Chapter 59
Anastasia looked around at everyone, then opened her bag and pulled out her gift. The moment people saw it, they were completely stunned. What the hell was that supposed to be? Some kind of wooden bracelet?
Oh my God! This was about to be absolutely embarrassing. Valeria couldn’t wait to pounce. “Ana, if you couldn’t afford a real gift, that’s fine, but bringing this… that kind of…award… don’t you think?”
Everyone around started whispering and gossiping. It was obviously just some wooden bracelet that was worth basically nothing. If she couldn’t afford real jewelry, fine, but bringing this random thing? What was that about?
Jesus! This was beyond bizarre. People couldn’t help but start snickering—this was going to be the talk of the town.
Anastasia calmly walked forward and presented the gift with both hands. “Grandma, this is what I picked out for you. Wishing you health and happiness.”
Tarra accepted the gift and examined it carefully. This bracelet was truly unique. And she could smell this subtle, pleasant woody fragrance that was somehow refreshing.
Patricia’s eyes flashed with surprise, then she broke into a rare, genuine smile. “Ana, this bracelet… where on earth did you find this?”
This was clearly no ordinary piece. And it was priceless—even if you had money, you couldn’t necessarily get your hands on something like this.
“Grandma, you can get wooden bracelets like this anywhere. Probably costs like ten bucks on Amazon,” Valeria jumped in dismissively.
Whitney chimed in with fake kindness, “Well, gifts aren’t about the price tag—it’s the thought that counts. This shows Ana’s thoughtfulness.” But her slightly smug expression showed exactly how condescending she was feeling inside.
They didn’t even need to do anything—Anastasia had just humiliated herself.
Before Anastasia could explain anything, a distinguished woman nearby spotted the bracelet in Patricia’s hands and exclaimed in shock, “Wait, is that genuine agarwood? The holy grail of rare woods? That’s an incredibly precious treasure! How did you acquire that?”
Holy shit! She’d finally seen one in person—this was the ultimate luxury item that money couldn’t even buy!
Everyone was absolutely awestruck. Especially since the speaker was Mrs. Connor, a famous antique collector and appraiser in Manhattan who knew her stuff—she definitely wouldn’t be wrong about this.
“Mrs. Connor, is this wood really that special? We’re not experts—we thought it was just regular wood.”
Valeria quickly added, “Yeah, wood is pretty common. The craftsmanship on this bracelet is decent, but it’s not like it’s some rare artifact or anything.”
Anastasia looked at Valeria coolly. “Ignorance really is terrifying. When you don’t know what you’re talking about, it’s better to stay quiet instead of broadcasting your stupidity.”
Valeria was speechless, her face cycling through shades of red and white. She turned to look at Josper, hoping he’d back her up, but his eyes were fixed on Anastasia with a complex expression.
Valeria was so pissed she was practically stamping her feet. Had she really been wrong? It was obviously just wood! No amount of fancy talk could change the fact that it was wood.
“Exactly! When you don’t know, shut up. This is genuine agarwood, which aromatherapy experts call ‘liquid gold.’ It has this incredible natural scent that’s like wearing the most expensive perfume, and the fragrance can last for decades. What Mrs. Kingsley has here, judging by the grain and aroma, is museum-quality.”
“It’s also a serious status symbol. It promotes relaxation and has therapeutic properties, especially beneficial for seniors—it can help with anxiety and sleep. So this gift is incredibly valuable in ways that money simply can’t measure.”
Mrs. Connor finished with a knowing smile, “If Mrs. Kingsley doesn’t want to keep it, I’d happily pay twenty million for it. Then she could buy whatever gifts she actually prefers.”