Don't Be a Tease, Mr. Blackwood

Chapter 100: Chapter 100: He Gave a Warmth No One Else Had Ever Given

"I wonder if Miss Shaw has been following Wynn Jade Jewelry’s new products?" Yuri interrupted her, cleverly changing the subject.

It seemed like an innocent question, but it hit a nerve.

Sophie Shaw’s expression stiffened, and the light in her eyes dimmed.

She fell silent. Yuri, not noticing the shift in her mood, kept his eyes on the road and said as he drove, "Diamond Belle Jewelers used to be Belle Dame, a brand my mother founded. I officially renamed it Diamond Belle Jewelers after I took over. When Lynn was competing in Unisia, my mother saw her talent right away and planned to sign her."

At this point, he turned to glance at Sophie Shaw.

She was sitting quietly in the passenger seat, her face now completely devoid of a smile.

"After returning to the country, Lynn did work at Belle Dame for a while. Her designs had a strong personal style, and she even produced a full collection. But when her probation period was over and it was time to sign a permanent contract, she quit."

A wave of sorrow washed over Sophie Shaw as she listened.

’So Mom just gave up her bright future to chase after a man...’

’If it were me, I would never give up my career and future for a man.’

"After that, Lynn vanished from the industry. No one knew where she went."

Yuri sighed, his voice full of regret. "Like my mother, I greatly admire Lynn’s design talent. It’s a shame, but it’s as if heaven itself grows jealous of geniuses and takes them away too soon."

Sophie Shaw’s nose tingled, and her eyes instantly grew red.

’No wonder Yuri spent sixty million to buy her mother’s award-winning necklace. He genuinely appreciated her mother’s talent.’

"Getting back to Wynn Jade Jewelry’s new products, they have a style very similar to Lynn’s. Even my mother thinks so." Yuri gripped the steering wheel, made a turn at an intersection, and drove onto a smaller road.

She noticed Yuri wasn’t heading toward the city center. Instead, he turned down a street and stopped in front of a chic little cafe with a unique character. She unbuckled her seatbelt and got out of the car with him.

Her silence for the entire ride, without saying a word, surprised Yuri somewhat.

"Why aren’t you saying anything?"

"Wynn Jade Jewelry’s new products are indeed from my mother’s manuscripts, from before she passed away. My father took them to use."

Yuri’s brows furrowed. "And they didn’t credit Lynn?"

Sophie Shaw shook her head.

"Then he might as well have sold her manuscripts to me."

Sophie Shaw didn’t respond. She picked up the drink menu from the table and ordered a coffee, along with a rich, not-too-sweet chocolate lava cake.

Yuri ordered an Americano. After the waiter brought their coffee and dessert, he asked Sophie Shaw, "Were all of your mother’s manuscripts used?"

"Yes."

"What a shame."

Sophie Shaw thought it was a shame, too.

She took a sip of her coffee, pulled a business card from her purse, and handed it to Yuri. "Let’s reintroduce ourselves. This is my card."

Yuri took it and glanced at the company name on the card. "Heart of the Ocean?"

"It’s a small company."

"I think I remember it. Weren’t you looking for investors everywhere a while back?"

Sophie Shaw gave an embarrassed smile. "Yes, but I’ve taken over Heart of the Ocean now. The focus going forward is on building the brand."

Yuri nodded. "In the jewelry industry, you really do have to establish the brand first."

"About my mother’s necklace... Mr. Yates, would you be willing to sell it to me?"

"If you want it, let’s stay in touch. When I decide to sell, you’ll be my first choice of buyer."

"..."

’So he isn’t going to sell it to me right away.’

But from what Yuri had said earlier, she could tell how much he valued the necklace. It would probably be well-preserved in his hands.

Besides, sixty million was no small sum. She couldn’t just spend sixty million of Alaric Blackwood’s money for her mother’s necklace.

"About hitting your car, I’m very sorry. I was in a rush that morning." Yuri changed the subject, starting to lead Sophie Shaw into a trap.

"It’s okay."

"I had a meeting with Alaric that day about the Dragonstone Mall acquisition, but he refused to see me. It made me quite angry, which is why my tone wasn’t great when I took your call. Please don’t take it to heart."

Sophie Shaw was easygoing and hadn’t given such a small thing a second thought.

She quickly waved her hand. "It’s fine, I didn’t take it to heart."

"Business is a battlefield, they say. There are no permanent friends, only permanent interests. But the way Alaric handled this was completely out of line. It really pisses me off." Yuri kept steering the conversation toward Alaric Blackwood.

Sophie Shaw hesitated for a moment before asking, "What do you mean by ’out of line’?"

"The Dragonstone Mall acquisition—I was originally the one negotiating with Mr. Drake. But Alaric muscled his way in and cut me out. Mr. Drake was admitted to a nursing home for health reasons, and Alaric hid his whereabouts from everyone. He used that opportunity to strike a deal with Mr. Drake. I heard they’re signing the acquisition contract on Monday."

"I thought of him as a friend, and he stabbed me in the back."

Yuri shook his head helplessly. "If my mother and Mrs. Blackwood weren’t old friends who’ve been playing cards together for years, I’m not sure we could even stay friends after this."

The man’s tone carried a hint of blame, and Sophie Shaw felt a pang of awkwardness, unsure how to respond.

Seeing her reaction, Yuri gave a low chuckle. "Forget it. It was thoughtless of me to speak ill of your husband in front of you."

Sophie Shaw buried her head in her cake, using it to hide her embarrassment.

After she’d finished half the cake, Yuri spoke again. "Miss Shaw, if you really want to buy back your mother’s necklace, it’s not impossible."

"But I thought you had no intention of selling it right now?"

"If you can find out for me which nursing home Mr. Drake is in before Monday, I can sell you the necklace."

Sophie Shaw froze for a few seconds as it all clicked into place.

’So that’s what all this was about. All that beating around the bush was leading up to this.’

Finding out which nursing home Mr. Drake was in—that was Yuri’s real reason for asking her out.

She put down her spoon and gave Yuri a polite smile. "I’m sorry, Mr. Yates, but it’s not appropriate for me to get involved in matters between you and Mr. Blackwood. As you said, business is like a battlefield..."

Yuri hadn’t expected her to refuse.

She so clearly wanted that necklace back.

"What if I said that if you find out which nursing home Mr. Drake is in, I’ll give you Lynn’s necklace for free?"

"..."

The offer was very tempting.

But after careful thought, Sophie Shaw didn’t want to stab Alaric Blackwood in the back.

The only reason was that Alaric Blackwood had given her so much—a warmth that no one else ever had.

"I’m sorry, Mr. Yates."

Yuri fell silent.

He didn’t seem offended or angry. Instead, for the first time, he took a long, serious look at the woman before him.

She had left in a hurry, with not a bit of makeup on. Her hair was casually tied in a low ponytail, and her clothes were loose and comfortable.

She gave off a very natural, gentle, and pleasant impression.

"My apologies. I was too forward."

A gentle smile spread across his lips. "Miss Shaw, your integrity is admirable, but it puts you at a disadvantage in the business world."

"But some people prefer to do business with sincere people, don’t you think?"

"Sincere?"

That word instantly made Yuri recall Alaric Blackwood’s teasing remark—*Maybe I’m just sincere.*