003

The chubby man who lodged the complaint spoke up in annoyance, "You are trying to deceive me. I can take legal action if you refuse to compensate me for the full amount."

Adam turned to the man and said politely, "Sir, please calm down. We will examine it first."

The man with a fierce expression looked at Adam as if recalling something, then spoke spontaneously, "Aren't you that poor son-in-law of the McLauren family? Oh my, haha." Suddenly, he laughed.

Adam furrowed his brow in confusion. "What's so funny about that?"

The chubby man continued his words after he stopped laughing, mockingly, "You know? I know some people who work at the mansion of that wealthy family. And they can't stop gossiping about you. The pathetic man living off the youngest granddaughter. If I were you, I would be so ashamed and wouldn't have the courage to show my face in public. You are truly a useless low-life. Tell me, what's the charm you use to win the heart of a rich girl? I want to try it."

Adam couldn't believe what he had just heard. Firmly, he spoke to the brazen chubby man, "I have a decent job. And I don't live off my wife's wealth."

The man scoffed, speaking in a cheeky and annoying manner, "Isn't this store owned by your wife? And all the items sold here belong to her, right? Then what do you call a job? Oh, yeah. I remember now. Your job is to deceive customers like me."

Adam sighed, not interested in arguing at the moment, so he said firmly, "I don't deceive anyone. The items in this store have official certificates, and complaints about the authenticity of the items have never occurred before." he said with a fierce look.

The chubby man's face wrinkled in annoyance as he shouted, "What do you mean? Do you think I'm making this up?" He snorted, then continued, "Wow, unexpectedly, besides being poor and useless, you're also a damn clever dodger."

Adam faced the insult calmly and said, "We will find out who is deceiving here."

The man's disrespectful tongue-clicking was audible; he seemed very upset. He roughly placed the item in his hand on a table and spoke angrily, "Stop talking and just give me back my money. I refuse to buy fake goods."

Adam sighed, continuing to stay calm to handle the situation carefully. He then said, "Alright, please show me the payment proof and the catalog of the item."

The chubby man rummaged in his pocket and threw all the papers there in front of Adam. Then he spoke rudely, "Just check it and hurry up a bit because I'm a busy person!"

Adam sighed softly, bent down to pick up the scattered receipts, and examined them one by one.

After finding what he was looking for, Adam shifted his attention to the item on the table. When the box was opened, a set of antique cups with white and purplish-blue patterns shone, reflecting the light. Adam examined them carefully, observing the small details and comparing them with the available catalog.

Everything was smooth and beautiful, just like the originals. The natural color and gradation created from long-term storage briefly indicated that the item was good and well-maintained.

However, Adam had spent five years studying to become a researcher and learning about archaeology from a renowned professor. He knew the subtle differences that distinguish genuine antique items from replicas. He knew that the item in his hand was too perfect to be considered an authentic antique.

But how could he sell a fake item in his store? He had official licenses and special certificates for every antique item that entered the shop.

So, he reached into his pocket, took out a match, and without hesitation, lit the bottom of one of the cups. Then he said, "The items in our store have undergone selection and preservation using natural coating materials. It won't fade if I burn it." he said to the chubby man.

The customer looked agitated, his face sweaty. Hastily, he interrupted Adam and spoke in a panic, "What the heck are you doing? I told you that item is fake!"

Adam sighed; he now understood. He stared at the chubby man and spoke in annoyance, "I know it's fake! But, this item didn't come from my store. I can prove it."

His interlocutor widened his eyes in shock, but unwilling to back down, he started to threaten Adam, "You a fucking fraudster! It's clear that I bought that item in this store. Return all my money quickly, or I will report you to the police."

Adam stepped forward and glared at the man fiercely. He spoke very firmly, "Don't play around with me! It's evident that you falsified the item from my store and deceived me to ask for compensation!"

The chubby man felt cornered and started to panic, his face covered in cold sweat. However, he wasn't out of tricks yet. He shouted to attract attention from the people around, "Crazy bastard! You are truly an insane low-life man! Look! This McLauren family parasite accuses me of deceiving him when he's the one who deceived me. He refuses to return my money. Scoundrel!"