She lowered her hand, moved to the far end of the sofa, and settled beside a middle-aged man, clutching his arm.
"Dad, look at this! Isn't it stunning?" Alice asked, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
Jack Jenkins gazed at his daughter and gently patted her head.
"My daughter is the most gorgeous woman in the world. No matter what you wear, you'll always shine," he said warmly.
Alice's face lit up with a smile.
"Dad, if Mom hears you calling me the most beautiful, she might get jealous," Alice teased.
Caroline Jenkins interjected, "Why would I be jealous? You cheeky girl. Are you trying to tease me now?"
Jack chuckled, reaching for Caroline's hand. "To me, both you and your mother are the most beautiful women in the world."
Alice leaned against her father's shoulder, a contented smile playing on her lips, while Caroline averted her gaze, a shy blush spreading across her cheeks.
Suddenly, the sound of slow clapping echoed through the room.
Their smiles faded as they turned to see who was standing at the door.
Irene stood there, tilting her head as she lowered her hands.
"What a picture-perfect family moment," Irene said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'm truly moved. What about you, Mr. Torres?"
On their way to the villa, Andy had learned how much Irene had endured over the years. Initially, he had thought that even after Elisa's passing, Irene would live a comfortable life as the daughter of a wealthy family and later as the wife of Lennon, a powerful businessman.
Now, seeing Jack and his new family basking in their happiness, Andy felt a surge of anger welling up inside him. He stood silently, his gaze cold and intense.
"Irene! What are you doing here?" Alice was the first to break the silence.
Irene sneered, walking over to the sofa and taking a seat. Andy followed suit, positioning himself behind her.
"Miss Jenkins, this is Miss Morgan's house," Andy said calmly. "If she chooses to return, she has every right to do so."
Alice scowled, folding her arms. "And who do you think you are? I wasn't talking to you."
Unfazed, Andy replied, "I'm her legal representative."
Alice let out a disdainful laugh. "Everyone's claiming to be a lawyer these days. Irene, Lennon kicked you out, and now you're crawling back here? Hiring some so-called lawyer won't change anything. This isn't your home anymore. Get out!"
She stormed forward, reaching for Irene's arm, intending to force her out. But to her shock, Irene deftly sidestepped her.
A sharp pain shot through Alice's neck, causing her to wince and clutch at the spot.
Meanwhile, Irene stood calmly, holding the necklace Alice had been wearing just moments ago — now glistening with a smear of blood.
"You... how dare you?" Alice shrieked, her eyes blazing with fury. She lunged forward to strike Irene, but Irene's expression remained unsettlingly calm.
Before Alice's hand could connect, Irene caught her wrist effortlessly, then delivered a swift kick to Alice's knee, sending her stumbling backward.
With a look of indifference, Irene let go of Alice and stepped back, her eyes cold and resolute.
Alice cried out in agony, collapsing onto her knees as she hit the floor.
"Alice!" Caroline rushed to her daughter's side, attempting to lift her up. She never imagined that Irene would have the audacity to strike her daughter so brazenly.
Irene held up the necklace in her hand, inspecting it. "If memory serves me right, this necklace is actually mine, isn't it?"
Alice clenched her jaw, her face drained of color as she struggled to reach for the necklace. "That's mine!"
Irene, however, pulled her hand back and settled comfortably on the couch.
"This necklace is worth millions. Alice, didn't you just tell me you couldn't afford a dress that costs only ten thousand dollars? You even persuaded me to buy it for you, remember? Since when did you become wealthy enough to own a piece like this?"
Alice's face paled further.
"None of your business! The necklace is mine! Give it back, or I'll call the police and report you for theft!"
Irene crossed her legs, leaning back casually. Her gaze was fixed on Alice, and she remained silent for a beat, her expression inscrutable.
Alice felt a shiver run down her spine. Irene's calm demeanor was unsettling. Alice suddenly remembered Irene's words from three days ago:
'I will make you regret what you did to me.'
"You know, sapphires are rare. That's why each one is engraved with a unique serial number using a laser," Irene said with a mocking smile. "Since you claim this necklace is yours, you should know its serial number, right?"
Alice's mind went blank.
Serial number? Sapphires had numbers?
How was she supposed to know that? She had only taken the necklace from Irene's jewelry box when Irene left it at home.
Attempting to mask her guilt, Alice said defiantly, "Who pays attention to a silly serial number when buying jewelry? Those numbers are too long to remember!"
"Oh, so you don't remember?" Irene's smile widened, her eyes glinting with amusement. "No worries. Since you bought it, you should have the appraisal certificate. The serial number is clearly listed on it. If the police come, just show it to them."
Alice's bravado faltered. She hesitated, stammering, "I—I…"
"What's wrong? Are you going to say you lost the certificate?" Irene's tone remained casual, but her eyes were sharp. "No big deal. The police can verify it."
Alice's expression darkened.
Noticing her silence, Irene leaned forward. "What's wrong? Didn't you want to call the police and accuse me of theft? Go ahead."
Alice's eyes blazed with anger, her teeth gritted so hard it seemed they might shatter.
Ignoring her fury, Irene turned to Andy. "Since Alice is reluctant, Mr. Torres, why don't you call the police and ask them to come over?"
Caroline, who had been silent until now, quickly interjected, "Irene, don't be upset. Alice was just being foolish. We're family, after all. And Alice is your little sister. If the police get involved, it'll be a huge scandal. People will laugh at us."
Caroline lowered her head, projecting the image of a gentle, motherly woman.
Irene was all too familiar with that act.
Caroline had mastered the art of appearing innocent and kind, a trait that had successfully manipulated Jack and allowed her and Alice to trample over Irene for years.
Irene said nothing, merely watching Caroline with calm, calculating eyes. Caroline was more composed than Alice. Rather than asking Jack for help directly, she preferred to play the role of the victim, hoping to evoke his sympathy and prompt him to take her side.
Seeing that Irene wasn't biting, Caroline grew restless. A malicious glint flickered in her eyes. Alice had told her that Irene seemed to have become a different person lately, but she hadn't believed it. Now, it was clear: Irene had truly changed. How dare she walk in here and act like she owned the place?
Andy broke the tense silence. "Miss Morgan, I've already called the police."
"Irene Morgan! How dare you?" Alice screamed, her eyes bulging with fury.
"Why wouldn't I?" Irene replied calmly, her posture relaxed. "Isn't that what you wanted?"
"You…" Alice was at a loss for words, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
Consumed by rage, Alice grabbed a vase from the table and hurled it at Irene. The movement was so sudden that Caroline didn't have time to stop her.
Caroline's heart lurched. If Alice injured Irene, the police would undoubtedly blame her. They wouldn't care about the reasons behind it.
Andy stood frozen in shock. He hadn't expected Alice to go so far as to attack Irene outright.