Chapter 10: The Gamble

In the VIP room, Silas Croft clenched his fist and let out a sharp cough. After the cough, a strange flush colored his usually pale face—something oddly beautiful in his sickly state. His deep voice carried an undeniable authority as he ordered his men to get things done, then settled by the window. But his mind wasn't on the business at hand. No, it lingered on a fleeting figure he'd just brushed past. Despite his worn-out look and aching body, he gripped a dangling earring tightly, as if drawing strength from it.

The exhibition hall was spacious. Rough stones of all shapes and sizes lay quietly on display tables, waiting for savvy buyers to uncover the hidden treasures within. The air buzzed with anticipation, tension, and a faint scent of dust.

Elara Vance strolled through the hall. Her eyes stopped at several stones, shining with a look only true connoisseurs could recognize. To her, these weren't just rocks—they were potential jackpots of top-grade jade. From her past life in Veridia handling rare gems, to this life's inherited passion for jade, she was naturally drawn to them. More than any petty drama, her focus was on the stones before her.

Her gaze fixed on the raw stone marked #55. It grabbed her attention instantly—she could feel its value deep down.

"Mr. Zhang, I'll take stone number 55," Elara said to Zhang Wenbin, the event organizer beside her.

Zhang raised an eyebrow. "Already decided? No more browsing?"

Elara shook her head confidently. "No need. This one's perfect." According to her experience, this was at least high-grade icy jade.

Silas Croft sneaked a glance at her, then told Zhang, "Mr. Zhang, put it on my tab."

Zhang smiled and called over his staff to record the sale.

"Elara, do you want to open it now or pick a few more and open them all together?" Zhang asked.

Elara glanced around. "Sure, I'll grab a few more." After her selections were taken away, she casually wandered again.

In this bustling expo, it was no surprise that rivals often crossed paths. Elara soon spotted Ethan Jiang with Old Master Qiao, closely examining a stone.

She noticed stone #75.

Ethan, unaware of Elara's presence, urged Qiao, "Old Master Qiao, you've been eyeing #75 for a while. What's the verdict? Is it good?"

Qiao stroked his beard, eyes deep with mystery. "Looks like glass jade to me…"

"What?! That means it's valuable!" Ethan's excitement was palpable.

But just as Qiao began to explain further, Elara cut in calmly.

"This stone is flawed."

Her quiet words hit Ethan and Qiao like a thunderclap.

Ethan glared at her, disbelief flashing. "Old Master Qiao says it's glass jade! You just woke from a coma—what do you know? Don't spread nonsense here!"

Elara didn't get angry—she almost smiled.

"Qiao's touch is accurate. The outer shell does look like glass jade," she said lightly.

Qiao, surprised by her tone, raised an eyebrow. "What? Are you mocking my eyesight?"

Elara smiled toward Qiao. "Not at all. Your eyes are fine. But a perfect shell means nothing if the inside is empty. Feel it again—something's off, right?"

Qiao's confidence wavered. No matter what, he couldn't lose face as a jade expert.

"Boss Jiang! Buy it! It's a good stone!" Qiao flipped his stance instantly.

Ethan grinned and nodded. Then he told Elara, "Heard that? I'm buying it."

Zhang stepped forward. "Stone #75, 50,000."

Ethan pulled out a black card and handed it to the staff.

Elara's eyes darkened at the sight of the card—it was her card, given to Ethan by the original owner. She felt a flicker of disgust. Ethan really had no shame.

Just as the black card was accepted, Elara spoke up sharply:

"I bid 100,000."

Everyone around gasped. A bidding war over a single stone was rare—and this stone had to be extraordinary.

Ethan froze, eyes wide. "What… what are you trying to do?"

"Buy it," Elara said coolly. "Everyone here is equal. Highest bid wins. Got a problem with that?"

Ethan swallowed hard and hurried over to Qiao. "Old Master, if I pay more, can I still make a profit?"

Qiao looked at Elara silently for a moment. There was something familiar—and deeply irritating—about her confidence. He hated women who acted so sure of themselves in front of him.

Ethan clenched his fists, pulling Qiao aside. "She says the stone won't yield jade!"

"Why trust her? Trust me instead, Boss Jiang. Don't rush. Even if you pay 510,000, if you get glass jade inside, you'll still profit!" Qiao grumbled but tried to sound convincing.

Qiao's words eased Ethan's nerves. He waved over the staff. "I want to open it now!" Then he shot Elara a glare and led the staff away.

Elara smiled. "What a coincidence—I just bought stone #55. Let's open them together."

A crowd of onlookers excitedly followed.

Silas Croft leaned in and asked, "Really open them together? You said #55 is a true bright green jade, but theirs is glass jade."

"They won't get glass jade," Elara said confidently. "That stone is worthless."

Silas looked at her with admiration in his eyes. When she shined in her element, her radiance was impossible to ignore.

He chuckled. "So you purposely raised the price because you're sure they'll get nothing?"

"Exactly," Elara replied.

"Then why not raise it even more?" Silas asked.

Elara tilted her head. "Above 500,000, what if they back down? This price is just right—confusing but not too risky."