Chapter 228



Sarah was fuming. If Bria wasn’t some socialite princess, she would have unleashed a string of curses that would make a sailor blush. Biting her tongue, Sarah retorted, “Look, Jake’s been working his tail off lately, and as his girlfriend, it’s only natural I take care of him.”

Sarah claimed she had set the table with a feast fit for Jake, waiting for him to come back. To drive the point home, she even showed Bria pictures of her and Jake sharing meals, a happy past staring Bria in the face.

But Bria, ever so bold, wouldn’t budge. With a smirk that could curdle milk, she said, “Oh, Jake and my cousin have a business collaboration. They’ll definitely have plenty of future dinners together, and I will surely join them.”

Bria even had the audacity to ask Sarah if Jake had any allergies or dietary restrictions she should know about for their next dinner. This was a whole new level of low for Sarah. She’d always been the one who took things from others, never the other way around.

Bria might have looked like she was winning, but beneath that smug exterior, annoyance gnawed at her. Just as Bria’s mood went from simmering to boiling, she saw Kallie standing by the door.

Bria narrowed her eyes, a dangerous glint flickering within them. “What do you want?”

Kallie sauntered in, tapping away on her phone screen. “Listen up, Miss Nixon. I want to make a deal.”

Bria snorted, a laugh laced with pure sarcasm. “Are you even aware of the situation you’re in, Kallie? You think you’re in a position to bargain with me?”

Unfazed by Bria’s snide remarks, Kallie kept typing. “I’m pregnant, and this baby needs all the good stuff. That’s where you come in. I heard you’re having some trouble with your grandpa’s birthday present. He likes those fancy crafts, right? I can help you make one.”

Bria’s lips curled into a sneer. “Do you think I’m some kind of idiot?” she spat. “I can just whip out my credit card and buy one. Hell, I could probably find someone to knock me up a copy. Why the hell would I crawl to you for help?”

Kallie remained unfazed and continued. “Because deep down, you care about your reputation. If there was another option, you would have taken it already.”

Despite Bria’s frail appearance, Kallie saw a flicker of fierce determination in her eyes. Bria wouldn’t be pushed around easily; her pride was clearly on the line.

The Nixon family was Avalon royalty. Money flowed freely through their veins, and their name carried weight even though they weren’t actively involved in any local businesses.

In a family like the Nixons, where people practically breathed appreciation for high-end craftsmanship, a shoddy imitation wouldn’t fly for a second. Cutting corners with a cheap knock-off was out of the question. Everyone in the Nixon family knew their stuff, and Bria wouldn’t be caught dead being seen presenting something less than perfect.

Kallie wasn’t playing games. Her request was fair enough, really.

Kallie’s fingers flew across the keyboard. “Look him up yourself.”

Bria followed Kallie’s instructions and found Hayden’s studio profile.

The first thing that caught Bria’s eye was a video pinned to the top of the page. It was about the very same gift Kallie had made for Hayden during her apprenticeship. Back then, Kallie’s skills weren’t exactly top-notch, but Hayden had loved the gift anyway.

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