"You don't know how to act, huh?"
Jane drew out the last word, exchanging a meaningful glance with Lilian. Then, they stood up at the same time and said to Laurence, “Lilian and I came back with you because we were worried something might happen, but it seems everything went smoothly, so we can stop worrying.
"We're exhausted from rushing back. We'll go and rest now."
Laurence understood exactly what they were trying to do. He and Noelle stood up to see them off, but Lilian refused.
"We're all family. Stop acting like strangers. You two get some rest too, or you can discuss how you're going to play the part of a couple."
Lilian patted Laurence's shoulder as she passed, encouraging him to confess to Noelle.
Jane said to Noelle, "You're family to us."
Noelle tried to respond, but Jane stopped her.
With that, the two ladies left.
Only Laurence and Noelle were in the house.
Laurence turned to Noelle and asked, "Where's the necklace I bought at the auction?"
"In the car," Noelle responded.
They had left in a hurry and gone straight to the Longbottom family estate after returning to Havenmill, so the necklace was still in the car.
"I'll go grab it now, Mr. Laurence."
Noelle went outside and soon returned with an exquisite box. Inside it was the necklace Laurence had bought at the auction. He did not lack money, and the item was small, so he simply paid for it on the spot and took it home.
"Mr. Laurence."
She handed him the box.
Laurence took it and opened the lid, then placed it on the coffee table. He picked up the necklace and gestured for Noelle to come closer.
Noelle was confused but did as she was told.
"Put it on. I want to see how it looks."
Noelle froze and looked at Laurence's handsome face, hesitating. "Sir, this necklace is incredibly precious, and also carries great significance. It's an heirloom meant for the wife of the family head."
Although it had been lost for many years, Laurence bought it back precisely because it had once belonged to his ancestors.
It meant a lot to him.
Even if it was just to try it on, it was not appropriate for her to wear it.
"The necklace is valuable, but no matter how valuable it is, it's just an item. I bought it, so it belongs to me. That means I can decide what to do with it."
Laurence stepped behind her as he spoke, intending to put the necklace on her, but she stopped him again. "Sir, if you just want to see how it looks, let's wait until Mom has had some rest. You can see how it looks if she wears it too."
A necklace this exquisite would only shine if worn by someone with Jane's elegant temperament.
"Noelle."
Laurence did not press the issue. He looked deeply into her eyes and asked in a low voice, "What do you think of Mom's suggestion?”
A flicker of shock flashed in Noelle's eyes. She did not dare to meet his gaze.
She shuffled her feet and quietly took a step sideways, trying to put some distance between them.
At that moment, she felt an incredible pressure from Laurence.
His gaze was so deep that simply meeting his eyes made her heart race.
What was wrong with her?
She had never felt like this before.
It was all Lilian's and Jane's fault for what they said two days ago.
They had both told her that Laurence loved her!
Noelle calmed herself, trying her best to keep her voice steady. "Sir, I'm not good at acting."