"Puff!"
As the old man delicately unveiled the inner sanctum of the second stone, a collective breath was held in anticipation. However, to the naked eye, there was no immediate sign of the coveted green hue. A wave of initial disappointment rippled through the onlooking crowd."Ah, too bad," muttered a voice from the back, disappointment dripping from the words. "Looks like he might not have the touch after all."Ethan himself felt a bit disappointed and same was Sophia."He seemed so confident," another person whispered, shaking their head in mock sympathy. "Guess it's not as easy as it looks."Ethan's heart sank for a fraction of a second. The collective sighs of the crowd seemed to echo in his ears. But he wasn't ready to give up hope just yet, at least the third one could be luck.He was about to ask the old man to continue with the third but what happened was more shocking. As if to defy the odds, a soEthan extended his hand and shook the man's, saying, "Yes, I am. And who are you, too?"The middle-aged man smiled and introduced himself as Seth Joseph, the owner of the jade business with establishments in different locations.Ethan nodded appreciatively. "Nice. So, I want to sell my jades, and I heard you buy them back."Seth confirmed, "Yes, I do." He motioned to his assistant to bring the jades that Ethan had won. After a careful examination, a pleased smile crept across Seth's face. "This is really good. Now, let's talk about the price."Ethan agreed, "Alright. You make your offer. If I'm cool with it, I'll let you know. And if I'm not, too, I'll let you know."Seth re-evaluated the jade, his satisfaction not escaping notice. Finally, he looked at Ethan and made an offer, "I'll give you $2 million for this."The onlookers chuckled lightly, expecting Ethan to decline, as he had already stated he wouldn't settle for that amount. As anticipated, Ethan shook his head, resolute. "Sor
On their way, Sophia cast a worried glance at Ethan, her concern etched in her eyes. "Hubby, that amount was substantial, it could have made you rich. Was it right to reject?" she inquired, her voice tinged with uncertainty.Ethan's smile was reassuring as he responded, "Believe me, they were trying to pull a trick. This isn't ordinary jade. The fact that it only reveals its shine after cutting and opening indicates that it's a valuable piece."Sophia absorbed his explanation and nodded thoughtfully. "So, what's our next step?" she queried.Ethan considered for a moment before offering a solution. "We'll just take a cab to one of the reputable dealers I've come across. It has received a lot of positive reviews, so we'll head there instead."Sophia's agreement came with a smile. "That sounds like a good plan."Ethan's gratitude was evident as he expressed, "Thanks for understanding. Let's go get some ice cream or anything you fancy first."Sophia's smile widenedAs they strolled furthe
Sophia was shocked, her eyes widening as she stared at Ethan. "What are you doing, Ethan?" she asked, her voice laced with shyness.Ethan paid no mind to her, his attention focused on the crowd, awaiting their responses.Suddenly, a voice chimed in, "Bro, she's very beautiful."A lady added, "Your girlfriend is like an angel."Another voice joined in, "She's the kind of lady who would be every man's spec."The compliments continued to pour in,"Is she a model? She could be!""You're one lucky guy!""She's got a smile that can light up a room!""They make such a gorgeous couple!"The crowd seemed unanimous in their admiration for Sophia.Ethan turned to Sophia, a smug grin on his face. "Now everyone is aware of us. See the compliments you've received because of me. Am I not the best?"Sophia rolled her eyes and retorted, "Point of correction, I received them because I am exactly what they said. Come on."Ethan chuckled and drew very close to her. The onlookers started to cheer, yelling
Half an hour later, the cab that Ethan and Sophia had hailed came to a stop at their destination. Following the directions provided, they approached a grand and beautifully adorned house. The late hour added an air of quiet serenity to the surroundings, and Ethan instinctively drew Sophia close, wrapping his arm around her waist to offer a sense of security.As they reached the imposing black gate, a vigilant security guard stood sentinel. He inquired about their purpose, to which Ethan cleared his throat and politely explained, "Good evening, we're here to sell a jade.""Jade? Let me see," the security guard requested. Ethan complied, carefully presenting the jades for inspection.The guard nodded in approval before stating, "Alright, but I'll have to check you first."Ethan agreed without hesitation, allowing the security guard to conduct a thorough search to ensure he was not carrying any weapons. Once satisfied, the guard moved on to inspect Sophia. However, before he could procee
