He Gave Me Hearing, Then Taught Me What Silence Really Means novel Chapter 250

She pulled Caleb aside. Her very first question was sharp. "Caleb, did you show the physical stone to the other experts?"

"Yes. The first night these two arrived in the city, I brought a few of my top appraisers over. They all agreed it was premium stock. I've already prepared the funds. But then I thought of you. I remembered your university mentor was a legend in the field. He's retired now, and I couldn't get him to come out, so I brought you, his protégé. What's your verdict?"

Hearing him mention her mentor brought a sudden, crushing wave of shame over Juniper.

When her life had fallen apart years ago, she hadn't even had the chance to say goodbye to him. He probably still believed she had dropped out of school over some man.

Swallowing hard, Juniper forced her emotions back down. "My mentor and I once appraised a piece of rough material even more flawless than this. It was massive, valued at around two hundred million. The businessman who bought it went completely bankrupt overnight and jumped off a building the very next day. Caleb, I just have one question for you. Do you really believe you managed to bypass Gideon's surveillance? Are you absolutely certain you beat him to the punch? If you want to buy this raw stone, the bidding will likely land around five million dollars. The Xavier family has been through so much turmoil, and you've spent heavily just trying to keep your head above water. I'm guessing five million is exactly the total amount of liquid cash your entire auction house has left. It perfectly drains your remaining cash flow. You need to tread very carefully."

A cold sweat instantly broke out across Caleb's back. Juniper's assessment was terrifyingly accurate. That was exactly the entirety of his liquid assets. Before she spoke, he had actually been counting his lucky stars that he could still afford it, fully believing this stone was his golden ticket to a comeback. But hearing her lay it out like that filled him with an overwhelming sense of dread.

"Caleb, when I visited your auction house the other day, I heard rumors. People said that before Gideon returned to the Xavier family, he was deeply involved in underground, illicit businesses. Have you ever actually investigated what those shady operations were? A man who can infiltrate this high-society circle through black-market dealings is not someone I believe you can casually outmaneuver to intercept Burmese smugglers. Therefore, I highly suspect these two men are a trap specifically designed for you. Of course, I don't know the intricate details of your family politics. The final call is yours."

Sweat beaded profusely on Caleb's forehead. He wiped it away with a trembling hand and swallowed hard.

Juniper pulled a tissue from her purse and handed it to him.

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