2: 2

The next day, Asher Sawyer's engagement party was held at the most expensive hotel in town.

When I arrived, my father's cousin was standing at the door greeting guests.

She wore a wine-red qipao, the fake gold bracelet on her wrist and the fake gold necklace at her throat, the whole of her glowing and festive in all that gold.

When she saw me, her smile stiffened for a second, then warmed right back up.

"Elaine, you made it? Come on in and sit. Your cousin's getting engaged today, so don't go around looking sour. Be happy for once."

I glanced at her wrist. "How's it feel to wear, Nanette? Comfortable?"

She tucked her hand behind her back at once and lowered her voice. "It's a happy day. Keep your mouth shut."

I smiled and didn't call her on it.

Inside the hall, red velvet had been laid over the gift table, and the engagement gift money, red envelopes, and wedding candy were all set out in neat rows.

The host lifted his microphone, his voice booming.

"Everyone, look this way! Today the Sawyer family has prepared a solid-gold three-piece set for their future daughter-in-law, a symbol of a golden match and a rich, happy union!"

Nanette immediately slipped off the bracelet, necklace, and ring and set them on the tray with her own hands.

Applause broke out.

I sat down below the stage and watched her, unable to keep the smile off her mouth.

The bride-to-be, Antonia Matthews, wore a pale pink gown and a slightly forced smile.

Her mother wasn't smiling, though. She stared at the tray for a moment, then suddenly asked, "This gold set is for Antonia?"

Nanette nodded without hesitation. "Of course. When the Sawyers take a wife, how could we come empty-handed?"

I lifted my teacup and took a small sip.

Last time, she had turned my things into her family's face just the same.

The difference was, this time what she put on display wasn't the blessing my grandmother left me. It was the prop set I'd bought for three hundred and eighty.

Jeanette Matthews asked again, "If it's for Antonia, then write it clearly on the gift list. Purity, weight, spell it all out, so there's no arguing about it later."

Nanette's smile thinned for an instant.

Asher, standing beside her, was clearly rattled too.

But with this many relatives watching and Nanette having already talked so big, she had no choice but to brazen it out.

"Write it, of course we'll write it. Asher, come write it down."

Asher picked up the pen, bent his head, and wrote on the gift list:

【From the groom's family to the bride, one solid-gold three-piece set: dragon-and-phoenix bracelet, necklace, ring.】

Jeanette prompted mildly, "And the weight?"

Nanette said quickly, "Oh, come now, we're one family here, no need to talk like strangers. Why write it out in such detail?"

Jeanette looked at her. "It's precisely because we're one family that it should be written clearly."

The hall went quiet for two seconds.

Asher gritted his teeth and added another line:

【Approximately 198 grams.】

I nearly laughed out loud.

That prop set didn't weigh 198 grams even with the box thrown in.

Nanette, though, looked relieved and quickly waved the host on with the rest of the program.

Partway through, I went to the restroom. When I came out, Antonia was standing at the far end of the hallway, staring into space.

I walked over and handed her a note.

There was just one line on it:

【The gift list and the gold set should be tested, preferably today.】

Antonia looked up at me, surprise flickering in her eyes.

I didn't explain any further.

Whether she believed me was her choice.

But at the very least, I wanted to give this innocent girl one more chance to wake up.

After the party ended, I stopped Nanette at the door.

"Nanette, it's time to give the gold set back."

Her face darkened. "What's the rush? I still need to take it back and let the bride's side get a look at it. Nine o'clock tomorrow morning, I'll bring it to your place."

I looked at the jewelry box in her arms. "What you said on the recording yesterday was that you'd return it as is once the engagement party was over."

She held her temper down. "There are so many people here today. Are you determined to embarrass me?"

Asher came over too, his tone impatient.

"Elaine, it's just a set of jewelry. My mom said she'll return it tomorrow, so tomorrow it is. Chasing after it like this, what does that even look like?"

I smiled.

"Fine. Nine o'clock tomorrow morning."

Nanette turned and left with the jewelry box in her arms, her steps quick, as if afraid I'd change my mind.

I stood at the hotel entrance and watched her get into the car.

Last time, I had watched her carry off the real gold set just the same.

