As the knife was passed around for guests to take turns cutting the cake, the guy snatched it and, with a smug grin, gestured toward Robert.“Hey, why don’t you cut a slice for everyone?” he said loudly, his tone dripping with mockery. "Or maybe that’s not something you’re used to, seeing as you probably have someone do it for you."The crowd’s laughter was awkward, a few people glancing uncomfortably between Robert and the man. It was a subtle but deliberate attempt to embarrass Robert, positioning him as someone out of place, too refined or detached to even do something simple like cutting a cake.Anita, who had been standing nearby, immediately sensed what was happening. Her eyes darted between Robert and the guy, realizing the malicious intent behind the gesture.Without hesitation, she stepped forward, her expression sharp as she intercepted the knife before Robert could respond.“Oh, I think Robert’s done enough for the night,” she said firmly, her voice cutting through the tensi
As the knife was passed around for guests to take turns cutting the cake, the guy snatched it and, with a smug grin, gestured toward Robert.“Hey, why don’t you cut a slice for everyone?” he said loudly, his tone dripping with mockery. "Or maybe that’s not something you’re used to, seeing as you probably have someone do it for you."The crowd’s laughter was awkward, a few people glancing uncomfortably between Robert and the man. It was a subtle but deliberate attempt to embarrass Robert, positioning him as someone out of place, too refined or detached to even do something simple like cutting a cake.Anita, who had been standing nearby, immediately sensed what was happening. Her eyes darted between Robert and the guy, realizing the malicious intent behind the gesture.Without hesitation, she stepped forward, her expression sharp as she intercepted the knife before Robert could respond.“Oh, I think Robert’s done enough for the night,” she said firmly, her voice cutting through the tensi
Eyeing the moment, he stepped forward again, his voice cutting through the noise. "Alright, folks," he said with a sly grin, "I think we’ve all calmed down now, haven’t we?" He gave Robert a pointed look, his tone dripping with mockery."He continued, "How about we move on to the gift presentation? After all, I’m sure everyone here brought something special for the celebrant."His eyes flicked toward Robert for a brief second, certain that this was his moment. He was convinced that Robert had come empty-handed, and this would be his final blow to undermine him."Let’s see what we’ve got!" the guy added, rubbing his hands together in fake enthusiasm. The crowd turned their attention toward the table where the celebrant, a glowing young woman in her birthday dress, stood expectantly.Without hesitation, Anita reached into her bag, a confident smile playing on her lips. From it, she pulled out a thick bundle of $50 bills and handed it over to the celebrant. "This is $5000," she said cas
He glanced at Anita once more, hoping that the grand gesture would make her fall for him. But Anita remained stoic, her expression unreadable, though her eyes flickered with something more calculating than impressed.Meanwhile, Robert, who had been observing silently, maintained his calm demeanor, though a subtle smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. Nathan might have thought he’d outshone everyone, but Robert had seen enough of such displays to know where this was headed. He knew arrogance often led to a downfall. He just had to wait.Meanwhile, Nathan was in his element, soaking up the admiration from the room. He grinned from ear to ear, loving every second of the attention. Vanessa couldn’t stop gushing about the gift, her voice high with excitement.“You never cease to amaze me, Nathan,” she said, her eyes still wide with disbelief. “This is... I don’t even know how to thank you! This is the most expensive gift I’ve ever received!”Nathan, feeling on top of the world, brushed h
Nathan's eyes widened slightly, and for a moment, a flicker of fear crossed his face. But he quickly masked it with more arrogance, his voice rising in desperation. “You're talking nonsense. You're just bitter because you can't afford anything like this, and now you're trying to ruin the night. You're just some arrogant narcissist.”Anita, sensing that the tension was about to boil over, stepped between them. "Come on, this isn’t necessary," she pleaded, her hands out in front of her. “It’s a party. Let’s not ruin it over this.”But Robert was resolute. “If Nathan’s so sure about the authenticity of his gift,” he said, locking eyes with Nathan, “then I’d like to prove that the painting is not original.”The room fell silent at Robert’s bold challenge. Nathan’s expression faltered again, but he quickly masked his unease with more bravado."Prove it?" Nathan scoffed, though his voice had lost some of its earlier confidence. “You’re just trying to make me look bad. You’re the one ruining
"He started it! Two can play this game, right? If Robert's so sure, why doesn’t he show the receipt for his fancy watch? Or better yet, let’s check the authenticity right now!"The room grew quiet as Nathan’s challenge hung in the air. Robert, calm as ever, didn’t flinch. He merely replied, "Show the receipt for your painting first, Nathan. After that, I’ll be happy to provide mine."A murmur went through the crowd as people exchanged curious glances. The tension was thick, almost tangible, as they awaited Nathan’s response. But before Nathan could come up with an excuse, someone else from the party chimed in. "Why don’t we just check online? Patek Philippe has an official site where you can validate their products using the serial number. Let’s see if it’s genuine."Anita, standing close to Robert, felt a knot form in her stomach. Her fingers twitched with anxiety. She knew Robert had money and could easily afford a watch like that, but the idea of him being humiliated in front of ev
Another girl in the corner whispered, "It’s embarrassing. I thought Robert had more class than this."Nathan circled around Robert, his voice dripping with mockery."You wanted to make me look like a fool, huh? Well, how’s it feel now? Must hurt, doesn’t it? Standing there, trying to defend a cheap knockoff while I’ve got a real, genuine gift." He leaned in closer, his grin menacing. "Face it, Robert. You’re nothing but a fraud, and everyone here sees it now."Robert stood there, his composure cracking. "I know it's not fake," he repeated, his voice quieter now, almost as if he were convincing himself as much as everyone else. "There’s been a mistake… it has to be."But the more he protested, the more Nathan’s smirk grew. "Mistake?" Nathan scoffed. "The only mistake here is you thinking you could come in here and show me up. But now everyone knows the truth, Robert. You're just a guy trying to punch above his weight, and you fell flat on your face."Anita, who had been quiet throughou
Despite her defense, Robert wasn’t satisfied. He couldn't shake off the overwhelming sense of betrayal—not from the people around him but from the circumstances that had conspired to humiliate him. His insistence on proving himself only spurred Nathan's amusement further.Nathan burst into mocking laughter, his voice echoing through the room. "Oh, this is just too rich," he sneered. "Mistakenly picked the wrong one? C'mon, Robert, don’t kid yourself. If it walks like a fraud, talks like a fraud, well... it’s probably a fraud."Robert’s frustration was mounting. He grabbed his phone, dialing his mother’s number again, the cold sweat on his forehead betraying his rising desperation. When the call didn’t go through, his grip tightened, and he cursed under his breath. Nathan’s taunts grew more relentless. "You’re a joke, man," he said, his tone dripping with condescension. "Trying to pull this off like you’re some big shot, and now look at you—sweating bullets over a fake watch. You mi