8. Pay For all their outfit

Chapter Eight: Pay fir all their outfit

Chris's phone buzzed with a message from Stephany as he left the wedding venue.

"Hurry up! The Preston family emergency meeting is about to start."

Panic surged through him as he realized the urgency. The distance between the hall and the main road where he could catch a taxi was significant.

He usually struggled with such walks due to his limp. Determined not to be late, Chris picked up his pace.

To his astonishment, he found himself walking much faster than usual.

His leg, which always caused him pain, felt surprisingly strong. Each step was steadier than the last, and the familiar discomfort was absent. He quickened his pace further, a mix of disbelief and hope rising within him.

By the time he reached the main road and flagged down a taxi, Chris was almost running.

He couldn't believe how normal his walking had felt, but he didn’t have time to ponder it.

He hopped into the taxi and gave the driver his address, his mind racing with the unexpected development.

When he arrived home, he was greeted by the stern face of Eleanor Preston, his mother-in-law. "Finally, you're here," she scolded.

"We’re going to be late today again, all thanks to you, What took you so long?"

Chris opened his mouth to explain but was interrupted by Stephany, who had been watching him closely. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Chris, you're walking... differently. What happened to your leg?"

Chris looked down at his legs, still amazed by the newfound ease in his movements.

"I don't know," he admitted. "It just stopped hurting, and I could walk faster."

Chris’s mind traveled back to the old man from the afternoon who mentioned that his wish would be granted, was this what he had meant?

After having an accident two years ago, Chris didn’t have any money to treat it immediately since he was cut from the Brown’s fortune, hence he delayed in medication until it was affected and doctors had told him except a miracle happened, there was no way he could walk again.

He had long made peace with that, however could this be the miracle they spoke of, Chris was lost in his thought.

Eleanor frowned, clearly skeptical. "Well, whatever it is, we don’t have time for this now. The meeting is starting."

They hurried to the living room where the rest of the Preston family was gathered. Chris felt a mix of anxiety and excitement about the meeting and his unexpected improvement.

As they took their seats, Grandma Preston’s stern gaze swept over them.

"Late again," Grandma Preston said sharply. "This is becoming a habit."

Henry, Stephany’s cousin, chuckled. "Must have been Chris's limp holding them back."

But as Henry's eyes landed on Chris, who was walking more normally than ever, the mockery in his voice faltered.

He looked taken aback and slightly embarrassed. Quickly, he redirected his scorn.

"At least Stephany had the sense to show up in last year's outfit. It's a classic, isn't it?"

Henry pointed to his own suit with a smug smile. "This is from the 2024 collection. Cutting-edge and fresh."

Chris's eyes narrowed, and he stepped forward to defend his wife. "Henry, you might want to check your facts. Stephany's outfit might be from last year, but it's a limited edition from a prestigious designer. It’s worth a million dollars while Your 2024 collection suit is what, $400,000? Hardly comparable."

The room fell silent, eyes shifting between Chris and Henry. Stephany looked at Chris with a mixture of gratitude and surprise.

Henry's face turned red, and he muttered something, “ Here you are defending your wife with a third grade second use shirt.”

“Haha this is not a third grade, this is second grade and I don’t mind as long as my wife is looking good and represent the family, just the necklace in her neck alone is over $30 million, I am sure you know the Blue Emerald Diamond Cartier necklace. The necklace alone would pay for all our outfits here.”

The room was suddenly quiet as everyone took in her necklace, Indeed was the Blue Emerald Diamond Cartier, an almighty in the world of jewelries.

“Chris..” Stephany called his name, but she was very happy he stood up for her and defended her well.

Grandma Preston, observing the exchange, nodded slightly. "Let's focus on why we’re here. We have important matters to discuss."

Henry had always been her favorite grandson and she didn’t want him too embarrassed.