Chapter 44
A sudden flash of vibrant green caught everyone’s attention. The color was so pure that it seemed to refresh their spirits instantly.
The crowd was stunned when Ash’s rough stone revealed such a flawless emerald. After a moment of silence, someone finally said, “If I’m not mistaken, we haven’t seen a rough stone like this in ages. This could easily be worth over 350 thousand dollars.”
“But she just picked it randomly! How did she end up with such an incredible stone?” another person chimed in.
“I’m so jealous. This lady’s got some serious luck. I wish I had that kind of good fortune,” someone else added.
Excitement buzzed through the crowd as they stared at the emerald on stage, their eyes full of envy.
Jade stood beside them, tensing up. She never would have imagined that ugly rough stone could hold such a breathtaking emerald. Its quality was exceptional – small enough to fit in a palm but undeniably priceless.
At a glance, it clearly outshone the gem Tristan had revealed.
Even Vania, who had been looking on with disdain, couldn’t help but admit, “I can’t believe she has such a good eye.”
Everyone at Prime Oasis had money, but what they really craved were true rarities. Emeralds of this quality were usually snatched up by collectors before they even made it to market. Plus, this one was small but enough for an entire jewelry set.
In an instant, the crowd swarmed around Ash. “Miss, I’ll give you 350 thousand dollars for that stone. What do you say?”
“I’ll offer 500 thousand dollars,” another person quickly chimed in.
“700 thousand dollars,” someone else said.
“900 thousand dollars!” The bids continued to rise.
Tristan stood frozen in disbelief, his eyes wide. ‘No way! How did she end up with such a high–quality emerald?‘ he thought, feeling his earlier boasts burn his cheeks with embarrassment.
“Sorry, but this stone isn’t for sale,” Ash said calmly, pocketing her prize and turning to the still–stunned Tristan. “Now, it’s time for you to hold up your end of the bet.”
Tristan’s confident smile wavered. Next to Ash’s top–tier emerald his once–impressive gem now looked utterly dull.
Still in denial, he said, “Jewel, you want to get back together, don’t you? You didn’t mean to find such an amazing gem, right?”
Before Ash could respond, the crowd came to her defense. “Is Mr. Ford out of his mind? Who wouldn’t want a gem
Ash’s lips curved into a faint smile. They had just voiced her thoughts.
like that?
“Jewel, it’s not like that,” Tristan insisted. “You still care about me don’t you?” He knew that without her, the Ford family had no other way to connect with Shadow Ventures.
Without a word, Ash turned and walked away, clearly uninterested in the attention.
Disappointed, the crowd began to disperse, but Tristan followed Ash, refusing to give up.
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Chapter 44
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Jade, disappointed by Ash’s win, had been ready to leave with Varia. But as she saw Tristan chase after Ash, a plan formed in her mind.
Just now, Vania’s attitude toward Ash seems to have changed. If Mania sees her brother’s fiancée caught up with another man, that might work in my favor,‘ she thought.
“Vania, I’m worried that guy might cause Ash trouble. Should we check on her?” Jade suggested.
With nothing better to do, Vania agreed.
Ash took a less crowded path, with Tristan close behind. “Jewel, please hear me out. I never wanted to break up with you. My family forced me. You’re the only one I’ve ever loved. Please forgive me. Can’t we get back together?”
Ash had already had enough of his disgusting act. She had once thought he was kind and easygoing, but now she realized he treated every woman the same way. He had only been interested in her family connections from the start.
As soon as he found out Samantha was the Moreno family’s real daughter, Tristan ditched Ash and went straight to her, not even bothering to break things off first.
Just right, Ash felt a hostile gaze on her. She turned and saw Samantha sitting in the restaurant next door, glaring at her. Recalling how cozy Samantha and Tristan had seemed earlier, Ash sneered, “Then why are you with Samantha now?”
“I broke up with her ages ago. I only got back with her to get close to you. But don’t worry. You’re the only one in my heart. It’s all just an act with her,” Tristan replied.
Noticing Samantha’s twisted expression through the glass, Ash calmly pointed toward the restaurant. “She heard every word you just said.”
Tristan spun around, locking eyes with an enraged Samantha. His heart sank.
But thinking of Jewel’s connection to Shadow Ventures, he forced himself to stay focused. Turning back to Ash, he said with dead seriousness, “Jewel, I meant every word.”
However, Ash only slammed him to the ground without hesitation, looking down at him coldly. “You lost the bet. Remember what I said – show your face again, and I’ll beat you down every time.”
With that, Ash dusted off her hands and walked away, ignoring the stares around her.
“Wow, she’s so cool!” Vania remarked, a hint of admiration in her voice.
Jade frowned. She had hoped Vania would see Ash entangled with another man, but instead, they had witnessed Ash putting a jerk in his place. After these two incidents, it was clear Vania’s opinion of Ash had improved.
Regretting her plan, Jade tried to lead Vania away, but Vania wasn’t moying.
“Jade, that Ash seems pretty amazing. She’s nothing like I imagined,” Vania said, her gaze fixed on Ash’s retreating figure. “She’s your sister, right? Let’s go say hi.”
Jade’s face darkened at the suggestion. Spotting Samantha inside the restaurant, she quickly sent a text and then forced a smile. “Sure, why not?”
Just then, Samantha stepped out of the restaurant, sneering, “Amazing? Do you mean her skills at seducing men and selling herself? Yeah, I guess that’s pretty impressive.”
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Chapter 45
