I Slapped My Fiancé—Then Married His Billionaire Nemesis novel Chapter 335

Chapter 335 A Bad Penny

‘Haven’t you heard? I told you, the old man left Skyline the day after Frank came to see him. Mum and Daniel went with him. They’re on a cruise, supposedly a world tour, no idea when they’ll be back.‘

“They didn’t think to take you with them?‘

Rhys shrugged. ‘What would be the point? Frank knows I don’t have that kind of money. He wouldn’t bother coming after me. Besides, he’s got nothing on me.‘

In other words, if I wanted information about Frank, Rhys was the only person I could work with.

Either him, or my mother, Caroline.

I picked the lesser of two evils.

‘What’s the favour?‘ I asked.

‘Come with me,‘ Rhys said.

‘Where to?‘ I was suspicious.

‘You’ll see soon enough.‘

When I didn’t move, he added, ‘What, you don’t trust me enough to get in the car?‘

I sent a quick text to Yvaine, apologising for cancelling dinner, and then got in.

Rhys took me to a styling salon. First, they did my hair, then applied meticulous make–up, and finally helped me into an exquisite evening gown.

Rhys gazed at me, spellbound. ‘You look stunning.‘

I headed for the door. ‘Let’s go.‘

I knew getting me all dressed up could only mean one thing: he was taking me to a function. I just hadn’t expected it to be a private viewing party.

The display cases glittered under brilliant chandeliers, though not as dazzlingly as the precious jewels held within them.

My attention was immediately captured by the central display, and for a moment, I forgot all about Rhys and the party.

Suspended within a delicate framework of platinum was a flawless, star–cut ruby. Not the usual deep scarlet, but a rare pigeon’s blood red, so vivid it seemed to glow with its own inner fire. A note attached to the display case said it was a two–hundred–and–fifty–carat stone, sold at a private auction for a world–record sum.

The platinum setting was shaped like a coiled serpent, its body encrusted with hundreds of tiny, colour–shifting sapphires that shimmered from deep blue to violet, creating the illusion of moving scales with every shift of light. The serpent’s head was a single, immense pear–cut emerald.

‘I knew you’d like it.‘

I pulled myself away from my near–reverent study of the incredible piece and looked at Rhys. I stopped myself from thanking him for bringing me; after all, I’d only come because he’d made me, and I didn’t want him to think I was softening.

But deep down, I was genuinely grateful he’d brought me here. Before Ashton, jewellery had been my one true passion in life.

“Who owns this?‘ I asked.

Rhys told me a name that meant nothing to me.

He said, ‘He’s a wealthy old man with a serious collecting habit. Loves all sorts of rare things, and loves showing them off even more. He hosts these viewing parties pretty regularly.‘

I looked back at the ruby choker. If I owned something like that, I’d want to show it off every single day.

‘Mirabelle.‘

I turned, surprised to see Ashton there.

Just last night, I’d refused to accompany him to a function. And now, here I was, showing up with another man -my ex–boyfriend, no less. The situation was… well, to say it was awkward would be putting it mildly.

‘I didn’t know this was the function you had in mind,‘ I groped for anything to say.

Ashton said nothing, his eyes boring straight into mine.

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