This time, I watched her leave again.

Only this time, I wasn't the least bit worried.

3: 3

At nine the next morning, Nanette didn't show.

At nine thirty, the doorbell rang.

My father opened the door, and Nanette, Asher Sawyer, her husband, and a handful of relatives who liked to stick their noses in all crowded into our home.

Nanette's eyes went red the moment she stepped inside.

"Oh, Elaine, I've let you down."

My mother's face went pale. "Nanette, where are the pieces?"

Nanette pressed a hand to her chest like she'd been wronged beyond all telling.

"They're gone."

The living room went silent in an instant.

I looked at her. "How, exactly?"

She had her story ready, and she burst into tears at once.

"After the party ended last night, there were so many people. I was carrying the box out to the car, and somewhere in the crowd someone bumped into me. I didn't notice the box was gone until I got home. Elaine, my heart aches over this too, but it's already happened…"

Crying all the while, she pulled a stack of cash from her bag and slapped it down on the coffee table.

"That set cost eighty-eight thousand back when you bought it, didn't it? I'll pay you ninety. That's more than fair."

My mother was shaking with anger. "Do you have any idea what gold is worth now? You think ninety thousand settles it?"

Nanette dabbed at her eyes right away. "That's an ugly thing to say. Whatever it cost then, that's what I'm paying now, plus two thousand extra. I didn't lose it on purpose. Do you want me to ruin myself over this?"

My uncle chimed in to smooth it over. "Elaine, we're all family here, and your aunt's already paying you. Ninety thousand isn't small. Don't blow this up."

Another relative jumped in. "Asher just got engaged yesterday, and here you are picking at it today. Bad luck, all of it."

I looked at that stack of cash and almost wanted to laugh.

In my last life, she'd worn this exact face.

Paid me ninety thousand for gold worth over two hundred, and expected me to be grateful for it.

I didn't touch the money. I just opened my phone and started recording.

"Aunt Nanette, you're certain all three pieces are gone?"

Her crying hitched.

Asher frowned. "What are you getting at?"

I ignored him and kept my eyes on her. "In your own words: the jewelry box is lost, and none of what was inside can be recovered. Is that right?"

She looked like she'd had enough of my questions, and her voice went shrill.

"Yes! Gone! I'm paying you, aren't I? Elaine Winfield, don't be so greedy!"

I nodded.

"Then what's this ninety thousand for?"

Nanette answered at once. "To pay you back for your gold set. Everyone here is a witness. I've paid, and after this we're square."

I took out a sheet of paper and slowly wrote it down.

【Received from Nanette Winfield: ninety thousand dollars as temporary compensation for lost jewelry. Whereabouts of original items pending.】

Nanette gave it one glance and her face changed on the spot.

"What do you mean, whereabouts of original items pending? You trying to shake me down?"

I drew the paper back.

"Then I won't sign."

Nanette was so furious her face went a shade of green.

Asher let out a cold laugh and turned his phone on me to film.

"Everybody take a look. She just thinks the money's too little. My mom's kind enough to pay her ninety thousand, and she still won't let it go."

Nanette shoved the stack of cash across the coffee table at once.

"The money's right here. Whether you take it is your business. Either way, I've paid."

They came in a noisy crowd, and they left in a hurry.

Right before she went out the door, Nanette made a point of telling the relatives, "From now on, none of you go to Elaine when you need help. Not a shred of feeling between family, only money."

After the door shut, my mother was so angry she was near tears.

"She's bullying us, plain and simple."

I bagged up the ninety thousand from the coffee table and sealed it.

"Mom, don't touch this money yet. She's not paying us. She's leaving herself a piece of evidence."

My father froze. "What do you mean?"

I walked to the window.

Down below, Asher was driving Nanette away.

The car didn't head toward the Sawyer place. It turned toward the west side of town.

I watched the taillights and said quietly, "Her home isn't on the west side."

There's nothing over there but a row of pawnshops.

4: 4

Less than ten minutes after Nanette left, a video from Asher popped up in the family group chat.

In it, the stack of cash on the coffee table was filmed in perfect detail.

