### Chapter 80: Who Is the Diamond Ring For?
Luna Sterling actually thought about it for a moment when asked.
"Honestly, if he loved me, I wouldn’t mind. But you know my family’s situation... so that hypothetical doesn’t apply to me." She sighed softly. "Even if I were willing, my parents would never agree. The relationship between the Hawthorne family and mine is complicated. He wouldn’t do it."
Nina Wainwright listened without reacting. "Is there anything else? I’ll think about the anniversary."
"You’d better get ready. I heard he bought a very expensive diamond ring at auction. Silas Sinclair said he thinks it’s an anniversary gift for you, so don’t let him down." Luna Sterling stood up after she finished.
Nina Wainwright thanked her, then couldn’t resist asking, "Is the baby... doing okay?"
At her words, Luna Sterling quickly glanced around. Seeing that the housekeeper wasn’t nearby, she couldn’t help but lower her voice. "This baby... I don’t plan on letting Zach know. So please, don’t ask about it at the house. You have to be careful, the staff gossips."
"My apologies. I’ll see you out." Nina stood up.
Luna Sterling smiled, continuing to chat with her as they walked toward the door.
The housekeeper, hiding behind a potted plant, was so shocked by Nina’s words that her jaw dropped.
’No wonder the missus has been running out all the time. The master cheated and got this woman pregnant... But I have to hand it to Nina; it’s amazing she can put up with it without saying a word.’
’This must be the sorry lot of a rich man’s wife.’
’When your husband’s rich, no matter how much he messes around, as long as he doesn’t bring it up, the wife has to play deaf and dumb. She even has to ask after the mistress’s child.’
Nina returned to the living room and saw the housekeeper heading toward the kitchen. She watched her for a moment before looking away.
The housekeeper brought out dinner, and Nina sat in the dining room, eating slowly.
’She wanted a divorce, but then she remembered what Luna had said... Did Zachary really buy a diamond ring at auction? Does he really plan to give it to me for our anniversary?’
Zachary Hawthorne came back very late.
Nina was already asleep. Hearing the door open, she rolled over. In a daze, she saw Zachary carrying an exquisitely wrapped gift box. It was in a vintage-style lambskin pouch embroidered with a classical pattern.
She opened her eyes and looked at Zachary.
Seeing she was awake, Zachary put the gift box in a drawer and locked it.
Nina paused. "Were you out entertaining clients?"
"No, something else came up," Zachary replied.
Nina murmured an "oh" and sat up. She smoothed her messy hair and asked in a gentle voice, "In three days, it’s our third wedding anniversary. Do you remember?"
Zachary’s hands slowed as he loosened his tie, but he quickly resumed his usual pace. "I remember. How do you want to spend it?"
"I’ve been learning to mix drinks recently. How about I make you a cocktail that day?" ’She didn’t have much money, and he’d surely look down on any gift she could afford. A simple gesture would have to be enough.’
In past years, they would have had a candlelight dinner, but Nina wasn’t in the mood for it this year.
’Divorcing Zachary was only a matter of time. Even if their third anniversary was the picture of bliss, it would just be him putting on an act.’
’Nina refused to be immersed in a false love any longer. What wasn’t there, wasn’t there.’
"Okay." Zachary tossed his tie on the sofa, undid two buttons on his shirt, and headed for the bathroom. "I’ll be right in after I shower."
Nina hummed in acknowledgment.
Once Zachary was in the bathroom, Nina found her eyes drawn to the drawer where he had locked the lambskin pouch.
’Is it the diamond ring? Why wouldn’t he tell me? Why hide it?’
Nina fell back onto the bed. She thought for a while in silence as her eyelids grew heavy.
When Zachary returned to bed after his shower, Nina was already half-asleep.
He pulled Nina close and slowly kissed the tip of her nose. His voice was low. "For our anniversary, should we stay home or go to a hotel?"
"Let’s just stay home," Nina answered, her voice thick with sleep.
She was so sleepy, her thoughts were a complete fog.
Zachary hummed and then asked in a low voice, "Have you thought about what gift you want?"
Nina was too sleepy to even hear what he said, just managing a groggy hum in response.
Seeing she was too tired to even know what she was saying, Zachary didn’t press her further.
The next day, with Lily and Lucy Stratton out, Nina had to hold down the fort by herself. In the afternoon, Catherine Grant drove over to pick her up.
After getting in the car, Nina couldn’t help but ask, "Is the doctor still working this late?"
"It’s a small private clinic, and I made an appointment for you," Catherine replied.
That put Nina at ease.
The two arrived at the clinic, where the doctor gave Nina her usual check-up. After it was over, they waited for a little while until the woman came out with the results. She told Nina, "The fetus is gradually stabilizing. You can start eating more nutritious food."
"Okay, I will." Nina wasn’t worried about her nutrition.
"You can come once a month if you’re worried. If not, you don’t have to come back until you’re twelve weeks along. You must come then," the woman continued.
"I’ll remember. Thank you, Doctor," Nina said politely.
The woman hummed in acknowledgment, fed the results into a shredder, and then dusted her hands off. "You can go now."
Catherine led Nina out of the clinic, supporting her carefully. She said softly, "I know what she said, but you still have to be extremely careful. You have to be cautious for the entire first trimester."
"I know," Nina said, unable to suppress a smile.
After they got in the car and left.
Another car slowly pulled away from a nearby streetlight and stopped in front of the small clinic.
Two men got out of the car and swaggered into the clinic.
The woman came out of her office. Panic flared in her chest the moment she saw them, but she still stepped forward and asked with a calm expression, "Are you here for a consultation?"
"The women who just left, what were they here for?" one of the men asked.
The woman said, "Oh, just a gynecological check-up. Why?"
She had barely finished speaking when the man in the lead slapped her hard across the face.
The woman lost her balance and stumbled into a nearby machine. The pain in her abdomen and cheek drained the color from her face, leaving it ghostly pale.
"Trying to play games with me? Tell the truth, or I’ll smash this little clinic of yours to pieces and have your medical license revoked." The man walked up to her and grabbed a handful of her hair.
The woman sucked in a sharp breath and said in an appeasing tone, "It really was for a gynecological issue. I can show you the records. They’re on the computer."
Another slap cracked across her face.
The woman felt a tooth loosen. She spit, and a single bloody tooth bounced twice on the floor.
A wave of indignation washed over her. She grabbed the man’s arm and bit down hard.
The man winced in pain and immediately shoved her away.
The woman slammed into a dental chair. Ignoring the pain, she scrambled to a nearby cabinet, pulled out a scalpel, and pointed it at the two men. "Stay back! I’m telling you, what you’re doing is against the law!"