Chapter 749

"How could it be, Mom? Am I not here for you?"

He started to get up, but Elizabeth held his wrist tightly.

"Don't go! If you leave, I'll have nothing." Damian frowned.

"Mom, I'm not leaving. I'm just getting you a glass of water. Your lips are so dry, they're flaking."

Elizabeth touched her lips, realizing they were dehydrated. She sighed.

"Flaking? Who would care if my lips started bleeding?"

"Mom, don't talk like that. Don't you think I care about you? Dad does too!"

"Your dad? Please!"

She snorted, still upset.

"After all these years, all he does is pay lip service. Deep down, he only cares about that woman."

"You're just upset, Mom."

He filled a glass of water, handed it to her, and helped her sit up. While she sipped, he said, "You've been with Dad for so many years. You must know how he feels about you. Besides, I think Dad still loves you."

"He loves me, yet he couldn't bear to part with ten million dollars and gave my necklace to someone else?"

Saddened, she stopped drinking and set the glass down. Damian, sensing her anger, tried to comfort her.

"It's about the necklace, huh?"

"See! Even you know. Imagine what other people are saying! I've never felt so disgraced!"

Burying her face in her hands, she explained that she hadn't watched the news or checked Twitter for two days, fearing ridicule. To avoid others' judgment, she'd ignored calls and stopped seeing friends.

"You're overthinking it!"

He gently pulled her hands away, smiling. "I haven't heard anyone making fun of you. It's just a necklace. Do you really care that much?"

"What do you know? I've wanted that necklace for a long time, ever since the auction announced it."

"Well, you can get another piece of jewelry, right? Or did you only want that necklace for the rest of your life?"

Caught off guard, Elizabeth quickly retorted, "Of course not! One necklace isn't enough!"

"There you go!" Damian laughed. "Look, one necklace is never enough, and you know that. Mom, soon the Tanner Corporation will be ours. Then you can have as many necklaces as you want—enough to make others envious. No need to be impatient."

Elizabeth calmed down.

"Are you sure you can do that?"

"Hey, don't you believe in me? I'm your son!" Damian said, feigning anger.

Seeing his mock anger, Elizabeth relented.

"Damian, I believe you, butas long as you believe you can do it. I've suffered all my life, and my only wish is that you'll succeed. I'll stop worrying if you head the Tanner family."

"Mom, don't worry. It's going to happen soon. When the company is mine, I'll move you in with the Tanner family. You'll be the matriarch, and you can keep that woman as a maid—or kick her out!"

His words resonated with Elizabeth. She nodded.

"You're right! Then we'll be the ones pushing her around."

"Oh, Mom, I have a gift for you." He patted her hand and pulled a perfume bottle from his briefcase. "This is my first creation. It'll soon launch internationally and become a top seller. I brought one for you."

"Really?" Elizabeth's face lit up.