Asher had captioned it:

【My mom already paid ninety thousand, and some people still aren't satisfied. When it comes to this between relatives, it's honestly heartbreaking.】

People in the chat chimed in fast.

【Elaine, your aunt already paid up. Let it go, that's enough.】

【Young people these days count every penny. They'd throw away family over it.】

【Nobody wanted the gold set to go missing. Nanette didn't do it on purpose.】

I didn't reply.

I just sealed the bag of cash, untouched, inside a clear evidence bag, taped it shut, and photographed it for the record.

I wouldn't touch a cent of that ninety thousand.

Because it wasn't compensation.

It was proof that Nanette was swallowing the gold cheap and trying to call it even.

My mom stood beside me, so angry her hands were shaking.

"How can she do this? She's the one who lost the pieces, and now we're the greedy ones?"

I put the sealed bag of cash into the cabinet.

"Mom, don't panic. If she dared post that video in the group, it means she thinks this is already over."

My dad frowned. "What do you mean?"

I walked to the window.

Down below, the car had already vanished past the intersection.

I said quietly, "She thinks ninety thousand bought her more than two hundred thousand."

At 1:12 in the afternoon, my phone rang.

It was the prop shop owner.

His voice was low. "Miss Winfield, Frederick James over at the westside pawnshop just called me to check a serial number. Someone's trying to pawn sample A17 as gold."

My fingers went still.

"Are they still in the shop?"

"They are. Frederick didn't take it in, and he hasn't handed the footage to anyone. He called the police first, by the book, and had his clerk keep them there. I pulled the sales record on my end. Sample A17 is the exact set you bought yesterday."

"What did they say?" I asked.

The prop shop owner paused.

"Frederick only told me one thing. It's a mother and son. They claim they already paid a relative ninety thousand this morning, so the gold set belongs to them now."

I laughed.

Nanette really never disappointed me.

Before he hung up, the prop shop owner reminded me, "Miss Winfield, you can go over, but don't get into it with them. The shop's footage and recordings can only go to the police, not to any private person. If you want the evidence, wait for the police to pull it."

"I understand."

I grabbed my bag, and before I walked out, I sent Antonia a message.

【If you want to know whether the gold set on yesterday's gift list is real or fake, come to Frederick's pawnshop on the west side right now.】

Half an hour later, I reached the west side of town.

Nanette's car was parked outside the pawnshop.

The door was ajar. The police hadn't arrived yet.

I didn't go straight in. I just stood by the door.

At the counter, Nanette and Asher had their backs to me.

Asher shoved the jewelry box toward the owner, an edge of impatience he couldn't hold back in his voice.

"Boss, take a look. How much can you give me for this set?"

The pawnshop owner opened the box, but he didn't name a price. He only asked, "Where's the receipt? Proof of purchase?"

Nanette waved a hand, irritated.

"It's our own property. Who needs a receipt? Just tell us how much."

Asher lowered his voice. "Solid gold, a hundred and ninety-eight grams. We need cash fast, so give us a fair price."

The owner picked up the bracelet and weighed it in his hand. His expression turned a little odd.

"You're sure this is solid gold?"

Nanette smiled at once.

"It was on display at yesterday's engagement dinner. The gold set the Sawyer family gave our daughter-in-law. Of course it's solid gold."

Asher backed her up. "Don't try to lowball us. My mom already paid a relative ninety thousand to keep this set. I know what gold's going for right now, so don't try to cheat me."

Hearing that, my fingers tightened a little around my phone.

Paid me ninety thousand.

Kept the gold set.

So they hadn't even bothered to hide the story.

The owner didn't respond. He took out his gold-testing tools, then held a magnifying glass to the inner rim of the bracelet.

Nanette was still gloating.

"Asher, what did I tell you? Ninety thousand for more than two hundred thousand, this deal's no loss. That girl thought she could go up against me. She's still green."

The next second, the owner looked up.

His voice wasn't loud, but it landed cleanly in everyone's ears.

"This isn't solid gold."

Asher's face changed all at once.

"What did you say?"

The owner turned the bracelet over and pointed at a line of tiny characters on the inner rim.

"Brass, gold-plated. A wedding display sample."

"That ninety thousand you just paid out bought a box of fakes."