hesitate to have you removed.”
Jessica stared at him in disbelief. “Eric, how can you treat me like this?”
Tears welled up in her eyes as she cried, “Do you remember when you were twenty? You had a car accident and lost so much blood-I was the one who donated to save you!”
Eric’s brow furrowed. She was telling the truth. Jessica had indeed saved his life, and it was the reason he had tolerated her presence for so long.
Miranda, overhearing this, felt a flicker of an old memory.
Years ago, she’d received a call from the hospital about a man in critical condition who shared her rare blood type. Without hesitation, she had agreed to donate.
Could it really have been Eric?
Before she could delve deeper into the thought, Eric’s deep voice pulled her back to the present.
“I’m grateful for what you did, Jessica, but I don’t love you. I hope you can understand that.”
“No, Eric! You can’t say that!” Jessica sobbed, clinging to his arm.
Eric’s face remained impassive as he shrugged her off. “I’m sorry, but you’re not welcome here.”
Jessica tried to protest, but Eric issued a final warning. “If I catch you or your friends trespassing on my property again, I’ll call the police. You won’t have a choice then.”
Humiliated, Jessica and her entourage had no choice but to leave under the judgmental eyes of the crowd.
Once they were gone, Eric exhaled and turned to Miranda, his tone apologetic. “I’m sorry, darling. You didn’t deserve that.”
Miranda smiled lightly, unfazed. “It’s alright, love. Don’t forget-no one messes with me.”
Eric paused, then nodded with a small smile. “You’re right. I admire that about you.”
Still, a thought lingered in his mind. “But… how did you know so much about that auction in Paris?” he asked, curiosity lacing his voice.