How Could You Just Throw It Away

Evelyn stared at the box in her hands, then shot a startled glance at Alexander. "A gift for me?"

After she had just finished lecturing him, he was giving her a present? It felt surreal.

A strange warmth bloomed in her chest. She hesitated, her fingers tracing the edge of the lid. "May I open it now?"

Alexander's intense gaze was fixed on her face, watching for the slightest change in her expression.

"Go ahead," he said, his voice low.

With a mix of excitement and trepidation, Evelyn lifted the lid. Her eyes widened.

Inside, nestled on velvet, was a breathtaking gemstone necklace. It was dazzling, overwhelmingly brilliant.

A sharp gasp escaped her lips. Instinctively, she pushed the box back toward him. "Alexander... this is far too much. I can't possibly accept this."

What was he thinking? They were buried under a hundred-million-dor debt. And he was buying her a necklace? An outrageously expensive one at that.

It made no sense. Wasn't he supposed to be practically bankrupt? Sure, they lived in the luxurious Serenity Oaks, and the garage housed expensive cars. But she had never associated those things with Alexander's personal wealth.

To her, the villa and the cars were just remnants, tokens the Blackwood family had given him to ease their conscience after casting him aside.

Ever since learning about the debt, she was certain he was in dire financial straits.

This extravagant gift completely threw her off balance.

Alexander's hopeful anticipation shattered. His expression darkened. "You're my wife. Is it so unacceptable for me to buy you something beautiful?"

Evelyn looked torn, her grip tightening on the box. "Alexander, we're drowning in debt! And you spend money on a gemstone necklace?"

She let out a frustrated breath. "And even if I kept it, where would I ever wear something like this? To the office? It's far too ostentatious."

Her voice softened, but the concern in her eyes was clear. "If I take it, it will just sit in a drawer. It's a waste. Please, return it. You should be saving every penny to pay off the debt."

For a moment, Alexander was speechless. He hadn't expected her to still be so fixated on his fabricated debt.

He didn't know whether to be touched by her concern or laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

But he had started this lie. He had to maintain it.

"I have a plan for the debt. You don't need to worry about it," he reassured her, though his tone was tight.

Evelyn sighed softly. "Alexander, I appreciate the gesture, I truly do. Once the debt is cleared, then you can buy me something like this. I'll accept it gladly then."

Her expression grew resolute. "But not now. I have to think about our future."

A dull ache formed in Alexander's temples. He was truly hoist with his own petard.

His voice was tense. "So you really don't want it?"

"That's right! I mean it. I don't want it! Please, just take it back to the store." Evelyn folded her arms. "You should still be able to get a refund."

Alexander didn't respond. Several seconds of heavy silence passed. Then, without a word, he snatched the box from her hands and tossed it into the nearby trash can. His face was a cold mask.

"Alexander! What are you doing?" Evelyn gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief.

He met her shocked gaze, his voice chillingly calm. "If you don't want this necklace, then it's worthless. It's trash. I don't return trash."

Panic jolted through her. She quickly retrieved the box from the bin, relieved to see it had landed on some discarded papers and was unharmed.

"Alexander, you—" She bit back the harsh words on the tip of her tongue. He was being utterly unreasonable.

She swallowed her frustration. "This necklace is expensive! How could you just throw it away like it was nothing?"

His expression didn't flicker. "If it's something you dislike, then it has no value. It is no different from garbage."

Evelyn clenched her jaw, resisting the urge to shake some sense into him.

She took a deep, steadying breath.

She couldn't yell at him. He had gone to the effort of choosing a gift for her, and she had rejected it outright.

If their positions were reversed, she would feel hurt too.

After a moment of internal struggle, she finally relented. Her voice was much softer. "Alexander... since this necklace is your gift to me... shouldn't you be the one to put it on?"