Realizing her misstep, she quickly stepped back, biting her lower lip and looking at me. "Elizabeth, if you mind, I won’t wear this necklace anymore. Can I return it to you?" She unfastened the necklace and carefully placed it in front of me, adding cautiously, "The gems are cut into a baby's breath design, which may not suit your age."
She immediately covered her mouth. "I’m not saying you’re old. I just really loved this gift from Mr. Worthington, so I posted it on Instagram to show it off. I didn’t mean to provoke you. I didn’t know you liked it."
"I was young and naive, Elizabeth. I really envy a mature, strong woman like you who never makes mistakes. But I can’t match your composure."
I remained silent, watching her performance. The starry-sky necklace before me was cut from the sapphire I had purchased at an auction. My mother-in-law’s birthday was coming soon, and she loved sapphires, which was why I had flown overseas to buy them.