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
Gasps filled the room. The weight of the revelation hit everyone like a tidal wave. Vanessa’s jaw dropped as she stared at the price in disbelief, her hands trembling slightly. Anita’s eyes widened, and a look of awe replaced her earlier skepticism. There was a murmur of shock and admiration as everyone absorbed what they had just witnessed."Four hundred thousand dollars?" someone whispered, stunned."That’s insane," another added. "I didn’t even know you could get a custom Patek like that."Nathan, on the other hand, was left speechless. The blood drained from his face as if all his confidence had evaporated in an instant. His once smug expression faltered, replaced by sheer disbelief. His gift—while appreciated—was a far cry from what Robert had just unveiled. The room buzzed with whispers as people began comparing Nathan’s painting to Robert’s gift."It’s not even close," someone muttered, loud enough for Nathan to hear. "Robert’s on a whole different level.""Yeah, Nathan’s gift
Three days later The news of the collaboration between Glidson Group of Companies and Imperial Trust Bank had circulated like wildfire, igniting tension across the business landscape. At Victor Langston's company, the atmosphere was far from celebratory. Inside the towering glass conference room, Victor had called an urgent meeting, one that promised no pleasantries. He stood at the head of the table, glaring at the team of executives and former Glidson loyalists seated around him.Victor’s face was twisted with fury. His fists clenched as he leaned forward, his voice cold and sharp. “I thought by now, we’d be drinking to the downfall of Glidson. But instead…” He paused, tossing the business article announcing Glidson’s triumph with Imperial Trust across the table. “THIS is what I have to read!”The article landed with a thud, its title glaring back at them: “Glidson Empire Secures Landmark Collaboration with Imperial Trust Bank.”Murmurs ran through the room, but no one dared to
The crowd fell silent, absorbing his words. Robert’s calm presence was unexpectedly reassuring; his refusal to be intimidated was as powerful as any victory in court. For many in the room, his unshaken resolve was proof that perhaps Victor’s reign of fear truly had ended.He had shown them that courage didn’t come from backing down or second-guessing; it came from standing firm against corruption, even when it threatened to strike back.With Lily by his side, Robert stepped out of the courthouse and into the evening air, free from the shadows of intimidation. The city was alive with whispers, but he moved forward, knowing he had won far more than just a legal battle. He had shown the world that integrity could indeed stand firm, even in the face of the most powerful adversaries.The courtroom was packed, tension thick as a fog. For months, people had speculated whether this day would ever come. Victor Langston, the untouchable business magnate who’d built an empire on ruthless tact