The cold, smooth sensation of the bracelet caressed Leanne's wrist, carrying the weight of generations of the Richardson family legacy.
Beyond its value, the bracelet stood for the passage of heritage through the family line.
She hadn't expected the heirloom to be passed to her instead of Phillip's future wife, especially not in front of the entire family. It was a complete surprise. Did it mean Jennifer had finally accepted her?
As the weighty jade pressed against her wrist, Leanne said, "Thanks, Jennifer."
"We're family, dear," Jennifer replied with a gentle look. "You deserve it."
Leanne paused, then corrected herself: "Thanks, Jennifer."
Nearby, Mary sat smiling broadly, her pride hidden behind her serene expression.
When Leanne returned with the bracelet, Joy and Selina supported her by each arm like two eager pages.
Their eyes glued to the bracelet on her wrist, almost drooling with envy.
"Look, you've got two," Joy reasoned earnestly, "Considering our tight-knit bond, sharing one with me isn't too much to ask, right?"
Selina cut in, not to be outdone, "Here. If you have two, wouldn't it be perfect for each of us to have one?"
After hearing them out, Leanne met their gazes and said, "I'm blessed to have you both."
...
That night, Leanne was undoubtedly the center of attention throughout the banquet until the auction concluded. People continuously approached her to offer a toast or start a conversation. As the party wound down and she started to feel a bit drunk, Curtis draped his coat over her shoulders as they left.
Once in the car, she rolled down the window to let in some air.
The cool summer night breeze played with her hair as she sat on Curtis' lap, their lips meeting amidst the dim light and the whoosh of the wind.
Hidden beneath his suit jacket, Curtis' hand trailed up her bare back.
"Did you steal my crystal chain?" Leanne playfully accused him.
"Are you talking about this?" Curtis' voice accompanied the cool metal that touched her ankle, winding up in circles.
She was momentarily stunned. "What are you doing?"
His eyes mysterious, he continued to kiss her slowly, murmuring, "Locking you up."
The chain was loose enough to dangle from her delicate ankle, but as he tied a knot and pushed it up her leg, past her knee to mid-thigh, the crystal chain tightly hugged her skin.
He hadn't done much, but the process was enough to make Leanne's body heat up as she whispered, "This won't keep me locked, you know."
"Who says it won't?" Appearing utterly composed, Curtis withdrew his hand and settled her into her seat. "There, sit properly."
Leanne tried to ignore the presence of crystal and metal as she sat on the leather seat, but it was impossible.
Wanting to remove it, she glanced at Jake in the driver's seat, knowing she couldn't lift her dress and fiddle with it in the car.
The drive was an ordeal, and when the car stopped in the hotel's underground garage, she realized they had arrived.
The instigator had exited from the other side and came around to open her door.
He stood outside, leaning casually on the car door, his eyes almost smiling like a hunter ready to pounce. "Come on out. I'll help you take it off."
Leanne met his gaze, fully aware of the trap, yet she still extended her hand to him and stepped out of the car.
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