Chapter 693 - The Proposal (1/2)

”Now... I've done it right, right?” London asked her with a beaming face.

L looked at the ring in her ring finger then looked at London alternately.

”This... must be very expensive,” she said, confused. ”How much did you spend on it?”

”I just wanted to give you my best...” London said quietly. He suddenly felt uneasy. L's tone didn't seem as happy as he had hoped. ”Why? You don't like it?”

”How much?” L asked again in an urgent tone.

”Uhm... it costed a month my salary...” London finally told. The diamond was worth a month's salary as the boss of Schneider Group, or one million euros, but he would let L think what he meant was his salary as an assistant to the HR manager, which was only a few thousand euros.

L shook her head, and her face seemed disappointed.

”I can't believe you still don't understand until now...” She took the ring from her finger and handed it back to London's hand.

Now it was London's turn to be shocked and unable to control his reaction.

”I don't get it.” He didn't want to accept the ring and tried to put it back on her finger, but L firmly refused.

”You already have a child. How long do you want to live as if you are single and have no dependents? Why do you still spend money on useless things? Are diamond rings edible?

Don't you know that there are a lot of fake diamonds in the market? Diamonds are only expensive because of their rarity, when in fact, they aren't rare. Diamond businesses take many diamonds from conflict mines in Africa, which took many lives.

You must have heard about blood diamonds, right? Those businesses hid most of their diamonds so that they remain scarce in the market and will stay expensive!”

London was stunned by L's scolding. He knew all of that, but he didn't think L knew either, and it turned out that she hated diamonds because they took so many victims.

”This isn't a blood diamond from conflict areas...” That was all he could say to defend himself.

”That's not the point,” L grunted impatiently. ”I don't like diamonds. Diamonds are overrated even though it has no real value. Did you know on the planet Neptune, the rain was diamond? It's just carbon hardened, nothing special. I'm really disappointed you chose to spend your first salary on something as useless as this.”

London could only swallow.

”So... does this mean...” He tried to deny this fact, but L's eyes that looked at him with disappointment gave him her answer. ”You won't accept my proposal?”

L didn't reply. She only took a deep breath. After a while, London Schneider finally heard his most-hated sentence. ”I'm sorry.”

”I no longer know how to do it. It seems like I've done nothing right,” he complained. ”Why is it so hard to please you?”

”I'm honored because you bother doing all this. I want to accept it... but I can't. It's too much, and I'm disappointed that you spent your money on something as unnecessary as this diamond ring. Why don't you think about the future and save your money for Lily's needs?” L shook her head in disappointment. ”I understand that you received a discount at the restaurant, even for this air balloon... but don't tell me you also got a discount for the ring? That is impossible.”

London bit his lip. He didn't understand L's thoughts. He never knew any woman who would refuse a beautiful diamond ring. L was truly one of a kind!