Chapter 519 A Public Confession
The handsome ruler of Finch Group and the stunning heiress of the Young family stood side by side, looking utterly compatible to the eyes of the audience.
The way she looked at him was full of affection, and even the auctioneer felt like she was third-wheeling. After placing the ring into Anastasia's hand, she quickly descended the stage. With that, the two stood onstage, fueling the ambiguity in the air. Anastasia almost couldn't contain her excitement. She held the ring and couldn't help but think of the plan she had concocted to provoke Rose.
She initially wanted to sow discord between Rose and Jonathan, but at that moment, she desired more. She wished she could freeze time and stand by Jonathan's side forever, accepting the praising and admiring gazes as they did now. Only she deserved to be with him! "Aren't you going to give that to me, Ms. Young?" Jonathan piped up, piercing the silent yet ambiguous air.
The way he urged her sounded like he couldn't wait to get the ring. But what would he do after he received it? Would he return it to Anastasia as a gift in front of everyone? Yes, that had to be it! The crowd became increasingly excited.
Jonathan's reminder pulled Anastasia back to reality. She handed the ring, together with its exquisite box, to him with a smile. Knowing Rose was watching, she gazed at him even more affectionately.
As expected, Rose felt her heart clenching at that moment. Even Clover couldn't help but stand up.
Meanwhile, Jonathan retrieved the ring box from Anastasia and closely appraised the ring. "What a ring," he complimented.
"Jonathan..." Clover growled.
Before he could say more, Jonathan interrupted him. "Too bad..." He sighed and shook his head.
Too bad? What went wrong?
The crowd couldn't comprehend him. Despite that, they still firmly believed that Jonathan would give the ring to Anastasia by putting it on her finger.
As such, they watched with anticipation but slowly realized that wasn't happening. Instead, Jonathan held the ring with an indecipherable look.
After some time, he slowly recounted, "Last time, at the National Jewelry Design Award organized by the Young's House of Jewels in Aquastead, I purchased a pair of couple rings." His voice was calm.This material belongs to NôvelDrama.Org.
The crowd assumed he was retelling the ring's origin and quickly became invested. Everyone perked up and paid attention to his words but failed to notice Anastasia, standing beside him, looking stiff. Her anxiety spiked at that moment.
"Those pair of rings were designed by an exceptionally talented designer. I used the red diamond from my family to craft them according to the design blueprint."
Instantly, the crowd was shocked to know Jonathan had partaken in making the ring. Since Young's House of Jewels was the leading player in the industry, while Anastasia was a jewelry designer, it all made perfect sense. On top of that, the red diamond came from the Finches!
"I spent an entire day and night on this. I shall consider this a collaborative work between the designer and I," Jonathan continued. Suddenly, his lips curled into a content and optimistic smile.
When retelling the stories about the ring and its designer, the crowd noticed that the originally cold and harsh Jonathan had transformed into a gentle and warm man.
That version of him was unlike anything they had seen, and it was precisely because of that designer that revealed this side of him!
"When I purchased these couple rings, I gave one of them to her. At that time, I even saw myself spending the rest of my life with her. I believe she knows how I feel as well."
Then, Jonathan gazed toward the audience. Rose looked up, meeting his burning gaze. The image of his solemn side profile when gifting her the ring resurfaced in her mind, leaving her in a daze. His words, "I saw myself spending the rest of my life with her", continued to echo in her ears, rendering her so shy that she couldn't meet his eyes.
Jonathan's public confession instantly sent the crowd into a frenzy. They didn't expect him to be such a romantic! With such a genuine and grand confession, one would expect he would propose next! That assumption made everyone in the audience perk up, while some women directed their admiring gazes to Anastasia.
At that moment, the doors to the venue swung open with a bang, prompting the crowd to look over in unison. Some recognized the man to be Jonathan's right-hand man, and he was pushing an object.
When Jonathan saw Leonard, he
revealed a smirk. "It's about time he
thought. He glanced indifferently at the red diamond ring in his palm, his gentleness from earlier converting inte harsh coldness.
The object Leonard brought piqued everyone's curiosity. However, the words that came out of Jonathan next shocked them.
"The pair of rings belong to a man and woman, while this... Well, since this is an extra one, there's no point in keeping it!" By the time he finished his words, Leonard had already moved the object onto the stage.
While the crowd was still confused by Jonathan's words, Leonard removed the lid on the handcart. Instantly, a burst of fiery red steam erupted. "What's that?" The audience couldn't see it.
However, Anastasia saw it crystal clear. That was molten lava! Was Jonathan planning to...
"You can't, Jon!" She instinctively stopped him.
However, that was the molten lava
Jonathan had Leonard arrange to be transported by helicopter from a research laboratory in Regalia! Why would a few feeble words from Anastasia stop Jonathan from doing what he wanted?
He smiled faintly and extended that diamond ring toward the lava-filled container.
"Jon, you can't destroy it. It's mine..." Anastasia blurted out of panic.
Jonathan's hand, holding the ring, trembled slightly, and his mocking smile deepened. "It's yours? If I remember correctly, I've just spent 50 million on this ring and even signed the contract. "Then, you handed the ring to me. I thought this ring belonged to me now. Isn't that right? What do you guys think?"
He looked at the audience, but the crowd was too stunned to think by then.
What was happening? Didn't he purchase the ring to give it to Anastasia? He looked so gentle when making his confession. Why did he seem so cold and nonchalant when looking at her? And what did she mean by "you can't"? What was she preventing him from doing?
The audience gazed at Jonathan, and his question lingered in their mind. Almost instinctively, they nodded in agreement.
"Of course, the ring belongs to you, Mr. Finch!"