Honey, You're a Billionaire?

Lizzie shot a fleeting glance at Rose, her eyes glinting with the satisfaction of someone who believed they had won. It was brief, but Rose caught it, leaving her puzzled. "What was that about?" she wondered.

Before Rose could make sense of Lizzie's strange look, Lizzie straightened up, having just finished her calligraphy piece.

The room buzzed with a chorus of praises, the admiration reaching a crescendo as though the work had been crafted by a grand calligraphy master.

"Thank you! My daughter-in-law is so fortunate to receive such generous praise." Eleanor beamed, basking in the glow of everyone's compliments.

Although she appreciated fine calligraphy, she lacked the expertise to truly evaluate Lizzie's work. However, having seen the real Lindisfarne Gospels, Eleanor couldn't discern much difference between Lizzie's rendition and the original. With the chorus of admiration filling the room, Eleanor felt confident. But it wasn't the approval of the crowd that she sought.

What she truly longed for was Elijah's recognition. If he were to offer even a nod of acknowledgment, Eleanor would seize the opportunity to present the gift she had meticulously prepared.

Amidst the lively chatter, one of the guests chimed in, eager to ingratiate themselves with the Finch family.

"Mrs. Finch, would you consider selling this exquisite piece? I would be honored to add it to my collection!"Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.

"I'll pay you more for the piece!"

"Me too!"

Others joined in, eager to outbid one another in their quest to curry favor with the Finch family.

Basking in the attention, Lizzie graced the scene with a demure smile. The elegance of her attire and the poised manner in which she carried herself further accentuated her air of sophistication. Her eyes met Eleanor's, who simply responded with a hearty laugh. "My apologies, everyone," Eleanor said, addressing the room. "This piece isn't meant for sale, and it would be crass to discuss money at such a gathering. Lizzie, what do you think about gifting this calligraphy to someone?"

The crowd fell silent, contemplating Eleanor's intentions.

It didn't take long for the sharpest minds in the room to connect the dots. Throughout the evening, Eleanor had been diligent in her efforts to ingratiate herself with the father and daughter of the Xanth family. Her attempts at flattery were anything but subtle. Now, it was clear that this calligraphy piece was part of a strategic plan to further curry favor with Elijah, the powerful leader of the Xanth family.

As realization spread among the guests, a few faces that had initially brimmed with eagerness lost their enthusiasm.

With purposeful strides, Eleanor made her way toward Elijah and Rose, her face exuding warmth and kindness.

"Mr. Xanth, what do you think of this calligraphy?" she asked, her question direct and brimming with confidence.

Lizzie's quiet confidence was evident as she momentarily glanced toward Elijah. With all eyes in the room fixated on her, she anticipated a shower of praises.

After all, this was the Finch family's event. Even if her calligraphy wasn't flawless, she believed that the worst comment she would receive would be a polite "not bad". This was their territory, and maintaining appearances was paramount. However, not everyone was concerned with such superficialities.

Elijah scrutinized the calligraphy piece, his gaze dissecting every brushstroke with precision. Eager to accommodate him, Eleanor had the piece lifted and presented directly before him, ensuring that no detail would escape his discerning eye. A heavy silence settled over the room, the air charged with anticipation as they awaited Elijah's verdict. His face remained impassive, offering no hints of approval or disappointment. Finally, a subtle smile tugged at the corner of Elijah's mouth. "Here it comes! The praise they had been waiting for!" Not only did the other guests think so, but Lizzie and Eleanor believed it as well. Eleanor had even mentally prepared to accept the compliments with humility. Elijah's deep voice broke the silence. "The content of this piece is indeed commendable, however—"

Eleanor interjected, "Oh no, her calligraphy isn't that good. Mr. Xanth, you're too kind..." Her words trailed off as she began to sense that something was amiss.

"Did he just say 'however?' If it's good, why is there a 'however'?" Her mind raced as she fought to maintain her smile. Glancing up, she noticed a frown now marred Elijah's once-smiling face.

Her forced grin grew even more strained as Elijah continued, "Mrs. Finch Senior as someone

knowledgeable in calligraphy, it seems you already know her skills are indeed lacking. It's truly unfortunate for such an exquisite piece of text like the Lindisfarne Gospels to be presented this way."

With that, Elijah turned away from the calligraphy piece, his expression filled with disdain as if he couldn't bear to look at it any longer. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.

Their gazes darted between Elijah and the calligraphy piece. It dawned on them that their earlier praises were merely a nod to the Finch family's status and not a genuine appreciation for the art.

They had merely played their part in a world driven by social graces and appearances. Only the audacious leader of the Xanth family dared to speak his mind.

Clover seized the moment, adding, "Indeed, this calligraphy isn't up to par. All that praise just now was really quite unnecessary."

Those who had showered Lizzie with compliments found themselves at a loss for words. Their faces flushed with shame and embarrassment. Some even took a few steps back to lessen their presence and escape the discomfort. Eleanor's forced smile was frozen on her face, making her appear more unsettling than if she were crying. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that her carefully laid-out plan would receive such a critique.

Even she, a seasoned member of high society, was momentarily at a loss, only managing a stuttered, "M-Mr. Xanth..."

However, her quick wit soon

prevailed, and she found a way to

respond. "Please accept my

apologies for the inadequate display. Her calligraphy skills are merely surface-level, far from refined However, I do have another piece that might be of interest

Since Eleanor could not use Lizzie as a pawn, she was ready to use her as a stepping stone instead. Aware that Clover had been searching

an authentic piece from The

Lindisfarne Gospels for Elijahelifet

Eleanor was certain that presenting the genuine article would undoubtedly delight him.

She was confident in her new plan.

However, a voice echoed throughout the room before she could finish her sentence.

"It appears Mr. Xanth has quite the prowess in calligraphy. I wonder just how impressive it really is?"

The voice belonged to Cyrus. His tone was tinged with challenge and dissatisfaction, making it obvious that he was trying to defend his wife.

"Cyrus!" Eleanor was taken aback and shot a fierce glare at her son. She couldn't understand why he was stirring up more trouble.

She noticed Lizzie standing beside him, her face a mixture of embarrassment and pain, prompting Eleanor to curse "Damn that vixen!" in her mind.

After so many years, she knew all too well how Lizzie managed to keep Cyrus wrapped around her finger. However, she had always chosen to turn a blind eye. Yet that day, Lizzie threatened to disrupt her carefully laid plans. Eleanor was fuming inside, but Cyrus showed no signs of backing down. In his eyes, Elijah and Clover were deliberately targeting Lizzie.

This was her birthday, and as her husband, Cyrus couldn't simply stand by and watch them treat her this way.

He had made up his mind to defend Lizzie no matter who he was up against, even if it meant standing against the Xanth family, whose influence could rival the Finch family and help them expand into overseas markets. However, before Cyrus could say another word, another voice cut in.

"Why don't we have Mr. Xanth demonstrate his calligraphy skills?" The voice carried a blend of amusement and anticipation.

All eyes turned toward the source, and they were surprised to find that it was Jonathan, the usually quiet and reserved new head of the Finch family, who had spoken.