Nicky's father's legs trembled beneath the table. He wanted to shout—Bunny, please stop talking!—but the words died in his throat.
Nicky showed no signs of slowing down. His sharp words continued to lash at Louissa like whips, each one stripping away her pride. And the frightening part? Mrs. Clavel looked almost pleased at what she was witnessing. If Nicky's father interfered now, the Clavel family would surely take offense—and that was a risk he couldn't afford.
Louissa's face was a picture of desperation. She shook her head furiously, eyes brimming with tears.
"No! I had no intention of showing off! I only thought that aside from this jade bracelet, Amari might have prepared other gifts as well, so I bought several more. I never wanted to steal my cousin's spotlight!"
Nicky's lips curved into a cold, unforgiving smile.
"Is that what you call concern? What kind of concern humiliates the very person you claim to care about? The truth is, your explanation is worthless."
