Chapter 416: Chapter 416: Is That Chinese? Why Can’t I Understand?
The shop assistant scoffed contemptuously. "It’s obvious you’re out of the loop. This isn’t just Mrs. York; she is also Mr. Sloan’s future mother-in-law!
"Sure, the York family might not be a big deal to you, but what about Mr. Sloan? Can you afford to offend him?
"Mr. Sloan treasures Miss Thea York nowadays and is currently upstairs accompanying her to pick out jewelry. Mrs. York only came downstairs to browse to give us face. If she’s taken a liking to this ring, you’d better know what’s good for you! If you offend Mrs. York, you’ll suffer the consequences!"
Penelope was speechless. She wondered if the girl was even speaking English. Why could she understand every single word, but put together, they made absolutely no sense? What did she mean by Nathaniel doting on Thea and accompanying her upstairs to pick out jewelry? What did she mean by Mrs. York being Nathaniel’s mother-in-law? Then what about Estelle?
Mrs. York frowned and looked over, having clearly overheard the commotion and grown impatient. "What is the meaning of this? You dare try to snatch what I have my eyes on?"
The shop assistant hurriedly placated her. "No, no, Mrs. York, you misheard. This ring is yours. It’s an honor that it caught your eye!"
Penelope snapped back to reality and laughed out of pure exasperation. "What a robber."
"What a joke!" Mrs. York was feeling incredibly smug right now. Knowing Nathaniel’s attitude, she tacitly considered herself his mother-in-law, which meant she could practically throw her weight around Crestfall. She looked at Penelope contemptuously. "Do you know who I am? A robber? Kick this woman out!"
The shop assistant immediately moved to act.
Estelle Lockwood smiled faintly. "So it’s Mrs. York."
Only then did Mrs. York notice Estelle standing behind Penelope. Her arrogance instantly flared even higher. "Oh, and here I wondered who it was! Your husband is already with my daughter. How can you still be so shameless?"
Penelope was stunned. She wondered what on earth the woman was spouting. Forget about what Nathaniel was actually thinking—she wasn’t clear on that yet. But just Mrs. York’s words alone were filled with so many things to ridicule. Her daughter was with someone else’s husband, and she was proud of it?
Penelope couldn’t help but say, "Maybe our customs are just different, but around here, we call that being the mistress."
The onlookers fell silent, struggling hard to hold back their laughter.
Estelle also let out a soft chuckle.
It took a couple of seconds for Mrs. York to realize she was being mocked. Her face flushed red as she pointed at Penelope. "W-what do you mean by that! Are you just jealous that my daughter has Nathaniel’s favor?! Right, you’re Estelle’s friend! You’re just bitter!"
Penelope stared at her, thinking the woman was a complete lunatic.
"Mrs. York," Estelle began with a light chuckle. Instead of bringing up Nathaniel, she glanced at the ring on the woman’s finger and drawled, "You should probably take that off first..."
Mrs. York scoffed angrily. "What a joke! I fancied it, so why should I take it—"
"If you keep wearing it, your finger won’t be able to handle it," Estelle advised sincerely. "The band is too small. Doesn’t it hurt having it stuck like that?"
Only then did the crowd notice that Mrs. York’s fingers were somewhat plump, while the ring band was clearly designed for a slender finger. After she had jammed it on, her finger was severely pinched, the fingertip already turning white from the lack of circulation.
Mrs. York choked on her words.
Estelle drawled on, "Why is it that both Mrs. York and Miss York love squeezing into rings and clothes that don’t fit them?
"Yesterday at HY Studio, Miss York insisted my gown was hers, only to find she couldn’t fit into it.
"Today, Mrs. York managed to force a ring on, only to get it stuck. I really don’t understand. Why do the Yorks always prefer things that are a size too small?"
Penelope couldn’t hold back. "Hahaha."
Mrs. York’s face turned livid with rage. "Estelle Lockwood! What are you so smug about?! I set my eyes on it, so..."
"Mrs. York, when I came in, I saw that this shop’s slogan is ’The Only True Love’..." Estelle chuckled lightly, sweeping her gaze over Mrs. York and the shop assistant before asking with feigned curiosity. "I wonder whose ’only true love’ you are, Mrs. York? Are you his only true love?"
The phrasing was a bit convoluted, but everyone immediately understood the implication. Penelope didn’t hold back at all.
"That’s right, Mrs. York. Everyone knows you’re the mistress. Yikes... A ring meant for someone’s ’only true love’ doesn’t quite seem appropriate for you, does it?"
Mrs. York trembled all over, waves of dizziness hitting her brain. She wondered what they meant by that. They were just two juniors, yet they dared to disrespect her so brazenly! Calling her the mistress?!
Back then... Back then...
"Not to mention..." Estelle continued. "This is an anniversary ring Penelope bought for her parents. Aside from this women’s ring, there’s also a matching men’s ring.
"It’s a couple’s set. What does it mean for Mrs. York to snatch away a ring meant for Penelope’s mother?"
Penelope immediately contorted her face as if she had swallowed a fly. "What are you trying to do? Do you have your sights set on my dad now?!"
Penelope was never one to hold her tongue when wronged. Although she was the Vice President of Star, her own family actually held considerable status as well; they just weren’t based in Crestfall. She immediately called her parents. "Dad! The custom anniversary rings I ordered for you and Mom—some woman snatched the women’s band! She even went on about ’The Only True Love’ and how ’she set her eyes on it.’ Oh, right, she’s the Mrs. York from the York family. Dad, are you messing around with her? Are you cheating on Mom?!"
On the other end of the line, Mr. Sullivan was completely bewildered before realizing his daughter was putting on a play to complain about someone.
"Your dad has very high standards. I only have eyes for your mother. I wouldn’t spare a glance at any other woman, let alone Mrs. York... Wait, I remember your mother having very slender fingers. Can Mrs. York even fit into that ring?"
Mrs. York’s face flushed crimson. She trembled so violently with rage that she looked like she might faint at any moment.
Penelope curled her lip. "It doesn’t fit, but she’s still trying to force it on. That’s why I said she must have her sights set on you. After all, she has a history of seducing married men, and now she’s insisting on stealing Mom’s ring..."
Mr. Sullivan chuckled. "That’s a gift from you to your mother. There’s no reason to let anyone else snatch it away. If Mrs. York refuses to return it, then she can expect a lawyer’s letter."
"You got it!" Penelope chirped.
Hanging up the phone, Penelope smiled and asked, "I’m so sorry, Mrs. York. My dad is quite angry. Look at you, snatching things from others without even bothering to find out who you’re dealing with."
Mrs. York clutched her finger tightly, absolutely refusing to hand over the ring.
She felt that since she had fancied the ring, it belonged to her! She had suffered grievances her entire life. Now that she finally had a powerful backer, wasn’t she allowed to flaunt her status a little?
In the past, in the York family, even though she had outlasted that woman and suppressed Stella York, she had always been burdened with the title of "the mistress." She had to do everything more perfectly than that woman had. The York family certainly hadn’t allowed her to spend extravagantly, either. Now that the York Group was under Stella’s control, she didn’t even get an allowance anymore.
It was rare for someone to actively curry favor with her. She had her eyes on this ring, so she was going to take it. Who cared if it belonged to someone else!
Estelle tilted her head with a smile. "It seems Mrs. York is unwilling to return the ring to Penelope?"