After meeting Lucy, Adam returned to his small house on the outskirts of Reed near the Barbaros River. The housing where he lived could be considered remote and far from luxurious. Most of the residents there were retired war veterans and teachers with low pension funds.Adam chose to live here since he was expelled from the McLauren family a month after his marriage. Fortunately, Anna had a little money saved from her late grandfather. So, they could open a store and pay off this house in installments.The cost of living in this city is not cheap, sometimes when the store is quiet, Adam cannot pay the house installments. They were almost evicted some time ago, but fortunately, someone was willing to lend them money.Now Adam doesn't have to worry about the house installments and his and Anna's livelihood. He can easily pay off the house with the money given by his aunt. Or maybe, he can buy more than that. Why not? He has a lot of money now.As Adam entered, he saw his wife cooking l
The next day, Adam met Lucy at a luxurious restaurant in the heart of Reed city. Despite feeling a bit awkward, Adam still smiled warmly and greeted her.Lucy Anderson, a beautiful woman of forty-five, looked stunning and captivating in her expensive blue dress and beautiful makeup. Her short haircut gave off a strong and bold impression.Adam sat in front of her, and his aunt started the conversation. She seemed pleased to see Adam grown into a young man and said, "You look very handsome, Adam. When was the last time we met? Was it fifteen years ago?"Adam smiled and replied, "Actually, it's been more than sixteen years."Lucy pursed her lips and looked slightly sad. With a less cheerful expression, she said, "It's been such a long time. Back then, I used to carry you around. Do you remember?"Memories of the past made Lucy feel heartbroken. She imagined the beautiful face of her sister-in-law who looked happy when with young Adam.Adam was the child of conflicted parents. His father
Adam took out his card and handed it to the administrative staff, even though he wasn't sure if his account balance would be enough to cover the payment. But, he tried to remain confident.The woman staff in front of him said, "Sir, you will be paying five million dollars for the dragon statue and eight thousand dollars for the service fee."That's very expensive!Adam could only force a wry smile and nod. And if his balance turned out to be insufficient for the payment, he planned to quickly escape with Anna.The PIN was entered, and soon the sound of the payment transaction was heard. Adam gaped and stared in disbelief.Was his money enough?The woman staff spoke again while returning Adam's card, "Payment successful, Sir. We will arrange for the delivery procedures to your location to ensure safe transit. And please fill out some forms first."Adam didn't even hear the woman staff's voice, still lost in disbelief. Then, the ringing of his phone snapped him back to reality.He looke
Alex laughed upon hearing that.So, Adam foolishly offered help with Anna's money? That's ridiculous! But, it's good because I don't have to help that old man. Adam, you've given me a brilliant idea!Anna, who was not pleased with her husband's kind offer being insulted like that, finally spoke firmly, "Mr. Louis, it's okay if you don't accept our help. But, don't insult my husband. He sincerely offered to help you."Alex interrupted Anna's words and spoke as if siding with Adam. In reality, he just didn't want Louis to ask him for help, so he said, "My sister is right, Mr. Louis. Adam has been kind. Why don't you just accept it?"Adam and Anna, hearing Alex's words, were shocked and confused. Why was Alex suddenly speaking in their favor?Not only that, Louis was also surprised, not understanding why Alex seemed to be siding with Adam when he knew that accepting help from Adam would lower his self-worth. Flustered and nervous, Louis said to Alex, "Mr. Bown, what do you mean? The mone
Louis shouted angrily, feeling slightly humiliated, "Check your machine, fool! It's impossible that all my cards are not working!"The staff sighed and tried to remain patient, then politely said, "I apologize, Sir. But our machine is working fine. Would you like to proceed with the payment transaction using another method?"Louis rubbed his face roughly, with Adam still watching him in front of him. If this continued, he would surely be embarrassed. So, he protested again to the staff in anger, "Do you think I'm crazy to carry that much cash in my wallet?"Adam tried to offer a solution, he said to Louis, "If you don't mind, I can help you withdraw cash from the nearest bank. But if you prefer not to, you can borrow money from me, Sir."Louis looked at him cynically, seeing Adam's kind offer as an insult. Besides, how could Adam lend him money when he himself couldn't bet earlier. Louis scoffed cynically, then said, "You? Lend me money? Am I hearing wrong? How much do you have, anywa
Adam sighed wearily. He had just lost a precious hope, which could have been a bridge to winning his grandmother's heart.Gently, Anna embraced her husband and gave him strength, knowing that Adam had tried his best. She spoke softly and attentively, "It's okay, darling. We will find something better than that statue."Adam nodded lightly and began to gather his spirits again. He smiled at his wife and said firmly, "You know I never stop trying. Next time, I will definitely find something better than that statue for grandma."His friend Edwin also offered support, patting Adam on the shoulder and encouraging him, "Come on, there are plenty of good things in this world. Don't be sad just because of one statue."The onlookers rose from their seats and looked towards Adam, some grinned and others chuckled softly as if mocking Adam for losing in the competition.Including Louis, the old man with a sturdy and arrogant physique, stood up and approached Adam with a satisfied expression. He g
Adam looked hesitant, remembering that he had used most of his savings to buy a gift for his grandmother's birthday yesterday. But if he borrowed money from Edwin, it should be enough.So, he turned to his friend and said, "I want to get this one, please lend me some money."Edwin looked surprised to hear that, and he said anxiously, "Are you serious? That's a lot of money, Adam! Are you sure?"Adam nodded confidently.Suddenly, the old Louis raised his number and bid high, "Two million dollars."Adam felt a bit nervous, but he still couldn't bid any higher. He raised his number and bid, "Two million one hundred thousand."People looked towards him, as did Louis. So far, no one had dared to challenge the old collector, because when he made a bid, it meant he wouldn't let go of the item for anyone, no matter the price he had to pay.Louis bid again, his voice loud, "Two million five hundred thousand."All attendees were surprised, doubting if Adam could bid higher than the elderly seni
His spirits instantly dampened, with a weary expression and a weak sigh, Edwin looked at his friend and said despairingly, "Well, I guess we'll just watch. It's impossible to get anything with him here."Adam simply nodded quietly, responding in the same despondent tone, "You're right."Meanwhile, Anna gazed at the two gloomy men with confusion. She asked her husband curiously, "What's wrong?"Adam shook his head, smiled, and calmly replied, "It's nothing. Isn't this your first time in a place like this? You'll see crazy people throwing their money away for something old." He playfully pinched his wife's cheek.Anna's fair face blushed with embarrassment. A hint of red spread to her ears. She gently punched Adam's chest, covering her embarrassment, and said, "Stop it. You're one of those crazy people too, Adam." The beautiful woman then laughed.The footsteps of the elderly man stopped next to Anna. He turned and greeted the granddaughter of the McLauren family in a flirtatious voice,
Edwin nodded slightly, saying, "I've contacted her, but I didn't mention your injury. I told her the store was a mess, and you stayed overnight to clean it up."Adam looked relieved, recalling the events from the party yesterday. "Anna has had enough trouble because of me. This shouldn't bother her."Edwin patted his friend's shoulder gently, saying, "I understand, buddy."Adam sighed, staring at his palm, feeling something odd. About the strange stone, Adam couldn't stop thinking about it. He then spoke to Edwin, "I feel like something is bothering me right now."Edwin looked at him curiously, asking, "What is it? Is it about the scam scheme?"Adam looked back at his friend, then replied, "No, it's about the jade statue I broke. I remember there was a large piece stuck here," he pointed to his empty palm.Edwin remembered something, then reached into his pocket. He handed a small object to Adam, "This stone? You've been holding onto it all the time. I thought it was valuable, so I ke