Under the gaze of the guests, Su Qin suppressed her inner joy, already bracing herself for the humiliation to come. But as soon as the gift was opened, the young women nearby covered their mouths in astonishment.

“Thorned Rose!”

It was a delicately crafted pink diamond necklace, its high value attributed to the large central pink diamond—a rare gem of pure, vibrant color and flawless shape.

At first, Su Qin was delighted upon seeing the diamond necklace. But then she realized something was off.

Wasn’t this the same necklace Su Wan’s father had gifted her for her coming-of-age celebration?

Su Qin had envied this necklace for so long, almost wanting to snatch it away. Su Wan cherished it as her most valuable piece, wearing it to countless grand events.

Su Qin regretted acting uninterested in such “superficial trinkets” in front of their father, which had led him to believe she didn’t care for jewelry. On her own coming-of-age day, all she received was a lavish birthday party and some expensive flowers cultivated in the garden.

Su Wan’s father’s face darkened. Wasn’t this his gift?

He had managed to get it cheaply by chance back then. Had he known Su Qin wanted it so much, he never would have given it to his ungrateful eldest daughter.

“I knew you always wanted it,” Su Wan said, smiling. “Back then, you often mentioned it to me. Now that the necklace feels a bit young for me, it’s perfect timing to give it to you. Do you like it?”

Su Qin’s expression turned from pale to flushed.

If she refused, she’d appear rude, and people would criticize her for not being gracious about such a valuable gift. But if she accepted it with joy, it would confirm that she had been coveting Su Wan’s belongings all along.

Su Xiaoqing interjected, “Since Wan Wan is so generous, just accept it.”

After all, it was just a necklace. She could buy Su Qin an even pricier one later if needed—far better than Su Ming’s stingy hand-me-downs.

Su Wan’s father saw nothing wrong, adding, “This necklace is so beautiful; it suits you best.”

Su Qin clenched her teeth and accepted it.

It was the jewelry she had long desired, but receiving it in this way felt humiliating, as though she were begging for handouts like a pauper.

Su Qin was sensitive, proud, and hated anything that would tarnish her dignity. If someone truly hurt her pride, she would wish them sent straight to the depths of despair.

Especially Su Wan, standing in front of her with a smile, handing her a second gift.

Su Qin forced a smile and said, “There are so many presents; I’ll open the rest later.”

“Oh, it’ll be quick.”

Su Wan called a young server over and said kindly, “My sister’s a bit delicate and may find unwrapping everything tiring. Could you help her?”

“Of course.”

The young man respectfully began unwrapping the gifts.

“This is a Lamborghini key,” Su Wan said. “A gift I received on my twenty-first birthday. You once mentioned how much you loved it, but no one bought one for you. You were quite sad, and my parents even argued because your twenty-first birthday gift was just a small apartment near your school.”

“This one is from when I was sixteen…”

“This…”

Su Wan reminisced as she listed each gift, her tone calm. Each one had a common theme: they were gifts from her father or other family members, things Su Qin had once envied and wished for but never received.

With every word Su Wan spoke, Su Qin’s face grew paler.

The guests around them listened to Su Wan’s recounting, quietly marveling at the story: Su Wan’s own father, practically absent from her life, had allowed a family intruder to cause endless turmoil. And wasn’t this all because of Su Ming’s indulgence?

Some guests began to whisper.

This Su Qin wasn’t as simple as she appeared.

Who knew how many people she’d fooled with that innocent facade?