Novel Storm
Chapter 261
Chapter 261
"I didn't bring it."
Ever since Bill mentioned that a box of stones could be worth millions, Cordelia had been far too cautious to casually wear them around. She kept them safely at home instead. But how to explain such a valuable box of stones to Lorna was beyond her, so she hadn't mentioned it to anyone at home yet.
Daniel looked a tad disappointed when he heard her, but when Cordelia kept referring to them as mere stones, it reminded him of how she calmly stated they were just a few rocks when they fell to the ground. It was clear she wasn't trying to show off. After all, the box of stones had fallen from her desk not because she was flaunting them but because of a playful scuffle among her classmates.
Piecing these thoughts together, Daniel concluded in class, "Real or fake, Cordelia didn't mean to flaunt those gems that day. Let's stop spreading rumors in our class, okay?!"
Though most of the classmates came from well-to-do families and were generally well-mannered, they nodded in agreement at his words.
However, Hayley let out a scoff, not directly naming Juliana but clearly targeting her, "How unfortunate for Juliana, bringing out a gem just when Cordelia brings a whole box to school, clearly trying to outdo you. Such a person doesn't deserve to be your sister!"
Juliana remained silent, her eyes downcast, wearing the ruby ring she had taken off that day. Laurinda had returned home the previous night, insisting they were just stones, making Juliana realize they must be fake. She thought to herself, how could her uncle's family possibly own a box full of gems?
Despite Daniel's plea, the rumor spread too quickly in this digital age. During a break, Cordelia was skipping rope when some boys ran up to her, shouting, "Rocks or gems, hard to tell apart!"
The girls were even more curious, "It's true you're smart, but why hog all the perfection? Pretty and rich too, leaving no room for the rest of us!" "Could the gems also be fake, and maybe her smarts too?"
"She finishes tests so quickly; couldn't be cheating, could she?"
"Anyway, best keep our distance from someone causing such a stir. No smoke without fire, right?"
Unbothered, Cordelia saw members of the Flame Union come to her defense. Flame No. 1 retorted, "Why's it always you stirring things up? Didn't your mom teach you not to talk behind people's backs?"
The others quickly dispersed.
Gathering around Cordelia, Yates mentioned, "I finished all the assignments you gave me last night. Can you bump up the pace a bit?"
Cordelia was taken aback, having given Little Flame quite a hefty workload. Noting the dark circles under his eyes, she couldn't help but ask, "Didn't you sleep?"
Yates stubbornly replied, "I did sleep."
Flame No.1 chimed in, "At 3 AM, you were still asking me for worksheets, and today you were the first in class. You've barely slept five hours, right?" Yates shot him a glare, clearly not appreciative of the commentary.
Cordelia then said, "Alright, I'll send you today's assignments later."
Yates nodded and returned to his textbook, adhering to Lia's advice on integrating and consolidating science subjects while using spare moments to memorize literature or vocabulary.
Flame No.1, noticing Yates's transformation into another Lia, suggested with resignation, "Your hair's getting long again, the roots are showing. Let's all go dye our hair after school."
The group agreed, with Flame No. 1 curiously inquiring why Yates never seemed to dye his hair, yet it never looked dark.
Yates just rolled his eyes, uninterested in responding.
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The day flew by, and upon returning home, Cordelia found Lorna dressed to the nines, chatting with Mathilda in the living room. Smiling at Cordelia's arrival, Lorna said, "La, change into something nice. We're going to a party."
Cordelia, puzzled, asked, "What party?"
Lorna explained, "Mrs. Collins's birthday. She's having a small gathering of close friends and their daughters. Considering you and doy Collins are friends and you haven't seen her in a while, I thought it'd be nice for you to join and not just stay cooped up at home studying."
Cordelia glanced at the math textbook she had planned to tackle tonight... but then thought better of it. She'd soon be leaving for college, so spending more time with her mom seemed like the better choice.
She nodded in agreement.
Lorna presented her with a red dress and, like pulling a rabbit out of a hat, produced a gemstone bracelet, offering it to Cordelia with a flourish, "Lia, look, surprise surprise, didn't expect this, did you?"
Cordelia caught sight of the bracelet, a flicker of recognition in her eyes, "Isn't this...?"
Lorna burst into laughter. "Exactly,
the ones you stashed away in your
room. When was tidying up today, I couldn't help but notice how pretty those stones were. And those five red ones, identical in every way caught my eye. So, I strung them together with some twine, Looks gorgeous, doesn't it? With that dress, this bracelet is just the cherry on top!"
Cordelia was speechless. She glanced at the 'gems' now gracing Lorna's wrist and couldn't help but twitch a smile, yet she didn't have the heart to break the news that they weren't mere stones.
Well, if Bill thought those rocks were just for show, might as well wear them! A single red gem worth millions, and here were five... Emmm...
Dressed in her striking red dress and sporting the red gem bracelet, Cordelia followed Lorna to the Collins family's grand soirée.
At the Collins' gathering, whispers filled the air.
"Have you heard? My daughter told me about that girl the Delaneys brought back from the orphanage. She dug up some rocks and flaunted them at school as if they were real gems. Kids these days, so young yet so vain, huh?"