Chapter 5 Divorce? I Promise You

She snatched the box from Evelyn's hands, opened it, and exclaimed, "How could this... No wait, Evelyn, how could you give Auntie a fake?"

Scarlett cried out in shock, even pretending to lose her grip, and dropped the pearl necklace on the floor.

The already worn clasp instantly shattered, and the pearls scattered everywhere.

Mocking voices seemed to rise from all around, and every pair of eyes seemed to be speaking of Evelyn's disgrace.

"You..." May pointed at Evelyn standing in the crowd, so angry her eyes rolled back. "What an ungrateful wretch."

Scarlett quickly helped May sit down and handed her a glass of warm water.

"Maybe it's all a misunderstanding. Evelyn, quickly explain to Auntie. You surely didn't mean to give her a fake, right?"

Scarlett pretended to be generous again, trying to take Evelyn's hand, but Evelyn dodged away.

She looked at Anthony, who had been standing there the whole time.

This pearl necklace, along with the box, had been handed to her by him personally.

Now, facing Scarlett's deliberate framing, she wondered what choice Anthony would make.

Time passed second by second.

He did nothing, just watched coldly from the sidelines, like all the other spectators in the hall, here to watch Evelyn's humiliation.

"Evelyn..."

Scarlett spoke up, acting as if she absolutely had to clear Evelyn's name.

"This necklace wasn't meant as a gift from me to you, because I didn't prepare any gift for you at all."

Evelyn had no idea about May's birthday, so how could she have prepared a birthday gift in advance?

Though Anthony had mentioned his mother's upcoming birthday, Evelyn had actually commissioned a custom pearl bracelet, but she hadn't picked it up yet. Not that she needed to give it to her now.

"You really are a... bitch. All these years you've eaten our food and lived in our house, yet you still can't give my son a child. Now you don't even care about your mother-in-law's birthday. Are you deliberately trying to ruin my birthday party?"

Everyone present looked at the mother and son differently now.

At this banquet where everyone's dignity should have been preserved, Evelyn had actually admitted that she hadn't prepared a birthday gift for May.

Anthony didn't expect Evelyn to be so heartless, like she'd gone crazy. He quickly walked to Evelyn's side.

"I told you about Mother's birthday ages ago. How could you not prepare a gift for her? You're not just trying to escape responsibility for giving a fake, are you? You haven't seen many really nice things, so it's normal to be fooled for a moment. Just apologize to Mother properly, and she won't..."

"I just didn't prepare anything." Evelyn spoke coldly again. "And even if I had prepared something, I wouldn't want to give it to Auntie."

She didn't even call her "Mother" anymore.

This made Anthony and May even more furious.

"So you really don't respect me as your mother-in-law. What did I do to deserve this, marrying a daughter-in-law like you who doesn't respect her elders? I really..."

May cried and made a scene. Anthony had to step forward to comfort his mother.

Evelyn placed the receipt for her pearl bracelet purchase on the table and spoke.

"I know Auntie loves pearl bracelets. I did want to please you, so I commissioned a unique bracelet for you in advance. I thought maybe we could make peace, but I didn't expect someone had already done this favor for me."

Seeing how May and Scarlett acted together today, Evelyn knew the two must have met privately many times before.

Scarlett walked over and tugged at Anthony's sleeve, lowering her voice.

"Anthony, did I mess things up by trying to help?"

Anthony shook his head and gave Scarlett a reassuring look.

"If you did something wrong, you should take responsibility. Apologize now, and Mother and I can forgive you. Don't say anything else."

Evelyn didn't follow Anthony's advice. Instead, she opened the receipt for everyone to see.

"I spent three million on this custom bracelet. From the type of pearls used, to the silk thread, to all the accessories, I personally oversaw everything. The staff at the shop can all testify for me."

Testify that Evelyn really was preparing for May's birthday.

But clearly, the entire Taylor family didn't deserve Evelyn's thoughtfulness.

"I knew Evelyn wouldn't let Auntie down like this. Since there's a custom bracelet, Evelyn, just bring it out quickly. Don't let Auntie be upset anymore."

Don't let her be upset anymore.

Everyone had seen that receipt, with its special pattern that only that particular studio would have.

"I said, I'm not giving it anymore."

Evelyn had clearly produced evidence proving she had prepared a birthday gift, and that this cheap necklace was definitely not what Evelyn had prepared.

But the man she loved so deeply still wouldn't let it go.

He pulled Evelyn aside. "Evelyn, you said you had a custom bracelet made earlier. Either bring it out now, or admit this necklace is what you bought. Don't worry, I believe Scarlett just made a mistake. If you take the blame for her today..."

"And this cheap necklace was given to me by Ms. Miller through my husband's hands, with instructions for me to present it as a birthday gift." Evelyn said.

"How could this possibly have anything to do with me? Auntie... this has nothing to do with me..." Scarlett said.

Before Scarlett could finish, Evelyn took out her phone and played a recording.

It was a recording of the conversation between Anthony and Evelyn in the room earlier, clearly stating that this necklace was a birthday gift Scarlett had prepared for Evelyn, and that it had been delivered through his hands.

"Auntie... I..."

Scarlett hadn't expected Evelyn to have kept a backup plan. Neither had Anthony.

Now the situation was impossible to resolve, and everyone waited eagerly to see how this farce would end.

May looked at Evelyn, who was being so calculating, then at Scarlett, who was crying pitifully.

"So what if Scarlett gave you this thing? It's only because you didn't even remember your mother-in-law's birthday. Scarlett just wanted to... Besides, if you already prepared a birthday gift, why not give it to me? Who are you planning to give it to?"

"Anyone would do. Even if I threw it in the water, at least I'd hear a splash. Better than being called a freeloader and an ungrateful wretch." Evelyn threw May's words right back at her.

Anthony: "Evelyn, that's enough. Apologize to my mother now, or I'll..."

"Or what? Divorce? Fine, I agree. Let's get divorced. From now on, I have nothing to do with you or the Taylor family."