Chapter 3

After checking out the wedding dress, Maddie shifted her gaze to my hand.

"Claire, doesn't Alex ever buy you a diamond ring?" Maddie asked.

On my ring finger was a plain band. No diamonds, only some odd totem-like design. Under the harsh studio lights, it looked kind of drab and cheap, honestly like something you'd grab from a dollar store.

"Yeah, he did," I said, glancing down at my finger. On the day we got our marriage license, Alex had left two rings on the nightstand. One was a huge, blinding diamond ring, and the other was this plain band.

I thought the diamond ring was way too heavy and would get in the way, so I picked the lighter one.

"This one?" Maddie stuck her tongue out at the camera playfully. "Did Alex pick this up at a dollar store or something? Claire, don't mind me. I'm messing around."

Then she held out her slender hand, showing off her massive engagement ring, her voice full of sweet complaint. "I told Ethan not to go overboard. It's so heavy, but he had to buy it..."

Just then, Ethan came out of the study after finishing up some work and casually slipped his arm around Maddie's shoulders, giving her a quick kiss.

Maddie immediately put on her sweetest voice. "Ethan, Alex is so clueless. He didn't even get Claire a proper ring. Why don't we buy her one ourselves? It'd be like making up for Alex's oversight."

She thought her thoughtful gesture would win Ethan over, but she didn't expect his expression to shift dramatically the moment he caught sight of the ring on my finger.

"Maddie, don't underestimate the ring Claire's wearing," Ethan said, his tone unusually serious. "That's the Sutton family's heirloom crest ring. It's a symbol of the matriarch's status."

He paused, a hint of reverence in his voice. "As long as she's got that ring on, in Ostville, seeing her is like seeing Alex himself. She's untouchable."

Maddie's smile froze instantly. She stared at my so-called "dollar store ring," her eyes wide with disbelief—then slowly, that shock melted into pure jealousy and longing.

My mind short-circuited for a second.

This ring I always thought was ugly, the one I wore every day while scrubbing veggies or brushing my teeth, turns out to be the Sutton Family's matriarch crest ring? Of course Alex never bothered to mention it.

In that moment, it felt like all the air had been sucked out of the living room.

Madeline stared at the "rough" plain ring on my finger, her winning smile faltering. The live stream chat was exploding, and some high-society bloggers were already breaking down how valuable the Sutton Crest really is. The vibe shifted faster than a tornado.

To break the awkward silence, Madeline took a deep breath and instantly switched to her award-winning actress poise. She turned to look out the floor-to-ceiling windows at the mess outside. That's the lawn all torn up by the production crew for the flower backdrop.

"Claire, Alex and Ethan' mother, Helena Sutton must have her hands full keeping the Sutton Family running, right?" Madeline peeled an orange, acting all casual.

"My brand is organizing a donation drive for schools in the mountains. Why don't we chip in too? It'd be a good way to earn some karma for the Sutton family," she added.

Her words sounded sweet, but she was totally setting me up.

On camera, it's impossible to back down from a moral high ground like this. For her, a donation of a few hundred thousand is pocket change from her paycheck.

But for me, as the 'no-name, no wedding' wife, if I give too little, I'll look stingy. If I give too much, people will say I'm swiping Alexander's card.

I was taking my time sipping the freshly brewed coffee Martha brought over. When Madeline spoke, I lazily lifted my eyes and scrolled quickly through my phone.

"Claire, are you not willing?" Madeline asked, her voice turning softer as she sighed for the camera. "It's okay. Those kids in those poor areas might not have enough to eat or wear, but..."

"I'll donate 3 million," I said, setting down my coffee cup and cutting her off before she could finish her performance.

Madeline's smile froze on her face, and even Ethan, who was peeling an orange, nearly choked on his own saliva.

"You... how much did you say?" Madeline's voice wavered, barely holding it together.

"Three million, through the Sutton Family Trust," I said, flashing the background check report my assistant sent to the camera. "I was making sure the money actually goes where it should. I want every penny to count. I'm not about to fund someone's couture wardrobe."

I casually filled in Helena's name as the donor. "Since we're talking about earning karma, her name is the perfect fit. Madeline, how much did you say you were contributing again?"

Madeline clenched her jaw, her face stiffening under the gaze of millions of viewers. She forced herself to say, her voice trembling, "I... I'll donate 3 million too, in Helena's name too."

I glanced at her face, which looked like it was about to crack, but what I was really thinking was, 'Alexander handed me his black card, and I've barely swiped it this month. Maybe he thinks I'm too slow at spending his money.'