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Chapter 321
Andrew chuckled and said, "There's nothing strange about this. The antiques market has always been like this—full of counterfeits, knockoffs, and replicas with sky-high price tags. "If they find someone clueless, they'll rip them off hard. But when they're dealing with an expert, even a treasure from a king's vault could be marked down to the price of candy in a gumball machine." Elsie chuckled, her cheeks flushing as she gave Andrew a playful glare. "Mr. Lloyd, your analogy is pretty amusing, but you're spot on—that's exactly how it is." Francesca clenched her teeth and muttered, "These shameless crooks! If Ms. Santana hadn't been here, I'd probably have been scammed by that old man." After this little drama, her opinion of Elsie had clearly shifted for the better. Elsie led them around the plaza, where they continued browsing. Francesca was unfamiliar with antiques and mostly picked items based on appearance, gravitating toward colorful or uniquely shaped pieces. She fi
Chapter 322
Orion's sharp words left Cedric furious. He raised the statue in his hand, ready to smash it, but Francesca and Elsie quickly grabbed him and calmed him down. Francesca asked anxiously, "Grandpa, why are you so upset?" Cedric's face turned red and pale in anger as he gritted his teeth. "Do you see this statue? Orion tricked me into buying it for ten million, only for me to find out it's a fake. That rotten old cheat!" Francesca was livid and stepped forward, ready to confront Orion, but Elsie held her back. "Ms. Aicker, you shouldn't," Elsie said, shaking her head. "Why not?" Francesca shot back. "Just because he's a big shot, he's allowed to scam people?" Elsie let out a small sigh. "That man is Orion Kelce, one of the top antique experts from Bridgefields. He's highly respected in the field." Francesca was not having it. "So what if he's an expert? Does that give him the right to cheat others?" Elsie replied with a wry smile, "Unfortunately, in the rules of this appra
Chapter 323
Aspen smiled sweetly and said, "Mr. Kelce, back in Bridgefields, you're considered a legend in the antique world, always sharp with your words." She glanced around dramatically. "I see that even here in Jayrodale, you've kept your genuine style. I must say, I admire your consistency." Orion's face lit up with pride. "Ah, finally, someone who gets me! So many think I'm just showing off or looking down on others, but why would I need to pretend at my level? Like you said, this is just who I am—straightforward and honest. I never sugarcoat my words." Aspen's gaze shifted over the crowd before landing on Andrew, her smile turning icy. "Mr. Kelce, we Bridgefields folk like to let our skills and logic speak for themselves. However, some people here just can't seem to respect us, no matter what." Orion smirked. "Oh? And who's bold enough to disrespect us?" Aspen pointed directly at Andrew. "It's him, Mr. Kelce. His name's Andrew Lloyd. Ever since I arrived in Jayrodale, he hasn't m
Chapter 324
Christina sighed, glancing at Andrew with a mix of helplessness and frustration. "Aspen, enough already," she said, tugging her cousin's arm lightly. "Let's just walk around. I want to find a couple of good pieces to bring home." Aspen chuckled, clearly enjoying the attention, and let Christina pull her away. "Sure, Christie, let's look around," she replied, her voice dripping with smugness. You know, back in Bridgefields, I was trained by the best since I was a kid. I've never been wrong about authenticity in antiques, not even once." Christina could not help but admire Aspen's confidence. They were cousins, and Aspen was just a year older. Yet, she always seemed so composed and capable. Whether it was her sharp instincts or commanding presence, Aspen had the kind of charm that Christina found hard to rival, even with her own pride. Just as the tension seemed to subside, a sharp, mocking voice broke through the hushed crowd. "Two strays from Bridgefields barking away, b
Chapter 325
One of Orion's followers shouted, "Hey, Mr. Kelce is graciously lowering himself to challenge you in an appraisal contest, and you don't even have the guts to agree?" Another chimed in, "Calling us dogs? Kid, you're biting off more than you can chew. Words like that will get you into real trouble—if you don't crawl out of this appraisal event on all fours today, I'll take your last name!" A third laughed mockingly, "Even Jayrodale's antique experts wouldn't dare utter a word against Mr. Kelce, yet here you are, some nobody playing the hero. Didn't your mom ever teach you that sticking your neck out doesn't make you brave? It makes you reckless, and reckless fools tend to end up regretting it!" No one could believe that Andrew, who was not even part of the antique world, would dare provoke someone as influential as Orion. Christina snapped angrily, "Andrew, apologize to Mr. Kelce and Aspen right now!" Andrew replied nonchalantly, "Why should I apologize?" Gritting her teeth,
Chapter 326
Francesca voiced her concern, "Andrew, you don't know anything about antiques, let alone artifact authentication. Maybe we should bail—after all, this is Jayrodale, and even though we're dealing with Orion and Aspen, what's the worst they could do?" Andrew raised an eyebrow and replied, "Who told you I don't know about antiques?" He took the bronze statue from Cedric's hands, weighed it carefully, and turned to Orion. "Since you're letting me go first, I won't hold back. Now, why don't you authenticate this piece?" Orion was stunned for a moment before breaking into laughter. "You fool, this is nothing but a fake, and you dare test me with it? Listen carefully—this is a replica of the famous piece from the Hall of Faith. Unfortunately for you, the original was destroyed during the civil wars of the early 20th century." Several antique experts in the room nodded in agreement. "That's correct—this statue is just a replica," they chimed in. "The original was destroyed long ago.
Chapter 327
"Mr. Lloyd, is that a sacred relic in your hand?" Elsie gasped in disbelief. Andrew casually tossed it to her and said, "Have your Radiant Group experts verify it—that should clear things up right away." Elsie immediately took the pearl for authentication. Orion felt uneasy but still scoffed, "A sacred relic? Kid, you've got some nerves. Do you even know how precious these artifacts are?" "Of course I do," Andrew replied coolly. "When ancient spiritual masters passed away and were cremated, these relics remained. Scientifically speaking, they're just crystallized remains—but in the antiquities world, every authentic relic is priceless. I'm sure the experts here understand what I mean." Many nodded in agreement with Andrew's words. Indeed, any genuine sacred relic was one-of-a-kind, and while it might not have any special physical properties, its cultural and historical significance made it an absolute treasure in collectors' eyes. Seeing Orion's confidence falter, Aspen qui
Chapter 328
Andrew shook his head. "I'm no master—I just know a thing or two." Elsie could no longer take Andrew's modesty at face value. Earlier, she had confidently shown off her antique knowledge while guiding Andrew and Francesca through the collection, but now she felt embarrassed. It was like teaching calculus to a math professor. While some celebrated, others brooded. Orion's face had turned dark as he reached out his hand and demanded, "I don't trust these worthless Jayrodale experts. Give it to me—I need to examine it myself." "Dream on, Orion," Cedric pulled back protectively. Andrew intervened calmly, "Let him see it. Let's put his doubts to rest." Cedric reluctantly handed over the relic. Orion turned it over in his palm, examining it from every angle until his face went ashen gray, an uncontrollable glint of greed flickering in his eyes. "According to the auction rules, whoever authenticates a piece gets to keep it," Andrew said. "Mr. Kelce, you've handled it enough, and i
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