He Gave Me Hearing, Then Taught Me What Silence Really Means novel Chapter 291

Juniper Lane took the bangle and tucked it into her bag.

Lydia Thorne glared at her back, wishing looks could kill.

The crowd was still screaming in disbelief, clamoring to touch the Rough-Stone Stakes.

The cutter's hands trembled. "This is my first time revealing such an incredible piece. I can't believe it. I truly can't believe we found The Paradox Emerald inside a stone like this. It's unfathomable."

The appraisers surged forward to inspect the stone, studying its texture. They still found it absolutely mind-boggling.

They circled it so many times that they delayed the next phase of the cut.

Master Rupert Zale squatted down to examine the discarded gray rind, finally nodding in confirmation. "I've only read about this in books. My mentors encountered this phenomenon in their time, calling it The Paradox Emerald. The exterior goes against everything we've ever learned. The live moss conceals the color bands, and the surface black spots prevent any green light from shining through. Even under a flashlight, it just looks dull gray. All our standard appraisal logic fails here. That's why they called it a paradox. In my entire life, this is the first time I've seen it. It's a divine gift you can't just stumble upon."

Sighing with deep emotion, he ran his hands over the stone. "So this is the paradox. It's exactly as they described."

The appraisers' gazes turned heated, taking turns running their fingers over the surface, refusing to step away.

Even someone of Mrs. Helena Xavier's age nearly let out a scream at the sight of such a massive, flawless emerald.

She covered her mouth, staring at Juniper in absolute disbelief. It was simply incomprehensible!

Truly unbelievable!

The cutter wiped the sweat from his brow. With a piece this perfect, the next cuts had to be excruciatingly precise.

Swallowing hard, he asked, "Miss, should we keep cutting? It looks like we can yield two flawless bangles from this. You're set for life."

Bangles with this level of color and clarity could easily fetch hundreds of millions of dollars. There was nothing like it on the market; the only comparable piece was locked away in a museum, once worn by royalty.

Wiping his brow again, he worked through a chorus of gasps to finally extract the complete, pristine jadeite.

Another wave of sighs rippled through the venue as everyone's eyes locked onto the prize with burning envy.

A smile touched Juniper's lips as she turned to Lydia. "Ms. Thorne, isn't it time you treated everyone to dinner?"

Her reminder sparked a realization among the guests. The food here was astronomically priced, with single bottles of wine costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. Since Lydia was footing the bill, they could order the most lavish items on the menu.

Everyone looked visibly eager, while Lydia's expression twisted into something utterly terrifying.

But if she backed out now, the entire Thorne Family would become the laughingstock of the elite circle.

Mirabelle quickly gripped her hand, giving her a warning look to control her expression before people started talking.

Lydia took a deep breath, flashing a deeply unconvincing smile. "Eat as much as you like. A bet is a bet."

Seeing her practically grinding her teeth to dust made a wave of sweet satisfaction wash over Juniper.

Taking her seat, she didn't hesitate to order a bottle of wine worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Helena sat beside her, her fingers still trembling with adrenaline. She clutched the rough jade tightly. Once they returned to The Xavier Family auction house, she would have her master craftsmen map it out and extract two perfect bangles.

Her cheeks were flushed with excitement. She truly felt that Juniper was her lucky star. Thanks to this young woman, her son had secured Nelson Saint's backing, and now she had acquired the most coveted prize imaginable.