The tension in the room simmered as Gabriel's unexpected wealth became the talk of the event. Walter, who had initially doubted Gabriel, leaned closer to Benson, his voice filled with a mix of surprise and intrigue.“Benson, I... I think I owe Gabriel an apology," he admitted reluctantly.Benson, still in awe of Gabriel's revelation, nodded slowly. "Yeah, he's not what we thought. There's more to him than meets the eye."Walter rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Indeed. He's proven himself to be quite the enigma."Meanwhile, across the room, Aliyah approached Gabriel with a mixture of relief and admiration in her eyes. "Gabriel, you had me worried there for a moment. Where did you get all that money?"Gabriel smiled warmly at her. "Let us just say I have a few surprises up my sleeve."Aliyah chuckled softly. "Well, I'm glad you do. You've certainly turned the tables on everyone."Mikelson, observing from a distance, couldn't help but feel a sense of pride mixed with curiosity. He approache
Gabriel took the raw stone in his hand, feeling its weight and texture with a focused expression. The room buzzed with whispers and snickers, the crowd skeptical of his unorthodox method.Walter smirked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "What is he doing? Weighing it with his hands? This isn't a game of guesswork."Benson joined in the mocking, shaking his head in disbelief. "Clearly, he doesn't know the first thing about gemstone appraisal. What a joke."The crowd's derisive laughter grew louder, the negativity palpable. Gabriel remained unfazed, his eyes never leaving the stone as he carefully assessed it.Aliyah, watching from the sidelines, felt a pang of worry. She turned to Mikelson, her voice a whisper of concern. "Do you think he knows what he's doing?"Mikelson, though unsure, kept his voice steady. "Gabriel has proven himself before. We need to trust his process."Skull the Brave, standing nearby, couldn't resist adding to the taunts. "Trying to weigh it with your hands, Gab
Mr. Mythir’s face fell, his shock mirrored in the stunned silence of the room. Skull the Brave’s confident facade crumbled, and he stood speechless, unable to comprehend his loss.Vincent, still processing the outcome, turned to Gabriel with newfound respect. "Well done, Gabriel. You’ve truly proven yourself."Aliyah, beaming with pride, squeezed her father’s arm. "He did it, Father! He really did it!"Mikelson, nodding slowly, replied, "Indeed he did. Gabriel has shown everyone here what true skill looks like."Gabriel, maintaining his composure, simply nodded in acknowledgment, his eyes meeting Mr. Mythir’s. "It appears I’m not the only one who underestimated my abilities."The crowd erupted in applause, their earlier skepticism replaced with admiration. Mr. Mythir, still grappling with his defeat, could only watch as Gabriel stood triumphant, having proven his worth against all odds.Skull the Brave sighed in resignation, his shoulders slumping. "I admit, Gabriel, you’ve bested me.
As the applause continued, Vincent approached Gabriel and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You’ve done something extraordinary today, Gabriel. You’ve turned the tide for all of us."Mr. Mythir, though visibly frustrated, stepped forward and extended a hand to Gabriel. "Well played, Gabriel. You’ve earned my respect."Gabriel shook Mr. Mythir's hand firmly. "Thank you. I hope this serves as a reminder that underestimating your opponent can lead to unexpected outcomes."With that, the room erupted into cheers, and Gabriel stood amidst the crowd, having proven himself beyond doubt.After signing the contract for the raw stone channel, Gabriel was about to leave when Vincent and several jewelers intercepted him, eager to buy the Silvershore channel. They began praising him, each taking back their earlier derogatory words."Gabriel, your skills are unparalleled," Vincent began, his tone dripping with newfound admiration. "We were wrong to doubt you. Silvershore would be honored to continue
In a taxi to the house, Aliyah couldn't contain her excitement and took out her phone to make a video, "Guess what, everyone? My brother-in-law just won big against Skull the Brave! Oh, he is so amazing!"When she got home, Aliyah immediately recounted the incident where Gabriel offended Brock to her mother and sister. "Mom, Camella, you won't believe what Gabriel did today! He challenged Brock and—"Camella interrupted, her face etched with worry. "Aliyah, you shouldn’t have let him do that. Brock’s family is powerful. This could mean serious trouble. But, is Gabriel okay? Is he hurt?"Nora folded her arms sternly and stated before Aliyah could give an answer."This is exactly why I’ve been saying you should divorce Gabriel, Camella. He’s reckless and doesn’t understand the consequences of his actions. Do you know how powerful Brock’s family is?"Aliyah tried to interject, "But Mom, Gabriel handled Brock. He didn’t just—"Nora cut her off, her voice rising with frustration. "I don’t
Jessie looked up at her mother, confused and worried. "Mommy, why is Grandma so angry with Daddy?"Camella knelt down, hugging her daughter tightly. "Grandma’s just worried, sweetie. But Daddy loves us, and we need to stand by him."Nora’s face softened momentarily, but she remained resolute. "I just want what’s best for you and Jessie, Camella."Camella stood up, wiping her tears. "What’s best for us is being a family, supporting each other. If you can’t see that, then maybe it’s you who needs to change, not Gabriel."Nora was left speechless, her own daughter’s words hitting her harder than she expected. Aliyah stepped in between her mother and sister, raising her hands to calm the situation. "Camella, please, don’t stress yourself too much. Gabriel is strong. I’m sure he’ll be fine."Camella shook her head, her voice strained with anxiety. "I don’t want to rely on guesses, Aliyah. This is our life. Our family’s future."Nora, her tone suddenly gentle, approached Camella. "Honey, I
Camella pulled back slightly, her eyes searching his face. "What happened? Are you really okay?"Gabriel nodded, offering a reassuring smile. "I’m fine. It’s over. Everything’s settled."Camella’s shoulders sagged with relief. "I was so worried, Gabriel. I thought…"He cut her off gently. "I know, Camella. But it’s alright now. We’re safe."Aliyah stepped forward, her eyes filled with gratitude and curiosity. "Gabriel, you really did it. You saved us."Gabriel’s smile widened as he looked around at his family. "I told you, I wouldn’t let you down."Camella hugged him again, tighter this time. "I never doubted you for a second."Nora, pretending to care, stepped forward with a forced smile. "So, Gabriel, what really happened at the event?"Gabriel met her gaze steadily. "There’s no need for you guys to worry about Brock. He won’t retaliate. If he does, it won’t be as simple as a slap."Camella's eyes widened. "You slapped Brock?"Nora’s facade dropped instantly, her face turning red wi
Nora sank into a chair, her head in her hands. "What have I done?"Mikelson placed a hand on her shoulder, offering silent support. "We’ll find a way to mend this, Nora. But you have to let go of your pride."Nora nodded slowly, tears welling in her eyes. "I just wanted to protect her. I didn’t realize I was driving her away."Aliyah knelt beside her mother, hugging her tightly. "It’s not too late, Mom. We can still make things right."But Nora objected and rose abruptly, her expression hardening. "No, I did the right thing. Don’t act like I’m wrong because the wrong one is Gabriel. He's a burden and a careless bastard." With that, she stormed off to her room, leaving them astonished.As they stepped outside, Camella squeezed Gabriel’s hand. “Look, Gabriel, you don't need to worry about anything. I am sure we will figure this out together."Gabriel smiled, deeply touched. "Thank you, Camella."He stared at her, words failing him as emotion swelled in his chest. He was touched by her e