DRAMA NOVEL ONLINE Chapter My Toyboy 6
Chapter 6 30%
At the end of the red carpet, a crowd had gathered. In the center stood Susanna, dressed simply in a traditional tunic and loose pants, as if she had just come from an exercise at the park
Despite her grey hair, she looked vibrant and youthful, with bright eyes and only faint wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. Her slightly round face had a touch of fullness, proving that age was just a number. Cynthia thought to herself, 'Now that's what they call aging gracefully
Behind Susanna was a gift table loaded with presents from guests, a mountain of beautifully wrapped boxes of all shapes and sizes.
Shirley was opening a square silk box to present her gift. "Mrs. Susanna Bennett, this is a birthday gift from the Jones family of Roncrity-a complete set of custom jewelry from QUEEN, worth three million dollars."
QUEEN was an internationally acclaimed luxury jewelry brand that had taken the world by storm just three years ago, favored by elite women for its stunning designs.
Susanna glanced at the jewelry in the box and smiled, "Thank you, Ms. Jones."
Shirley continued excitedly, "I'm so glad you like it! But it's not just about the price. QUEEN only makes custom pieces, each one unique. It took a lot of effort to get this necklace because I thought only a brand like QUEEN would suit you." Susanna raised her hand, signaling a nearby server to take the gift. Just as Shirley was about to say more, the server whisked the box away and put it onto the growing pile behind Susanna casually.
"The next gift comes from the Zimmerman family of Betrico," announced the elderly butler, Zach z
Guests had to register their names at the door and present their gifts in the order
y arrived.
Frustrated at being cut off, Shirley stepped back to join Selena. She couldn't understand why Susanna didn't seem impressed by the extravagant gift. Even the guests watching nearby didn't offer her a single compliment.
But then it hit her. The families from Betrico were all presenting gifts worth a fortune-items like stunning sphene sculptures, Victorian ceramics, and antique paintings, each valued at least tens of millions. By comparison, her 3-million-dollar jewelry felt insignificant. "Now presenting the next gift from the Yates family," announced Zach.
Cynthia and Filip stepped forward together. Shirley's eyes shifted to Cynthia, and an amused smirk crept onto her lips as Cynthia offered her gift.
Cynthia opened her box, revealing a neatly arranged set of small incense sticks wrapped in red velvet. "This is a birthday gift from the Yates family. I hope you like it, Mrs. Susanna Bennett."
'Cynthia really thinks her little habit of making incense sticks will stand out at such a high-profile party? It feels so self-indulgent. What value do her tiny sticks have compared to the extravagant gifts Susanna has already received?' Shirley sneered to herself. Susanna picked up the box and sniffed it with a pleased smile. "Thank you, Ms. Jones.",
Cynthia was taken aback. 'How does Susanna know my last name? I registered as Mrs. Yates.
Just as Susanna was about to hand the box to the server, Shirley piped up, "Mrs. Yates, I heard you like making incense. Did you make this yourself?"
Cynthia had already spotted Shirley before. But only then did she turn to face Shirley and smiled, "Yeah, it's just a little
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hobby of mine. This scent is called 'Laron Floral Essence, and it's made using traditional methods with roses, agarwood, and various spices..."
Shirley's eyes lit up with a mix of triumph and scorn. Before Cynthia could finish, Shirley interrupted, "Mrs. Yates, do you think it's appropriate to give something you made as a birthday gift for Mrs. Susanna Bennett's seventy years? How much do you think this box of incense is worth? A thousand? Ten thousand?"
Instantly, all eyes turned to Cynthia and Filip, the tension thick in the air.
Shirley shot a glance at Filip on purpose. "Has the Yates family fallen so far that you can't even offer a decent gift anymore?"
Filip's face was tense. He had caught a cold from the air conditioning the night before and had been feeling dizzy all morning. So, he handed the task of picking out a gift for Susanna over to Cynthia.
Matthew had stressed how important this meeting was for the Yates family, mentioning there was no budget limit for the gift. Filip didn't expect that Cynthia would prepare a box of homemade incense. If they offended the Bennett family with such a lackluster gift, their project at Paradise Resort could collapse.
Just as Filip was about to scold her, Cynthia spoke up calmly. "I found out Mrs. Susanna Bennett came to Roncrity three years ago to deal with her insomnia, so I thought this incense might help her sleep better." She had done some research at the office that afternoon and learned about Susanna's sleep issues.
Shirley smirked, "It's just incense. Don't make it sound like a miracle cure. If aromatherapy were enough, we wouldn't need hospitals, right?"
At that moment, a red-haired woman next to Susanna leaned in to sniff the box. "This isn't your typical Laron Floral Essence. It smells a little medicinal," she noted.
Cynthia replied, "I modified the traditional formula and added herbs like calamus and passionflower, so it does have some health benefits."
"Grandma, I love this scent. If you don't want it, I'd be happy to take it off your hands." The red-haired woman, Yvette, smiled at Susanna-she had flown in from abroad just for Susanna's birthday.
"Who says I don't like it?" Susanna shot back before eyeing Cynthia with a kind smile. "I just caught a whiff, and it's already making me feel refreshed. Zach, please take this incense to my bedroom so nobody else can grab it." Zach nodded and carefully took the box from Yvette's hands and turned to leave.
Shirley's face fell. 'I spent 3 million dollars on this jewelry, and it hardly impressed Susanna. Meanwhile, Cynthia's homemade incense has already won her over and secured a special place. What's wrong with these rich folks?' The gift-giving continued, but many guests began to drift away after presenting their gifts. Feeling humiliated, Shirley decided to make her exit. Just as she turned to leave, she overheard some guests whispering about her. "That must be the biological daughter the Jones family found three years ago. I heard she grew up in an impoverished area."
"No wonder she has that countryside-bumpkin vibe. She had to explain the price of her jewelry? Can't she see the sphene bracelet on Susanna's wrist is worth 60 million? Who doesn't recognize that her necklace is just entry-level QUEEN? I felt embarrassed when she said it was worth 3 million."
"Actually, the woman who just gave the incense used to be the daughter of the Jones family."
"That makes sense. It was pretty mean for her to put Mrs. Yates on the spot like that. I think Mrs. Yates is graceful and composed, like she's meant for greatness."
"Speaking of, that incense she made smells amazing. I could smell it from across the room. That's real luxury, unlike those. who just throw around numbers."
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Shirley's fists clenched, her anger brewing inside her. 'Everyone adores Cynthia. But all that elegance and confidence is stolen from me. One day, I'll definitely tear down her glamorous façade and reveal her true colors to everyone!
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