Chapter 434
Chapter 434:
“An emergency alert feature, huh?” Donna’s curiosity was piqued, her fingers itching to give it a try. But Yelena, ever the voice of reason, warned her not to press the button unless the situation truly called for it. With a sigh, Donna reined in her inquisitiveness, knowing some mysteries were better left unsolved—at least for now.
Donna took the watch and practically skipped downstairs, eager to show it off. It wasn’t every day she received something so novel.
That was when she spotted Cayson, already wearing his own. Sleek and understated, Cayson’s watch was a deep matte black, as effortlessly cool as its wearer.
When his gaze landed on Donna’s wrist, recognition flickered in his eyes.
“Yelena handed this to me on our way back. I took it as a thoughtful gesture,” he explained with the calm composure he always carried.
Donna could tell that Cayson genuinely liked it. These smartwatches, while not cheap, wouldn’t usually impress people like Cayson, as each of his watches was easily worth a fortune. Yet, Cayson willingly swapped his luxury watch for this one from Yelena, showing his sincere appreciation.
“Donna, your watch looks amazing! Is it new?” Katelyn inquired.
Donna smiled. “Yes. Yelena brought it for me. Cayson has one too p>
Initially, Bernice assumed Yelena had gifted Donna a luxurious timepiece, judging by Donna’s excited and proud expression. But once she got a closer look, she realized it was just a simple smartwatch.
Bernice couldn’t help but wonder—would the Harris family truly value something like this?
“Is this all she gave you? And you actually like it?” Bernice blurted out, her words barely escaping her lips. Cayson’s icy gaze pierced through her like a dagger, sharp and unforgiving, as if ready to slice her down.
Startled, Bernice quickly clapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with regret.
Katelyn shook her head in disapproval, her voice soft but firm. “Bernice, let’s not be rude. It’s the thought that counts. Whether it’s simple or not, if it’s a gift, it will be appreciated p>
𝗥𝖊𝖆𝗱 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝖔𝗇𝖑𝗒 𝗮𝘁
She couldn’t help but feel a pang of disappointment. She wondered if Yelena’s choice to skip her meant she wasn’t even a blip on Yelena’s radar, not even deserving something as small as a token gift.
Bernice grumbled under her breath, her frustration simmering just below the surface, though she kept her composure in front of Cayson. Her lips formed a pout, a clear sign of her discontent. Bella also wasn’t won over by the watch. Still, she plastered on a fake smile, feigning admiration. “I can’t believe Yelena didn’t give me one. Maybe she doesn’t see me as family. But I do see her as my sister. Maybe I just need to prove myself more. I’ll show her I’m worthy p>
A sly glint flickered in Bella’s eyes as she lowered her gaze, a smug smile playing at her lips. Her scheme was well on its way.
Donna rushed to explain, “That can’t be right, Bella. Yelena probably just hasn’t had the chance to give it to you yet.” Bernice leaned in closer to Bella, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Even if Yelena did buy such watches for us, would we even care p>
Bella smirked, a quiet chuckle escaping her lips, though she said nothing in response. After all, a smartwatch wasn’t exactly a treasure worth boasting about. She had no intention of wearing it out and becoming the punchline of her friends’ laughter.
Upstairs in her room, Yelena’s phone buzzed, breaking the quiet hum of her thoughts. She glanced at the screen and blinked in surprise—a message from Austin. Since they’d exchanged WhatsApp contacts, Austin had been silent, like a forgotten name on a contact list. If he hadn’t reached out tonight, Yelena might’ve continued forgetting he was even there.
Austin’s message caught Yelena off guard. “Do you have something to say to me earlier p>
Yelena paused. She did have something she wanted to ask him—it had flitted across her mind earlier, nothing urgent, just a fleeting curiosity. Still, now that Austin had opened the door, she figured there was no harm in walking through.