Chapter 20

Kylie took a subtle deep breath, trying to stay calm as she said, "I used your card, but in the end, I didn't make the purchase. I returned the items and got a refund." With that, she pulled the black card from her pocket and held it out to Samuel. "Here's your card back." He didn't take it. Instead, he narrowed his eyes dangerously while exuding cold fury. "So, you got your revenge and the money refunded. Should I praise you for knowing how to wield power?" There was mockery and indifference in his tone. His eyes were filled with coldness as he stared at Kylie, who was smiling gently, with hostility. Iris had spent over 600 thousand dollars in that jewelry store, and yet Kylie had spent over one million. One single extravagant purchase. The conclusion was obvious. Iris had been fooled by her. A wave of bitterness surged in Kylie's chest. Praise? He was mocking her again. She met his gaze head-on and said in a composed voice, "You once said that even if the future Mrs. Vance is nothing more than a placeholder, at the very least, she should be respectable and presentable. How could I afford to make a fool of myself at the shopping center in front of so many people? "That wouldn't just embarrass me. It would humiliate you and tarnish the Vance family's reputation." Samuel let out a cold chuckle. "So, are you saying this is my fault now?" "Yes," Kylie said bluntly. "You do bear a lot of responsibility. If you were so worried about me hurting the woman you actually care about, you shouldn't have given me this card in the first place. Without it, none of this would've happened. "Men like to showcase their power and capability in front of women, while women seek ways to test their importance in a man's heart." He took in her words, then let out a humorless laugh. "And? Did you get your answer?" "Yes," she murmured. Her slender fingers tucked the black card into the breast pocket of his suit. "The winner was never me. At least, not yet." His gaze flickered as he watched her movement, and an unexplainable emotion flashed through him. For a brief second, he was caught off guard. Then, his face turned sullen. "It never will be." It wasn't about the money. He simply despised women who played games and schemed. And she had done both. She met his sharp gaze and said softly, "Never say never." Just then, his phone rang. He didn't catch the last thing she said, nor did he care to. He pulled out his phone, glanced at the caller ID, then answered in a voice that was suddenly smooth and gentle—completely different from before. "I know," he said. "This amount of money is nothing… "You've been through a lot lately. Buy whatever makes you happy. That's all that matters…" On the other end of the line, Iris had put the call on speaker. Hearing his words, she exchanged a triumphant smile with Euphemia. After she hung up, Euphemia was practically beaming. "See? I told you. 600 thousand dollars is nothing to him. Look at you, getting all worked up over nothing. You just spent 600 thousand dollars on a diamond necklace—so what? His life is worth far more than that, and he owes it to you." "Mom!" Iris quickly cut her off. "You can say that to me, but don't ever say it in front of Samuel." If she did, how would that make her any different from Kylie? "Relax, I know what I'm doing." Iris lowered her gaze, her beautiful eyes brimming with jealousy and resentment. Her voice was tight with frustration. "Samuel gave me a black card and gave one to Kylie as well. She just spent over a million dollars to buy a diamond necklace today." "Over a million dollars?" Euphemia was shocked. She had never spent this much money before. Iris said with worry, "Mom, Kylie is more cunning than we thought. I spent two years getting a black card from Samuel, and that was only because she forced him into marriage. He gave it to me as compensation since he couldn't marry me. "But she got one in just a few days. If this keeps up, I'm afraid he might actually develop feelings for her. And if he ever finds out the truth about what happened back then…" "What are you afraid of?" Euphemia scoffed. "Samuel spoiling her doesn't mean he loves her! She's just a backwoods nobody. He gave her the card so she wouldn't embarrass herself in public, that's all." "Really?" Iris' eyes lit up, and her mood instantly improved. "Of course," Euphemia snapped. "Are you stupid? Why did you only spend 600 thousand dollars and let her outdo you? Remember that you're the only one he truly cares about. Kylie is just a homewrecker. Act like it! Show her who's in charge!" "I didn't want to overdo it and leave a bad impression on Samuel," Iris said. "Kylie spent over one million. It might look like she won, but all she really did was disgust him further. She's just digging her own grave." She paused, then let out a soft laugh. "Mom, think about it. It's all because of us that Kylie is spending Samuel's money, living at Hythe Villa, and getting everything she wants. "If we hadn't brought her out of that rural dump and introduced her to the Vance family, do you think she'd be where she is today?" Euphemia's eyes gleamed with understanding. She immediately pulled out her phone and dialed Kylie's number. "Kylie, you're living large at Hythe Villa and enjoying the good life. Don't you think it's time we settled some debts?" Kylie let out a cold laugh. "What debts?" "It doesn't matter that I wasn't the one who took care of you. I gave birth to you. And if it weren't for me, you never would have had the chance to latch onto the Vance family in the first place. You stole Iris' fiancé, and now you're living the high life. "If you want to cut ties with the Dale family, then give me one million dollars. Otherwise, don't blame me for airing your dirty laundry to the press." Euphemia raised one of her eyebrows as she talked smugly. Hearing her shameless words, Kylie was filled with icy rage. "I never asked to be born. The very thought of it disgusts me. As for why you brought me back to the Dale residence, we both know the real reason." She remembered that day clearly when Euphemia had first brought her back. "Kyls, you may be our biological daughter, but we've taken care of Iris for 20 years. She means the world to us. She's been spoiled since birth. She simply can't handle the truth of not being our real daughter. "So, we have to ask you to make a little sacrifice. We'll tell everyone you're just an adopted child of the Dale family. You're so understanding. I'm sure you can see where we're coming from. "Iris has never suffered. She's not as strong as you. You grew up in the countryside and can endure hardships well. That's why we need you to do the bone marrow transplant for your father. "You've spent years healing strangers as a doctor. Now, you have the chance to save your own father. You're kind—you wouldn't just let him die, would you?" She wouldn't stand by and watch a stranger die, let alone her own father. And so, she had donated her bone marrow. While recovering in the hospital, she had stumbled upon Iris and Scott tangled together and had overheard them. That was when she learned the truth about the emerald pendant and the Vance family. Everything had been a setup from the very beginning.