novelxo Chapter 247
Chapter 247
“I can handle my own drinks, Natalia,” I reply, working to keep my voice even as the bar tender delivers two sparkling glasses of
prosecco.
“Clearly,” Natalia remarks, smirking at me. “You cannot.”
I roll my eyes a little and reach for my and Daniel’s glasses when suddenly Natalia reaches for my left hand, quick as a whip, a little hiss on her breath.
Shocked, I turn to her as she clasps my hand, pulling it closer to her so that she can stare at my ring.
“He gave it to you?” she asks, looking up into my face with wide. eyes. “This engagement ring?”
I hesitate, a little shocked. “Yes?” I reply, hoping it’s the right answer. “Daniel thought it would be…good. For me to have his mother’s ring.”
I’m a little shocked by Natalia’s reaction as she turns her eyes once again to the sparkling diamond and then drops my hand as if it’s a hot coal. She turns her face up to mine again, glaring at me as she grabs her drink. “Don’t be a fool, girl,” she sneers. “That ring was never Daniel’s. If you have it, it’s because he wanted you to.”
Chapter 247
2/4
And then Natalia spins and walks away faster than I’ve seen her move before, her elegance and poise ruffled for a moment. As she walks, though I see Natalia straighten her shoulders and smooth out her steps, as if our strange encounter never happened.
“Hey,” Daniel says at my side, and I jump a little. I had been so focused on Natalia that I didn’t see him coming.
“Hey,” I say, giving him a brief little smile, and then I reach for his drink on the bar and hand it to him, taking my glass of prosecco as well.
“What was that all about?” he asks, looking after Natalia’s retreated form. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen her…perturbed before.”
“She got upset,” I say, turning and frowning after her, “when she saw my engagement ring.”
“Oh,” Daniel says, raising his eyebrows and then nodding with understanding. “Well, that makes sense,” he says, giving a little shrug and putting his arm around my waist, guiding away from the bar and towards a little bench underneath a rose arch, where we’re alone.
“Why does that make sense?” I ask, sitting down next to him and taking a sip of my drink, not really tasting it.
“Because,” Daniel says, grimacing a little. “That ring has…more
history than we’ve told you before.”
“What?” I breathe, my eyes going wide. I look down at the ring again, shocked. “Is it what’s wrong with it?” I know that it was Lenai’s engagement ring and, somehow, I had assumed that it came from her family, a Bianci heirloom passed from bride to bride, and Daniel only got it because he was the only boy.
“Nothing’s wrong with it, but…” Daniel hesitates. “Well. Let me start at the beginning.”
I sit next to him, tense, desperately wanting to know but having no idea where the hell this is going.
“That’s my grandmother’s ring,” Daniel says, gently taking my hand and admiring it. “Dad’s mom.”
My mouth makes a little surprised “o” – I hadn’t realized that this was a Lippert heirloom.
“My grandmother gave it to dad when he was eight and she shipped him off to Italy, after his father was killed. She knew that he would be safe there, and the ring with him. She told him to protect it with his life, and to give it to the woman he would marry.”
“Oh,” I say, looking down at the ring again with new
appreciation. “I mean, it’s always been beautiful, but I had no idea it had such a…complicated story,” I say, my words a little awed. I look up at Daniel again, who is watching me closely. “So, then he gave it to your mom?”
Chapter 247
4/4 “Well, yes,” Daniel says, a little awkward, looking away from me and running a hand through his hair. “But…he gave it to Natalia first.”
“WHAT!?” I hear myself shrick, and the party goes a little quiet, everyone turning to stare at me.