As she took the pearl earrings, Simon’s eyes grew brighter, and his smile widened until it almost reached his ears. He looked utterly silly.

But seeing Simon, who looked silly yet was anything but, Maria understood the meaning behind his actions.

She had been so resistant to accepting valuable gifts before and had told him that in her world, women didn’t casually accept things from men.

Yet now, she accepted, and not casually, but after careful consideration.

Even though there was a transactional aspect, Maria could have asked Simon for another form of transaction if she wasn’t willing. But she didn’t.

So Simon knew that by accepting the pearl earrings,...