Chapter 69
Chapter 69:
“Indeed! Mr. Hughes is unmatched in his field. She’s out of her depth p>
Hearing the support, Arion’s lips curled into a smug smile. For decades, no one had dared to question his expertise, and he definitely wasn’t about to let some girl tarnish his reputation.
Without a word, Yelena strode forward, picked up the vase with deliberate precision, and—before anyone could react—smashed it onto the floor.
The loud crash echoed through the hall as shards of porcelain scattered everywhere.
Gasps rippled through the audience, their expressions frozen in shock.
Was this girl out of her mind? She had just destroyed what many believed to be a priceless antique!
Arion himself looked as though he had been struck, his face contorted with disbelief. “Why… why did you break it?” he stammered, his voice rising in outrage. “Do you have any idea how much that vase was worth? You couldn’t afford to pay for it even if you sold everything you owned p>
Bella’s reaction was no less dramatic. Her eyes widened as if they might pop out of her head.
“Yelena, are you insane? What did you do p>
Surely, her sister must have lost her mind to do something so reckless in front of everyone.
Callum and Donna exchanged nervous glances, equally taken aback. They had no idea what had prompted Yelena’s actions. But despite their confusion, they remained calm, more inclined to trust their daughter’s reasoning.
It was just another antique, surely, they could afford to pay for it.
“Pay? Of course, I’ll pay for what I broke—but it’s not worth a fortune. This vase is only worth a few hundred dollars, tops. If you really like it, I can get one for each of you at wholesale prices.” Yelena, however, remained unbothered.
Her nonchalance sent a ripple of murmurs through the crowd.
𝖍𝖔𝖘𝖙𝖊𝖉 𝖎𝖓 𝖘𝖎𝖙𝖊:
“Is this girl for real p>
“Ridiculous! This is supposed to be a thousand-year-old vase. How could it only be worth a few hundred dollars p>
“Well, let’s see how she explains herself p>
Arion, his face red with anger, felt his authority slipping away. He slammed his hand on the table.
“You think you can tell it’s fake just by its glaze color? This is… absolutely outrageous p>
Yelena didn’t bother with a verbal retort. Instead, she crouched down, picked up a shard of the shattered vase, and held it up for everyone to see.
“Look closely,” she said, her voice calm but commanding. “What do you see p>
The crowd leaned in, curiosity driving them closer.
Gasps erupted as someone pointed out the unmistakable words etched on the shard, which was supposed to be the inner side of the vase: “Made in Kheley p>
The room fell silent, stunned by the revelation. Faces turned toward one another in disbelief, as if they’d witnessed something truly shocking.
“That… was a fake? Made in Kheley p>
The revelation hit the room like a shockwave.
Moments ago, Arion had confidently proclaimed the vase a thousand-year-old treasure, only for it to be exposed as a replica. Even a young girl had been able to discern the truth, yet a supposed connoisseur like Arion had failed to do the same. The weight of the moment left him at a loss, his normally composed demeanor faltering.