From His Wife to His Uncle's Wife novel Chapter 208

Eleanor was stunned. Max’s mom didn’t seem bothered at all. In fact, she flashed a shy, warm smile that made Eleanor feel a little less nervous.

Marleigh reached into her bag and pulled out a beautiful, old-fashioned box trimmed with gold. It looked expensive, the kind of thing you’d only see in a museum or on TV.

She took Eleanor’s hand and said, “Sweetheart, usually the families would sit down and talk things over before the marriage, but Max just couldn’t wait. He’s crazy about you. So, we skipped all that and went straight to the important part.”

Marleigh opened the box. Inside was a jade bracelet, its green so rich and clear it almost glowed. It was obvious at first glance that this was something rare, something precious.

“There are two bracelets in our family. One went to Hunter’s wife, and this one is for you.”

Eleanor’s eyes went wide. She tried to pull her hand back. “I really can’t accept this. It’s too much.”

She couldn’t even guess how much the bracelet was worth—definitely in the millions. This was supposed to be a marriage of convenience, not a real love story. How could she take a gift like that?

Marleigh just smiled and slipped the bracelet onto Eleanor’s wrist herself. “Nonsense. It looks gorgeous on you. Your skin is so fair, it brings out the color even more.”

The longer Marleigh looked at her, the more she seemed to like her.

Eleanor glanced at Max, desperate for help. He was watching, calm and amused, like he found the whole thing entertaining.

He gave her a small smile. “Take it. It’s from my mom, and she means it.”

Then Marleigh pulled out a bank card and pressed it into Eleanor’s hand. “I don’t have much else to give you, but this is a little something from me. Just in case you need it.”

Eleanor was completely overwhelmed. She remembered her wedding to Peter Clarkson. His mother, Autumn, had looked down on her, made her feel small, and barely even spoke to her. Back then, the only gifts were adding her name to a house and giving her a million, which already felt like a lot. Compared to this, it was nothing.

Max seemed to pick up on her tone. His eyes sharpened. “I’ll take care of the wedding. It’ll happen as planned. Mom, you need to convince Dad. If not, don’t blame me if he misses out.”

Marleigh just stared at him, speechless.

Eleanor felt awkward. She didn’t want Max to fight with his family, especially not because of her. “Really, it’s fine to wait…”

Max shook his head, completely serious. “No, it’s not fine. I’m in a hurry. People keep joking I’m gay. I need a wedding to prove them wrong.”

Marleigh rolled her eyes, clearly done with his antics. Still, the rest of the meal felt light and happy.

As they left the restaurant, Max reached for Eleanor’s hand without thinking. She stiffened, her whole body tensing up at his touch.