Chapter 849
Chapter 849
849 Chapter 848
Keira's announcement sent the store manager into a panic. He stared at her, completely dumbfounded.
"I'll take the watch," Keira said calmly, her tone leaving no room for debate. "Charge it to my card."
Her confident demeanor immediately drew the attention of everyone in the store. Eyes widened as the realization of who she was settled in.
The manager snapped out of his daze and respectfully took her card. A quick glance at the staff was enough to set them in motion. The idle salespeople swarmed around her with wide smiles and eager voices.
"Ma'am, you have such exquisite taste! This watch is the crown jewel of our collection!"
"Yes, there are fewer than a hundred of these in the world. You're incredibly lucky to get your hands on one!"
"You're absolutely stunning. What's your secret to looking so amazing?"
When Keira didn't respond, one of the saleswomen shifted her focus to Matthew, the man standing beside her. She smiled knowingly. "Ma'am, is this watch for him? He must be your husband, right? He's so handsome!"
Matthew adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses and opened his mouth to speak, but Keira beat him to it. "No, it's not for him."
Her response left everyone in stunned silence.
Turning to Matthew, she added with a faint smile, "We've spent the last seven days together on this ship. When I get home, I'll need to make up for it with the one waiting there. You don't mind, do you, Matthew?"
Matthew froze. His eyes widened, his face a mix of disbelief and helplessness. The rest of the staff looked equally flabbergasted.
Keira's smile didn't waver.
Matthew let out an awkward cough and replied, "I don't mind."
"Good."
The manager soon returned with the packaged watch and her card. Keira accepted them and left without a second glance, her presence leaving the store buzzing.
As soon as she was out of earshot, the gossip started.
"She said they've been together for seven days? No wonder they're dressed so low-key."
"The watch is for someone at home? This girl must be a trust fund baby. Look at her—so young, so beautiful. Definitely loaded."
"Of course! Who else could afford to be so reckless?"
"Man, I'm jealous."
The manager sighed dramatically. "I'm jealous of the guy with her. Do you think someone like her would ever notice me?"
The others fell silent, rolling their eyes.
Keira didn't need to hear their words to know exactly what they were saying.
Matthew frowned as they walked away. "Those people are unbelievable. They judged us based on what we wore and treated us like dirt. Then, as soon as they found out you have money, they couldn't kiss up fast enough. It's disgusting."
Keira shrugged. "It's normal. You'll get used to it."
Her thoughts drifted to her childhood. Isla used to drag her along on shopping trips, flaunting her wealth by buying luxury goods while Keira trailed behind like a personal assistant. When people asked, Isla would dismissively introduce her as "the maid's daughter."
Isla had wanted to highlight the gap between them, but instead, it only deepened Keira's belief in equality.
Lowering her gaze to the watch in her hand, Keira smiled faintly. She couldn't wait to see Lewis's reaction. He'd definitely be surprised.
The cruise ship soon docked, and Keira disembarked, spotting the Horton family's car waiting for her.
James was the one who'd come to pick her up. When she asked if anything had happened with the Olsens or the Hortons while she was gone, James scoffed. "What could possibly happen? Everything's fine. It's not like the families can't function without you. We all managed just fine before."
Keira chuckled, admitting that he had a point.
But before she could say more, Kate smacked James on the head. "Watch your mouth! Keira's not someone you can joke about. Sure, the Olsens and Hortons might survive without her, but the Freeman Sect? Not a chance!"
The two of them were practically inseparable these days, their wedding just around the corner.
James merely grinned at Kate's outburst, saying nothing more.
The car pulled into the Horton estate's parking lot just as another car arrived. Keira's eyes lit up as she recognized Lewis's vehicle. She got out of the car, her pace quickening as he stepped out of his.
She was just about to throw her arms around him when someone else grabbed her first.
Erin, pale and visibly upset, clung to her like a lifeline. "Keira, you have to do something! This man has lost his mind. As soon as we got off the ship, he insisted on taking a helicopter straight home! It was so rushed—I got sick!"
She barely finished before doubling over, gagging by the side of the car.
Keira didn't even glance at Erin. Her attention was on Lewis.
"I have a gift for you," she said.
"I have a gift for you," he replied.
They spoke in unison, their words overlapping.