Within her circle, it was already whispered that Tristan had been the mysterious buyer.
Elder Madam Keir's phone had not stopped buzzing since dawn. Envious friends praised her endlessly, calling her lucky for having such a filial grandson who would gift her a priceless treasure. Others shamelessly begged for invitations to tea, insisting they only wanted a glimpse of the pink diamond ring on her finger.
The old woman basked in the flattery. A smug smile tugged at her lips as she sat among velvet cushions, enjoying the sensation of prestige clinging to her name like expensive perfume.
To her, it wasn't just about the ring itself, it was about status. Power. The chance to flaunt superiority before her rivals who secretly wished her downfall.
And so, without wasting another moment, she summoned her chauffeur.
"Drive me to Tristan's villa at once," she ordered imperiously.
Unfortunately, upon arrival, the butler regretfully informed her that the young master had already left for work. Elder Madam Keir clicked her tongue in irritation.
'Ungrateful boy, he should've been here waiting for his grandmother's blessing.'
"Fine. To Shin's estate," she snapped.
The chauffeur obeyed, though inwardly he prayed for patience. Whenever the old madam visited Shin Keir, the air grew thick with thunderclouds.
---
Butler Hong greeted her with cold courtesy. He had long grown weary of the matriarch's whims.
Within the Keir household staff, whispers flowed like an unseen web. No matter which branch they served, information always circulated.
Through one such channel, Butler Hong learned that the old matriarch had forbidden Shin Keir from setting foot in the main household ever since the day he beat Hadi half to death. She had even ordered the guards and maids to turn him away without her permission.
If she had barred Shin from entering her home, why did she now believe she had the right to walk freely into his?
The moment Elder Madam Keir stepped onto the doorway, Butler Hong blocked her path.
"Elder Madam," he said smoothly, "please allow me to inform the Master first that you are here for a visit."
The old woman's wrinkled face crumpled instantly. "What did you just say?"
"With respect, Madam, I am following orders. I hope you can understand."
Of course, no such orders existed. But Butler Hong had made up his mind, he would no longer allow this woman to trample about, throwing her weight around and tormenting his young master simply because she held the title of matriarch.
Elder Madam Keir's good mood shattered like a dropped porcelain vase. "How dare you!" she screeched, her bony finger jabbing at his chest. "I am the matriarch of this clan, and you, a mere servant dare to block me at the door? Insolence!"
Before the argument could spiral, another car arrived at the villa. From it descended a renowned designer and two assistants, their arms laden with garment bags and portfolios.
"We are here by the request of the esteemed Master Keir," the designer said smoothly.
Instantly, Butler Hong shifted. "Yes, the Master is expecting you. Please, come in."
The matriarch froze, momentarily thrown off balance. But when she realized she had just been ignored in favor of outsiders, her fury boiled over. Shoving Butler Hong aside, she stormed inside dragging her fury like a stormcloud.
"Allister!" she barked upon spotting her son. "I want that disrespectful butler fired! He blocked me outside like some beggar and said I needed permission to come in!"
Master Keir frowned faintly. His expression remained calm, but his eyes were sharp.
"Technically, Mother, this is not your house. Common courtesy would be to announce your visit rather than appearing whenever you please."
She could hardly believe her ears. She was the matriarch, the highest authority of the Keir family. Since when did she need permission to visit her own son and grandson?
Even if she despised Shin, it did not change the fact that he was family, and her word should remain absolute.
"Unfilial son! What does that make me? Are you saying I lack etiquette? Allister, I am your mother!" she thundered.
"…"
He never said she wasn't.
Meanwhile, the designer and his assistants kept their heads down, busily spreading fabric samples and sketchbooks.
They were professionals; they catered to billionaires daily and understood the unspoken rule: never meddle in the drama of the rich, especially the Keirs.
Sighing, Master Keir finally asked, "What did you come here for, Mother?"
Seemingly spent from her tirade, she harrumphed but still answered.
"I heard about the pink diamond ring. Where is it? That boy Tristan is truly filial, unlike you and your ungrateful son."
Master Keir blinked. Pink diamond ring?
He never followed social gossip, his interests lay in finance reports, art, culture, and global affairs. The online frenzy had escaped him entirely.
He did recall that both Shin and Tristan had gone to an auction the night before. Tristan had even boasted about securing him a masterpiece painting that would arrive once the paperwork was complete.