The old man's brow furrowed slightly. "You turned down $10 million? Wasn't that a substantial offer?"Ethan shook his head, his expression composed. "I'm in no rush. $10 million for these wasn't quite what I had in mind, which is why I sought your opinion. If you're not interested, I'll explore other options." He made a subtle motion as if preparing to retrieve the jades.The old man intervened, determined not to let the opportunity slip away. "No, no, don't be hasty. I'm interested. Let's discuss the price."Ethan shook his head, maintaining his resolve. "It's late, and I've come a long way. I can't engage in prolonged negotiations. You propose a price, and if it's agreeable, I'll let you know."The old man sighed, realizing Ethan's determination. "Very well, it's your jade, you're the seller."Ethan took a moment, then stated his terms firmly. "Alright, if that's your preference. I'm selling them for $25 million."Wow!" Sophia was stunned, she felt more amazed, Ethan was indeed unpr
Meanwhile, a total of seven men were on a mission to eliminate Esquire Dera Brown. Following them was the big man who had been speaking to the Minister of Defense in his room the other time.The men moved swiftly, jumping the fence to reach Dera's place. Since it was late, they moved cautiously to avoid detection."Hey, all of you, go slowly. She might be asleep. We'll go inside and finish the job, then come back," their leader instructed."Ok boss," the six men nodded in agreement and began to move quietly. Inside, Dera was fast asleep, her files sitting on the table, unaware of the impending danger.As the men approached Dera's door to enter, a figure suddenly descended from the sky, landing among them with a heavy thud. He seemed to have been hiding on the roof for some time. The figure wore a mask, concealing a stern and determined face.The men were stunned to see this unexpected arrival."Hey, who are you?" their boss demanded.The masked man looked at the leader and calmly stat
The next day, Sophia's eyes fluttered open, greeted by the warm weight of Ethan's head resting on her chest. Her fingers gently traced through his hair as she smiled to herself, enjoying the serene moment.In a quiet, soothing voice, Ethan greeted her, "Good morning, babe."Sophia returned the greeting with equal tenderness, "Good morning, hun. How are you feeling?"Ethan, still comfortably nestled against her, replied, "Better, I'm fine."Pleased to hear that he was doing well, Sophia continued the conversation, "That's great. So, talking about today, where would we be going, hubby?"Ethan's eyes sparkled with enthusiasm as he shared his plans, "Yesterday, I already made a call and rented a motorboat for us at River Thames."However, Sophia's smile seemed a touch forced, and Ethan picked up on it. Concerned, he shifted to sit up, cradling her in his arms. Leaning in, he tenderly kissed her cheeks and asked, "What's wrong, babe? What's up with that smile?"Sophia hesitated momentarily,
After texting Lily, Ethan placed his phone down and prepared to take a shower.Meanwhile, in the room, Madam Northington was seated, engrossed in the TV show when her assistant knocked and entered."Good morning, Madam," he greeted."Good morning, what's the matter?" Northington inquired.The assistant cleared his throat and said, "Madam, I bring you some good news.""What is it?" she asked with interest.The assistant smiled and announced, "Mr. Blackwood's son and his girlfriend will be visiting River Thames today."Madam Northington's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you absolutely sure about this?" she questioned.The assistant nodded emphatically. "This information is one hundred percent confirmed."Impressed, Northington asked, "How did you come by this information?"The assistant replied, "Madam, I managed to discreetly pay off the registration personnel in charge of the Thames site. Early this morning, I received confirmation that Blackwood's son had arranged for a motorboat toda