Betrayed by the Father Reborn in His Rival's Arms novel Chapter 301

The first cut went down, revealing a solid patch of white. Before the smirk could fully form on the face of the buyer in the gold-rimmed glasses, the second cut began.

The moment the saw blade sliced through the crust, a breathtaking flash of green radiated from the grayish-white flesh of the stone.

Under the harsh lights, it refracted a rich, lustrous glow.

The stonecutter's hand trembled, nearly slicing the rock crookedly. He quickly shut off the machine and splashed water over the cut surface to wash it.

The entire hall fell silent for a split second before erupting.

"Solid green! It's solid green!"

"Imperial Emerald! This clarity is absolutely Imperial Emerald grade!"

"The Zenith Mines producing an Imperial Emerald? You've got to be kidding me!"

The crowd surged forward, surrounding the cutting station so tightly not even a drop of water could leak through.

The buyer in the gold-rimmed glasses, who had looked so disdainful just moments ago, squeezed his way to the very front.

His glasses were practically glued to the stone, his expression shifting from skepticism to utter shock.

It finally settled into an indescribable look of regret—this stone had sat on the table for a full two hours tonight.

He had walked past it no fewer than five times, tossing it a dismissive glance every single time.

Now, he wished he could travel back ten minutes and slap himself twice across the face.

The stonecutter painstakingly peeled the rest of the rock away.

A top-tier Imperial Emerald, larger than a fist, sparkled brilliantly under the lights. The green was deep and pure, its translucence as rich as a bottomless pool, without a single crack or flaw.

An Imperial Emerald of this caliber hadn't been seen in a piece this large on the market for years.

"Miss, three million dollars. Are you selling?" a buyer was the first to speak.

Beside him stood an appraiser wearing white gloves.

His tone was as casual as asking her what she wanted for dinner. "Sell it if you want. Keep it if you don't."

Madeline thought for a moment. She remembered reading in that magazine that Imperial Emeralds were an incredibly scarce resource, encountered only by luck, and their prices only ever went up.

Plus, she noticed that the appraiser standing next to the first buyer looked increasingly anxious.

This meant their bids were nowhere near the ceiling.

She suppressed the nervousness bubbling in her chest and tried to keep her voice steady. "Not for sale."

The European man grew frantic. "Five million, final offer."

Madeline shook her head again.

The man in the gold-rimmed glasses took a deep breath, as if making a massive decision.

He pulled a business card from his pocket and offered it with both hands. "Miss, I'm Zachary Hammond from Hammond Fine Jewelry. If you're willing to part with this piece, the price is negotiable. Seven million dollars isn't out of the question.