Chapter Fifty Four; Unveiling the Saboteur.Loretta made her way up the grand driveway to the Prestons' mansion, her heart pounding.The sprawling estate, with its meticulously manicured gardens and imposing façade, was a stark contrast to the turmoil she felt inside.As she approached the entrance, two maids standing by the door noticed her immediately, their eyes widening in surprise."Ms. Loretta! Please, come in," one of the maids said, stepping aside to allow her entry.The other maid quickly ran off to inform Grandma Preston of Loretta's arrival.Loretta walked through the ornate hallways, her footsteps echoing on the marble floors.She was determined to set things right, to clear her name, and to expose the truth. The atmosphere in the house was tense, filled with the anticipation of the family meeting that was taking place. She could hear muffled voices from the dining room, where everyone was gathered."Grandma, Ms. Loretta is here," the maid announced as she opened the do
Chapter Fifty Five: A jealous wife.Chris stood up, his chair scraping against the floor, a clear signal that the meeting was over for him, if not for everyone else. He looked around the room, his gaze sharp and unwavering. “Like I said, the elders should remember they are elders and act like one.” Clearly directing it to grandma and his father in law.“I’ll be off now." He said without waiting to hear if anyone had anything to say and strode out of the meeting. Grandma Preston hadn’t officially dismissed the gathering, yet Chris’s departure marked the end of any meaningful discussion. He walked out, the heavy atmosphere following him. Ella quickly stood and rushed after him, her heels clicking on the polished floor."Chris!" she called out, catching up to him in the hallway. “The last time you saved us from that lunatic, I didn’t get a chance to thank you properly."Chris nodded, his expression with out difference, he said, . "You’re welcome."He turned to leave, but Ella reach
Chapter Fifty Six: The Mystery AmuletSinclair stood by the door, anxiously glancing at her watch. She had called her father, an expert in rare and antique jewelry, to help identify a mysterious amulet. Though she had originally called Chris to some and whelp her examine the amulet, she felt that a second opinion was crucial, especially from someone with her father's extensive experience.Besides, she wasn’t sure Har Chris was or how long it would take him to arrive. Sure enough, her father, Mr. Pete, had arrived just in time when the man entered the store. The man was nondescript, dressed in a simple gray suit that had seen better days. His eyes darted around the store nervously, clutching a small, ornate box tightly. "Hi, good day. Where is the manager? I am looking to sell this important piece of jewelry," the man said, his voice tinged with desperation. Sinclair stepped forward with a welcoming smile. "Ah, you are welcome, sir. I am the manager, but I’d like my father to do
Chapter Fifty Seven: The Revelation of the Pendant“Can I have a look?”Chris, who just arrived and had silently observed part of exchange, leaned forward, his eyes fixed on the small, ornate box on the table.“I can't shake the feeling that we might have missed something," Chris said thoughtfully. Sinclair raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"“Yes, are you saying that Mr. pete is wrong?”“Look at this man, just because you were lucky the other time.”“Who’s this?” Mr. Pete asked, when he heard Chris. “Oh dad, this is Chris, he is the special appraiser I told you I hired.”“Isn’t he..” Mr. Pete looked closely at him, his head tilted as he tried to recall where he saw him from. “The Preston’s lowly son in law?” The crowd were eager to put words in his mouth.“Yes he is the one.” “Are you sure he knows what he’s doing?”“Yes dad.”Chris tapped his fingers on the table, a rhythmic drumming that conveyed his inner conflict. “Mr. Pete, with all due respect, could we take another loo
Chapter Fifty Eight: The Legend of the Astral Amulet“Dad dis you know about this Amulet before?” Sinclair asked her father.“Yes Mr. Pete, tell us about it, we want to learn.“Okay, Chris, we’ll go after I’m done here.” He said and continued his story. As Mr. Pete sat down with the man, he felt the weight of history pressing down on him. The Astral Amulet, if that’s truly what this was, carried with it a tale that spanned centuries. He cleared his throat and began to recount the history of the pendant, his voice filled with reverence. "The Astral Amulet is said to have been created over two thousand years ago by an ancient civilization known as the Celestians. The Celestians were a highly advanced society that lived in the region we now know as Northern India. They were renowned for their astronomical knowledge and their ability to create intricate and powerful artifacts." Mr. Pete paused, letting the significance of his words sink in. “The Celestians believed that the amule
Chapter Fifty Nine: The Vanishing TrailChris Followed the man and wanted to ask him directly. However he noticed the man was moving suspiciously and kept looking at his back. Sensing that something was fishy, Chris decided against asking him and followed him instead. He followed him from a distance so as to avoid suspicions of the man noticing him. He saw the man enter an old van that was parked at about six blocks away from the store, it was as if the man intentionally left the van there to avoid anyone noticing how he came there. Seeing this, Chris went back and brought his car, and decided to follow the man. Chris gripped the steering wheel of his sleek M13, his mind racing with questions as he followed the van through the winding roads that led out of town. The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the countryside. He kept a safe distance, wary of alerting the driver of the van. As they left the outskirts of the town behind, Chris noticed the landscap
Chapter Sixty: Unearthing Secrets Chris crouched behind the thick foliage, his breath steady as he peered through the underbrush. The van had pulled up to the secluded cemetery, its occupants unaware of his presence. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the clearing, giving the place an eerie, timeless quality. He watched as the man who had sold the amulet stepped out of the van, soon joined by a small, wiry man with sharp, calculating eyes. Chris's heart quickened. This had to be the leader of their group. "Bruce Lee, were you able to sell it?" the small man asked, his voice carrying an authoritative edge despite his stature. “Hahaha.” Chris laughed and had to shut his mouth for fear of being caught. Was Bruce Lee Really his name or was that like a nick name that the man got himself? Bruce Lee, the man who had sold the amulet, nodded with a satisfied grin. "Yes, I was able to sell it for half a million." The small man's eyes widened, a greedy glint flashing i
Chapter Sixty One: A Familiar Face in the ShadowsChris crouched in the shadows, his heart pounding as he watched the graverobbers unload their spoils. The eerie silence of the graveyard was only broken by the occasional murmur from the men and the rustling of leaves in the night breeze. He kept a careful watch, ready to act if needed, but also acutely aware of the danger he was in.Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted. The men stopped their work, their heads snapping towards a sound coming from the opposite direction of where Chris was hiding. His breath caught in his throat. He had been sure they were about to discover him. But no, they were looking somewhere else entirely.From the shadows opposite Chris, a figure emerged, moving cautiously yet deliberately. As the figure stepped into the dim light cast by the graverobbers’ lanterns, Chris's eyes widened in recognition. It was Officer Connor.Chris was stunned. What was Connor doing here? How had he found this place? As he watched