He Gave Me Hearing, Then Taught Me What Silence Really Means novel Chapter 285

Wyatt immediately jumped in to mock Juniper. "Listen to the way you talk! Treating the people who fed you with zero respect. And showing up to an event like this at twenty-five? You really think you're something, don't you?"

He raised his voice intentionally, exchanging a smirk with Rhett sitting a few feet away.

Rhett shared his absolute disdain for her. Neither of them had swallowed the bitter pill of getting fired.

They hadn't expected to bump into her here tonight.

Wyatt's lips curled into a sneer. "You're about to realize you just walked in here to humiliate yourself."

Wyatt did carry significant weight in the industry. Caleb's auction house had paid top dollar to poach him initially.

He crossed his arms, waiting arrogantly for Juniper to bite back.

Instead, Juniper kept her head down, tapping away on her phone to answer messages from studio clients, completely treating him like background noise.

Sometimes, being ignored stings a hell of a lot worse than being insulted.

Wyatt's face flushed a deep, furious red. He shot to his feet. "Juniper!"

The shout drew eyes from half the room.

Juniper continued staring at her screen, typing out her responses.

Wyatt was shaking with rage. "I'll make a bet with you right now! Let's see whose stone turns out better. The loser packs up and leaves the city for good!"

Juniper found him entirely laughable. "Who are you again? Why on earth would I bet you?"

Wyatt looked like he was about to pop a blood vessel and pass out. "You had the guts to walk in here, but you don't even have the spine to take a bet?"

Just as he finished shouting, the staff at the entrance swung the massive double doors wide open.

A man in his sixties walked through. He practically radiated authority and sharp intellect.

Every appraiser in the room instantly snapped to attention. If Alistair York was the retired king of the jade world, this man currently ruled the active empire. His name was Master Rupert Zale. He held the highest national certification possible and sat as the absolute head of the most prestigious appraisal board in the country. Working under him was the ultimate career dream for any appraiser.

The women in the room shared a collective, subtle frown. It wasn't that they disliked Lydia, but with Rupert Zale acting as her personal appraiser, she was guaranteed to walk out with the best piece in the room. Even if they managed to snag the second-best, it would look like cheap glass next to whatever Lydia presented to Margot.

A wave of quiet disappointment washed over the crowd.

Lydia glided over to Mirabelle and nodded sweetly. "Mom, I brought Master Zale."

Mirabelle hadn't genuinely expected her daughter to pull this off. Her eyes lit up. "How did you manage this?"

Knowing Juniper was sitting right there, Lydia made sure to project her voice. "Nelson saved Master Zale's life years ago. He cashed in the favor to get him here for me."

"That boy really went out of his way. He always acts so aloof, but when it counts, he's incredibly reliable."

Lydia looked appropriately bashful. "Don't say that. Nelson isn't like that at all."

Mirabelle tapped her daughter's nose affectionately, sighing dramatically. "Oh, you."