Chapter 235: A Very Special Gift

Jack's complexion visibly darkened at a lightning speed. How could he not recognize that this was an intentional attempt to cause trouble? The key issue was that Elizabeth seemed to be quite bad at choosing her words. Could she not see that Jack was trying to protect Martina? Yet she still dared to speak this way. Subsequently, as if she realized something, Elizabeth deliberately explained to Martina, "Of course, Martina, I'm not talking about you. Don't take it personally." This statement made it even more obvious. If she didn't have some ulterior motive, why would she intentionally say something like this to Martina? It was clearly pointing fingers and making insinuations. Before Martina and Jack could respond, Benjamin quickly expressed his displeasure. "Girls don't need to know so much; they just need to learn how to love someone." This statement was a clear hint, intended to make Martina understand his feelings and return to how things were before. Even if they couldn't go back to the past, even if she could fall in love with Benjamin again, it would be wonderful. This comment was essentially going against Elizabeth's opinion, and her face visibly drooped in response. At that moment, footsteps could be heard approaching from outside the door. Jack pursed his lips and, in the end, suppressed his anger. "Alright, it seems that more guests have arrived. Get ready, so you don't become the subject of others' laughter later." With that, he headed to his bedroom to await the guests. After all, he was the center of attention today and couldn't greet the guests at the door personally. Just then, Martina pulled out a beautifully wrapped box like a magic trick from behind her. She nodded at Benjamin without saying a word and followed Jack to his room. Martina didn't want to show off intentionally in front of others. She had prepared this gift to make Jack happy, so there was no need to present it in front of everyone. She knocked on the door and entered. Jack looked at her curiously and asked, "Why did you come in with me? You can wait outside with Benjamin." Martina shook her head and said, "Jack, I came to find you for something. I have a gift for you, and I hope you'll like it." Martina handed the gift box to him. "Martina, what's inside? It seems quite heavy," Jack asked, curiously. Martina smiled apologetically and replied, "Maybe you should open it and see, Jack. I made this gift myself, and I hope you like it, even though it might not be very expensive." When Jack heard that the gift was handmade by Martina, he was already quite pleased. He didn't think about the value at all. Instead, he nodded and quickly opened the gift. Inside, there was a beautifully framed landscape painting. Because Jack had a penchant for adventure and enjoyed witnessing various beautiful sceneries in the past. However, due to health issues and family circumstances, he couldn't indulge in such activities freely for a long time. He hadn't been on an adventure for quite some time. Now, Martina had specially created a painting and presented it to him. The thoughtfulness behind this gift alone was deeply touching. Jack's eyes seemed to moisten considerably, and he was left speechless for quite some time. It was hard to find the right words. After a while, his trembling fingers gently touched the landscape in the painting. By either coincidence or design, the scenery that Martina had painted was a place that Jack had visited in his youth. It was also the location where Jack and Martina's grandfather had first met, holding numerous memories for him. It was from that point that his health had started to deteriorate, and he gradually gave up on adventures. Now, seeing the landscape once more, it was as if Jack had been transported back to his youth. This gift meant the world to him. He wiped his eyes and excitedly exclaimed, "Wonderful, wonderful! You're a great kid, and I love the gift you've given." Martina felt immensely happy seeing his reaction. "I'm glad you like it, Jack. If you enjoy it, my father and I can take you there in the future. When my studio isn't too busy, I can set aside some time to accompany you." She had been considering that Jack was getting older. To put it bluntly, there might not be many good years left. She was determined to spend these years accompanying him. Regardless of how her relationship with Benjamin would evolve, at least Jack had been nice to her. Jack was incredibly perceptive and could see through Martina's inner thoughts. But it was precisely because he understood her so well that he was even more touched. Acts like the one Martina had just done, driven by genuine emotions, were truly precious. "Alright, kid. I also miss the life I once had," Jack responded warmly. Meanwhile, more guests were arriving outside, each eager to join the celebration. They were all making a concerted effort to get there as soon as possible. Benjamin was in the main hall, but the guests were being received by the butler, as well as others. Considering Benjamin's status, he shouldn't have been involved in this kind of work. He was calmly and methodically organizing the final details of the event. Elizabeth, on the other hand, was quite content, moving back and forth among the guests. Many of the people who came here were familiar to her, and she made sure to greet and engage in conversation with most of them. Most of the guests were familiar with her, and they were delighted to see her, especially those who had played cards with her in the past. They displayed a particularly friendly demeanor. "Wow, Elizabeth is absolutely stunning today. It looks like you've been living the good life recently," some guests teased. However, they failed to notice the momentary awkwardness on Elizabeth's face. The truth was that Elizabeth hadn't been doing well lately. There were times when she couldn't even manage to have a proper meal in a day.