Upon hearing Sylvia's words, Clint was annoyed. He grabbed Sylvia's wrist. "Sylvia, stop it. "I know you still have feelings for me, but Paulina and I are getting engaged. That can't be changed."

Just then, Roderick's call came through.

His gentle male voice instantly lifted Sylvia's spirits.

"Sylvia, I'm asking my driver to pick you up now. Let's go and choose the ring."

Sylvia responded with a soft "okay." She didn't expect that Roderick had remembered her offhand request.

After they got home that evening, she had glanced at her bare ring finger and sighed, "Even without a wedding, there should at least be a ring."

She merely said that to mock herself, as she never expected Roderick to actually buy her a ring because she and Roderick didn't have much affection for each other.

Besides, Roderick was a wealthy businessman. He might have just chosen to marry her to cover up a scandalous one-night stand.

Yet, Roderick actually took it seriously.

Clint was unhappy to see Sylvia ignoring him. He gripped her wrist tightly and said with more emphasis, "Sylvia, are you even listening to me? Please leave. You're putting me in a difficult position here. If you truly love me, then bless my new relationship. Okay?"

As they talked, Roderick's black Cullinan pulled into the Norris family's estate.

The driver walked up to Sylvia and bowed respectfully. "Mrs. Norris, please get in the car."

At that moment, Paulina, with swollen eyes, tugged on Clint's sleeve. "It's okay, Clint. After eight years of your relationship, I should have expected this. It was foolish of me to think your love for me would never change... Sylvia, I'm letting go of Clint for you..."

Seeing Paulina's distress, Clint looked at the driver coldly and said, "I don't know what Sylvia told you, but Paulina is my fiancée. She is the real Mrs. Norris."

With that, Clint turned and glared at Sylvia and frowned.

He said, "Sylvia, you actually bribed the driver to upset Paulina. Your tricks to win me back are truly desperate."

Then, under the driver's puzzled gaze, Clint arrogantly lifted his chin and said, "Let's go. I know you're here to pick us up and choose the ring."

The driver nodded in confusion. But he was there to pick up Sylvia.

Paulina stood beside them and suddenly seemed to understand something. She clung to Clint's arm and asked with excitement, "So? Your father agreed to our marriage?"

Clint gently ruffled Paulina's hair and said instantly in a softened tone with affection, "How could he refuse? You're such an amazing woman. I heard him on the phone this morning talking about choosing the ring. Look. Isn't that why the driver was sent here to pick us up?"

Paulina instantly looked at Sylvia with triumph in her eyes.

She raised her tone with delight, saying, "Well then, Sylvia, we'll be off now. Goodbye."

Before Sylvia could respond, Paulina eagerly pulled Clint into the car.

Watching the car disappear, Sylvia let out a cold snort and dialed Roderick's number.

At that moment, Roderick was sitting in his office and staring absentmindedly at his ring finger.

Seeing Sylvia calling him, he composed himself and answered in a steady tone, "Has the driver arrived?"

"He has, but then he left with Clint."

After a brief silence, Sylvia heard the sound of a garage door opening.

Then Roderick said in a slightly flattering voice, "Feel free to take any of the cars. I've already transferred all of them to your name. See you soon."

In the garage, dozens of luxury cars lined up. They were so dazzling.

Finally, Sylvia chose the most understated one among them.

As soon as Sylvia entered the MT Jewelry Store, a commotion greeted her.

It was Clint and Paulina.

They stood in the reception hall and were blocked by dozens of staff at the entrance to the second floor.

Paulina pointed angrily at the receptionist. "Are you out of your mind? Do you even know who my husband is? My husband is the sole heir of the Norris family, the wealthiest family! Why aren't we allowed on the second floor?"

MT was a leading global jewelry brand and catered exclusively to the affluent and influential.

However, based on net worth calculations, only top-tier individuals had the privilege of accessing exclusive services on the second floor.

Clearly, Clint was not one of them.

Sylvia clutched the hem of her dress tightly.

She hadn't expected Roderick to let her buy the wedding ring in such a place.

She assumed he would just pass off something simple, as he might suspect she had ulterior motives after she accidentally slept with him.

Yet, Roderick not only trusted her but also offered her the best.

Reflecting on her past eight years, Sylvia suddenly felt a sense of irony.

Seeing Sylvia in the store, Clint didn't feel angry anymore. He said helplessly, "Sylvia? Haven't you caused enough trouble today? Just leave as soon as possible. Even though you follow me all day, I won't change my mind."

Sylvia brushed aside a few stray hairs from her forehead and didn't want to talk with that hypocrite.

She turned to a receptionist and said, "Hello, I'm here to choose a ring."

