Chapter 686 Their Efforts
Luke didn’t answer right away. Instead, a slow, understanding smile played on his lips, and his usually sharp, calculating eyes softened. This was a rare moment—one where he wasn’t thinking about gains, investments, or business dealings.
Instead, his mind was filled with the image of Hera, picturing the look on her face when she received the gift he had chosen so carefully.
"That will never happen," he finally said, his voice steady with conviction. "I’ve already experienced the highs and lows of life. I built my own empire from the ground up before inheriting my family’s business. And women... I used to think they were merely a means to pass on my bloodline—an emotional burden I might have to bear for the sake of legacy, but never something I truly wanted in my life."
"I’ve met all kinds—beautiful, seductive, intelligent—women who were admired and desired by many. But to me, they were just people. None of them ever truly interested me. Then, I met this one woman. I can’t say she’s completely different from the rest, nor can I claim she’s the most beautiful, though she is among the most breathtaking. But that’s not why I love her."
"I don’t even know when it started, or why. But I am sure of one thing—I want her in my life, now and until my last breath. And I have never wanted anything, or anyone, as much as I want her."
Luke’s heartfelt words struck a chord with the old man’s wife, reminding her of their own younger days and the deep love they had shared. Without waiting for her husband’s agreement, she made the decision herself—she sold the jewelry to Luke.
The old man could only let out a defeated chuckle, shaking his head. But in truth, he wasn’t entirely against it. He and his wife were growing older, and as he looked at Luke, he saw a man who wasn’t thinking about wealth, status, or what the woman he loved could offer him. Instead, Luke was simply driven by love—a plain, uncalculated devotion that reminded him of his own.
At that moment, the old man understood. Who was he to judge Luke’s feelings when they were no different from his own?
And so, the old man relented, allowing his wife to sell the jewelry. However, they still sold it for three times its current market value, ensuring they had a valid explanation for their children—an attempt to appease them for parting with such a valuable heirloom. In the end, it was a compromise where both sides gained something while meeting halfway.