"I don't know what ring you're talking about," he replied truthfully.
Waving her hand dismissively, Elder Madam Keir's excitement bubbled again.
"Hah, Tristan must be keeping it a surprise. Thought he could hide it from me. That boy, always so thoughtful."
Master Keir: "…"
Unbothered by his silence, she rambled on, already planning a tea party or perhaps even a charity gala to flaunt the jewel.
Only when she noticed him standing with the designer, flipping through fabric swatches, did she pause. "What do you need a new suit for?"
Master Keir answered indifferently, "It's been a while. I simply want new tailored suits."
In truth, he was preparing for far more than a refresh of his wardrobe. He required a suit suitable for meeting in-laws two weeks from now, for the engagement party, and perhaps for the wedding itself, depending on its theme.
There was much to prepare.
The designer, sensing his hesitation, opened his laptop and presented elegant haute couture sketches, explaining details from lapels to cufflinks.
Master Keir's eyes lingered on a regal wedding suit, simple yet commanding but with his mother present, he refrained from pointing it out.
The matter of Shin's engagement was still in its infancy. If the old woman discovered it prematurely, given Shin's temperament and the already sour blood between them, chaos would follow.
Besides, though Master Keir bore no personal dislike toward Calin Ricci, her blatant infatuation with his son unsettled him. She reminded him too much of his now mentally unstable wife, Eleanor, in her youth.
He knew the danger well: when one heart overflowed with affection and expectation, while the other gave little in return, the imbalance was a poison.
Such relationship could only end in tragedy with both sides wounded, or one left irreparably broken.
He had already walked that path in his own arranged marriage. He would not allow his son to repeat it.
Shin and Calin were simply not meant for each other.
When Elder Madam Keir realized her son had no clue about the diamond ring, her interest deflated.
With a dramatic roll of her eyes, she rose to leave. "Allister, if you see Tristan, tell him to visit his grandmother soon."
Only after she left did Master Keir finally relax, turning his full attention back to the designer.
He even summoned Butler Hong, Shin had requested his presence as a relative at the upcoming event, and it wouldn't do for the old man to appear in an old suit.
---
That same day, another storm erupted online. Photos of Shin Keir and Calin Ricci at the auction gala surged to the top of social media.
One shot showed them side by side during the event; the other captured them outside the auction house in close conversation.
The angles were artfully ambiguous, close enough to spark rumors of intimacy, yet distant enough to leave room for imagination.
With two striking figures, both from prominent families and equally famed, netizens devoured the pairing, eager to ship them as a couple.
"God, I wish I were in Calin's shoes! Then marrying Shin Keir wouldn't just be a dream."
"This is the definition of a perfect couple! Look at how Shin's eyes are fixed on her, he's practically engraving her into his soul."
"Shin Keir has never had a single scandal with women. Could it be he's been waiting for Calin all along? Many rookies avoid relationships early in their careers. Maybe they kept it secret until now. But Calin's already an accomplished supermodel and TV personality, she no longer has to worry about exposure."
"I can already see the novel plot: billionaire heir and supermodel, destined lovers against the world."
Yeri had just finished her online class when her phone rang.
Nina's voice came through in a panic. She spoke so incoherently that Yeri could barely follow, except for one thing: the new photos were so hyped that Yeri's own issue with Lucia Hera had been completely forgotten by netizens.
Curious, Yeri checked the post. She only glimpsed the photos before they vanished, deleted, along with the thousands of shares and comments they had gathered.
Yeri blinked in confusion. But before she could search further, her phone lit up again, this time with Shin's name.
"Hello?"
"Don't believe the nonsense you see online," came Shin's deep, magnetic voice. "None of it is true."
Yeri hadn't expected him to sound so urgent. "What makes you think I'd believe anything from the internet? I'm not gullible."
"I just don't want someone refusing to give me a chance to explain again," he said, his voice laced with teasing warmth.
Yeri nearly choked. Was he referring to the time she visited him at the hospital… when she overheard him talking to his so-called fiancée?
Clearing her throat, she said, "That was different. I heard that with my own ears. But this… this is just entertainment gossip."
She thought she heard him sigh in relief.
"Good. Ignore what netizens say. They're just bored. I'm still in a meeting, but I'll call you later."
"Alright," she murmured.
Still, her heart skipped when she realized he had called her during a meeting, just to reassure her.
That small thought warmed her unexpectedly.