Upon hearing this, Paulina laughed, with her hand covering her mouth. "Sylvia, do you even know what kind of jewelry store MT is? Please, stop being so stubborn. Clint and I are getting married soon. Please don't disrupt us anymore. Plus, it's really quite embarrassing for a woman to buy herself a ring and beg a guy to marry her."

Ignoring Paulina's taunts, Sylvia simply handed over her prestigious credit card. "May I go to the second floor?"

Paulina burst into laughter as Sylvia's words fell. "Sylvia, do you know who can go to the second floor? Either you're very wealthy or incredibly valuable. Don't do such ridiculous things just to get Clint's attention."

Sylvia shrugged indifferently. She was no longer the same woman she had been before.

Over those eight years, she gave up her talent in biomedical research to delve into finance just because Clint once said he wanted his own company.

She had tried her best to support him.

But thankfully, she broke up with Clint and got back to her beloved career.

She was a sought-after biomedical expert internationally now.

The latest breakthrough in cancer spread delay was her own creation.

She intended to reciprocate Roderick's generosity with the finest ring she could buy.

She did that under her own name, not as Mrs. Norris.

From the moment she left Clint, Sylvia knew that she was herself first and then a guy's wife.

The receptionist hesitated as she accepted Sylvia's prestigious credit card.

She was uncertain if Sylvia could qualify for the second floor, as she was plainly dressed.

But the receptionist left with Sylvia's credit card as she saw Sylvia's graceful and composed demeanor.

Everyone waited to ridicule Sylvia, as she was too confident, especially Paulina, standing behind Clint.

Her eyes were filled with gleeful delight.

She was eager to see Sylvia humiliated, to highlight her own sophistication.

But then, the receptionist gasped, and the store manager came to welcome Sylvia. The entire hall fell silent.

The manager rushed down from the second floor and bowed respectfully to Sylvia. "Ms. Sylvia Payne, welcome to MT. I am Michael Clark, the manager here."

"How is that possible? You must be mistaken!" Paulina's eyes widened in disbelief. "She's just a normal employee at a pharmaceutical company. How could she be allowed to go to the second floor? Sylvia! Did you use some dirty tricks?"

The moment Paulina's words fell, the entire hall fell silent, and Michael's gaze turned piercing.

Michael turned to Clint and said sternly, "Mr. Norris, please discipline your fiancée, or I will have to ban you both from entering the store."

Paulina trembled and clutched tightly onto Clint's sleeve.

Clint stared at Sylvia, utterly shocked. "Sylvia, you..."

Sylvia ignored him and followed Michael upstairs.

At the same time, an understatedly luxurious Maybach was pulling slowly into MT's VIP garage.

Roderick stepped out, headed towards the private entrance reserved for VIPs.

He looked slightly anxious.

Arriving at MT, he checked his reservation record. Then his heart sank.

His voice was deep, tinged with a threatening intensity. "Has my wife not arrived?"

The receptionist looked puzzled. "Mr. Norris, we haven't seen your wife, but your son is here. He and his fiancée are in a booth on the first floor picking out rings. Shall I take you to them?"

Roderick had a bad feeling.

Had she changed her mind?

Did she no longer want to marry him?

Or was the ring she mentioned that evening not for her and him, but for her and her ex-boyfriend instead?

As his thoughts went wild, Michael's sarcastic voice snapped him into reality.

"What took you so long? I was shocked when you told me you were getting married." Michael casually threw an arm over Roderick's shoulder. "You know what? I always thought you weren't interested in women. Who reaches forty without ever touching a woman? Even your son is..."

"Enough!" Roderick cut Michael off coldly.

Michael sensed Roderick's displeasure and quickly reined in his laughter. "What's wrong?"

Roderick glanced at Michael, making the latter feel as if the air around him had suddenly turned frigid.

"Tell me, how do you make a young woman happy?"

Michael paused for a long time at Roderick's words.

Michael had thought that Roderick intended to acquire MT or have his rival go bankrupt.

But he couldn't imagine how Roderick, known for being serious and harsh, could ask such a tender question.

"Do you think a young woman truly cares about age?" As Roderick asked, his eyes dimmed, resembling an unwanted large dog.

Michael still hadn't processed the situation and could only shake his head repeatedly. "Man! How can you think like that?" What woman wouldn't be charmed by you? You're upstanding, fit, and wealthy. You look like a young man in your twenties."

With that, Roderick suddenly looked up at Michael. "Is she unwilling to pick out a ring because her heart belongs to another guy..."

Before Roderick could sink further into melancholy, Sylvia appeared. She poked her head out of the second-floor railing and said, "Roderick?"

In the next moment, Michael was astounded to see Roderick, his composed and dignified friend, eagerly rush to Sylvia, with his eyes lit up instantly.