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“Jonathan, this is a gift from the Quinn family’s heiress. Go ahead, open it!”
At the mention of “the Quinn family’s heiress,” Marigold’s words made Marina’s expression falter ever so slightly.
By now, Marina was well aware that Marigold was deliberately trying to set Jonathan up with Ramona, the Quinn family’s golden girl.
After all, compared to the powerful Quinns backing Coralis, her own family background seemed insignificant.
Before, she’d had Jonathan’s favoritism to rely on–the Thomases had treated her with courtesy because of it. But now, her small studio was barely hanging on, and her parents‘ business survived only thanks to the resources the Thomas Group provided.
Marina knew all too well that, in Marigold’s eyes, her own family–the Thorntons–had always just been leeching off the Thomases.
But the Quinns? That was a different story.
The Quinn family could actually bring profit and status to the Thomases.
Jonathan took the gift box from Marigold. Inside was a tie–designer, classic, unmistakably expensive.
Marina couldn’t help but laugh to herself. Jonathan already owned plenty just like it. Clearly, the Quinn family’s heiress hadn’t put much thought into her choice–or maybe her taste was just limited.
Marigold’s smile was a little strained.
She privately agreed–Ramona Quinn’s birthday gift for Jonathan was a bit thoughtless. But she couldn’t say that out loud. She couldn’t let Jonathan think that Marina’s gift was the best one.
Truth be told, Marigold hadn’t even planned to invite Marina to today’s birthday dinner. Previously, it had been because Jonathan liked Marina–and Marina herself had been eager. But now, with a better prospect like the Quinn heiress on the horizon, any further entanglement between Marina and Jonathan would only cause trouble.
The only reason Marina got an invitation was because she’d let slip that she’d be giving Jonathan a birthday present worth a fortune.
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The Thomases weren’t short on money, but, really, who ever complains about having more?
Marigold had agreed to invite Marina only for the sake of the gift. And in the end Marina’s present had certainly lived up to expectations.
In reality, Marina was broke. She’d had to borrow money from her parents just to commission the custom gemstone portrait she brought tonight.
Her mother, Edna, had spared no expense, hoping Marina could win Jonathan’s heart back.
Marina herself didn’t believe that anyone else’s gift could possibly top the one she’d prepared so carefully.
“Jonathan, isn’t this tie gorgeous? The Quinn heiress really does have great taste,” Marigold said, lying through her teeth.
“Here, try it on, let’s see if it goes with your suit.”
She held Ramona’s tie up to Jonathan’s jacket, while Marina, standing nearby, found herself subconsciously studying him.
“Jonathan, is that a new suit? It’s not really your usual style, is it?”
The moment Marina spoke, Jonathan’s mind flashed back to the memory of Niamh and Elmer picking out this suit together.
It wasn’t even a style he liked…
But he wore it anyway.
And now that it was on, he felt uncomfortable in every possible way.
Niamh had picked out designer suits for him before, but he’d never worn any of those–in fact, he’d given the whole lot away to Prescott.
He wondered, if he wore one of those now, would it fit better than this ill–fitting getup?
Noticing his discomfort, Marina tried to figure out what she might have said wrong. Jonathan’s gaze slipped from Marina’s gemstone portrait to the tie from Ramona. Finally, he glanced down at the suit he wore–ill–fitting, unflattering, not his taste at all.
Measured by both thoughtfulness and value, Marina’s gemstone portrait stood in a
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league of its own.
In silence, Jonathan regarded Marina’s delicate, artfully made–up face.
