Mr. CEO, Your Wife Has Wanted a Divorce for a Long Time Novel

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Chapter 461

Isabella handed Maggie the gift from Franklin, but just as

Maggie was about to take it, the girl quickly pulled it back

and clung to her mother's hand. "Mom, open mine first."

Maggie paused for a moment. "...All right."

She followed Isabella's request and opened the box.

Inside was an oil painting in a delicate frame. The subject

of the painting was her.

In the lower right corner, a neat line of words read: To my

mom, happy birthday.

Something seemed to strike Maggie in the chest. The hand

holding the frame stopped midair.

Isabella swung her mother's hand gently. "I finished it

half a month ago. Do you like it, Mom?"

Maggie came back to herself and looked down at the girl's

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expectant face. Her heart felt heavy and warm all at once.

"I love it,” she said honestly. "You're getting better and

better at painting, Isabella."

Hearing that, Isabella's face lit up. "If Mom likes it, I'll

paint you another one next time."

"Okay," Maggie said softly.

Only then did Isabella hand over Franklin's gift. "Mom, I

have to go to school now, or I'll be late. I'll come back

tonight and have dinner with you and Great-Grandma,

okay?"

~All right."

At some point, Old Mrs. Miller and Helen had come out to

the doorway as well.

Seeing the time, Isabella waved to them. "Bye,

Great-Grandma, bye Aunt Helen!"

Then she slung her backpack over her shoulder, got into

the car, and left for school.

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After Isabella was gone, Maggie turned back toward the

house.

Just because Franklin had sent a gift didn't mean he

wouldn't show up later to finalize the divorce.

The Miller family knew that too, so no one said anything.

Helen spoke gently. "Breakfast is ready, Maggie. Eat first.”

"Okay."

Maggie went back inside, setting both gifts—the one from

Isabella and the one from Franklin—on the side table.

Old Mrs. Miller picked up Isabella's painting and

examined it carefully, her eyes softening with affection.

"She really did put effort into this. It's lovely."

Hugo, on the other hand, had nothing but disdain for

Franklin.

He glanced at the unopened box Franklin had sent and

curled his lip. He wanted to toss it straight into the trash.

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But since Maggie herself hadn't done that, he didn't dare

act on his impulse.

He turned to the dining room, where Maggie was quietly

eating. "Cousin, can I open that box and see what he gave

you?"

Maggie didn't really care what Franklin had sent. She had

no desire to open it.

In her mind, the only reason he'd sent a gift was to keep

up appearances for Isabella's sake—to avoid making the

child suspicious.

Anything beyond that didn't matter to her.

"Go ahead," she said calmly.

Just from the quality of the box alone, Hugo could tell the

gift wasn't cheap.

When he picked it up, it felt even heavier than expected.

He opened it carefully.

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Old Mrs. Miller stood beside him. The moment she saw

what was inside, she froze.

Hugo, who didn't know much about jewelry, stared for a

second. "Is this... a red diamond?"

Helen did know gemstones. She stepped closer for a look,

and her face also went rigid.

Inside the box lay a red diamond—large, flawless,

brilliant. It had to weigh at least a hundred carats.

Ared diamond of that size and purity was unimaginably

rare—and unimaginably expensive.

Hugo knew about the time Maggie had auctioned off a

diamond to pay for Sally's medical treatment, though he

hadn't understood much about it.

But seeing his mother and grandmother's stunned

expressions, and the dazzling light coming from the gem,

he quickly realized this was no ordinary stone.

Catching his confusion, Helen took a breath and said,

"This red diamond is even purer and rarer than the one

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Maggie bought before. It's nearly twice the size. A

conservative estimate of its value would be... about two

billion."