Chapter 544

Melody glanced at the box on the floor. Debra’s offer wasn’t bad.

“Fine,” Melody said, her voice cold and measured. “I’ll pawn this box of valuables to you for now. But you’ll have to present the money now and send them away.”

“Sure,” Debra agreed. “But before we move forward, I have one condition.”

“What condition?”

“The deal is fine, but I don’t want to come out too far in the red. This ring looks nice. How about you let me have it?”

“Are you kidding me? Do you even know how much this ring is worth? At least one billion dollars.”

“I’m well aware. At auction, it could even fetch more. But turning it into cash takes time, and finding the right buyer at the right price isn’t guaranteed. Plus, auction houses take a hefty cut. Not to mention, if word got out that the Nichols family was selling off their treasures, it would damage your family’s reputation. It would impact business, don’t you think?”

She laid out the logic, knowing full well that Melody wouldn’t want to go through the trouble of liquidating the ring.

“But if you were to gift this ring as a family heirloom to me, I could help you. If you ever find yourself short on funds again, you know I’ll be around to support you.”

Melody couldn’t argue with the logic. As much as the ring was valuable, it was just a showpiece. Giving it to Debra as an heirloom would keep it in the Nichols family, and if Debra and Juan divorced down the line, the ring would inevitably be returned.

“Alright, it’s yours now. But let’s be clear. If you and Juan divorce, that ring comes back to me.”

“Okay.”

Debra sneered inwardly. Verbal agreements like this never held weight. Once the ring was gifted, there would be no obligation to return it.

Debra handed a check to the Vargas, who happily took it and left. Debra produced a contract she had prepared earlier and handed it to Melody.

“Grandma, please sign here.”

The contract outlined the terms of their agreement, with everything written clearly. Melody put on her reading glasses and reviewed the document carefully, ensuring there were no loopholes. She signed the paper and passed it back.

“Even if the money’s returned, it’ll go to Juan. You’ll get nothing out of this.”

“Juan’s money is his to lend. It’ll be returned to him, naturally,” Debra said smoothly. “I’m simply acting on his behalf.”

With that, she slid the sapphire ring onto her finger and admired it in the light. “Lovely! Thank you, Grandma.”

+25 BONUS

Melody was not impressed at all. The ring had once been a gift from her late husband. Ironically, it now sat on Debra’s hand.

“Mrs. Nichols Sr., should we put this box in Mrs. Nichols’ room?” Sophie asked.