Decorative lights and illuminants lit up the extravagant Wilson family mansion.Tonight was the 70th birthday banquet of Lady Wilson, the head of the Wilson family.Her grandchildren and their spouses gathered around her to hand her their luxurious gifts.“Grandma, I heard that you love the Chinese tea. I looked high and low for this century-old Pu’er tea worth half a million dollars to present it to you.”“Grandma, you are a devoted Buddhist. This Buddha statue is carved from the authentic Hetian jade, it is worth seven hundred thousand dollars…”Looking at the nicely wrapped gifts in front of her, Lady Wilson laughed heartily. The entire ambiance was harmonious and happy.Suddenly, Charlie Wade, Lady Wilson’s eldest grandson-in-law, spoke, “Grandma, could you lend me a million dollars, please? Mrs. Lewis from the welfare home is diagnosed with uremia and I need the money for her treatment…”The entire Wilson family gaped in extreme shock. Everyone stared at Charlie with bewi
Ten billion dollars?!Charlie was shocked. His eyes wide open, his mouth wide agape.He knew that his grandfather was very wealthy, but back then, he was too young to understand the concept of money. He only knew that the Wade family was one of the wealthiest families in Eastcliff and even the country, but he wasn’t sure what his net worth was.Right now, he finally knew.If ten billion dollars were just pocket money, it meant that the entire Wade family had a net worth of more than one trillion dollars!Frankly speaking, at this moment, he was slightly touched and swayed. However, when he thought about his deceased parents and how his grandfather was part of the reasons why they had died, he knew he could never easily forgive him.Sensing his frustration, Stephen quickly said, “Young Master, you are one of the Wade family members, so the money is yours. Besides, technically speaking, it belongs to your father.”“The Master said that if you’re willing to go home, he will let you
The next morning, after preparing breakfast, Charlie rode his scooter to Emgrand Group’s office.He parked his scooter on the side of Emgrand’s parking lot. As soon as he locked his scooter, a black Bentley slowly parked in a spot across from him.He looked up inadvertently and saw a young couple getting out of the car.The man was wearing a branded suit, looking very handsome and smart. Meanwhile, the lady was dressed up in a flamboyant style. Although somewhat gaudy, she was considered a beauty.As it turned out, the lady was Wendy Wilson, Claire’s cousin, and the man was her fiancé, Gerald White.Charlie didn’t know why they were here, but he knew that the best way to avoid trouble was to stay away from them.However, the more eager he wanted to hide from them, the higher chances they would see him.Wendy caught sight of him from the corner of her eyes. She yelped loudly, “Hey, Charlie!”Wendy called out his name in a friendly manner, but Charlie felt goosebumps all over his
This was also the first time Charlie had ever met Doris.He had to admit that Doris was a very stunning and alluring young lady!She was about twenty-seven or eight years of age with a slender yet plump body figure, captivating appearance, and a very mature and honorable manner.Sitting down in front of Doris’s desk, Charlie started, “I will not come into the office often, so I would like you to continue looking over the company on my behalf. In addition, please do not disclose my identity to the public.”Doris was aware that Mr. Wade, who was sitting in front of her now, came from the extraordinary Wade family. For a prominent family like theirs, Emgrand Group was nothing but a mediocre business, so it was normal for him not to manage it himself. Hence, she quickly said, “Sure. Mr. Wade, just tell me if you need anything, I’ll be at your service.”At this moment, a secretary knocked on the door and said, “Miss Young, a man called Gerald White and his fiancé are here to see you.”
The two announcements released by Emgrand Group completely shook the entire Aurous Hill like a high magnitude earthquake.When the Wilson family learned about the ownership change in Emgrand Group, they figured out why the collaboration with the White family had been terminated. It seemed that Emgrand’s new owner didn’t think much of the White family.Back to the point, who was Mr. Wade? He simply bought Emgrand Group that was worth hundreds of billions of dollars without batting an eye—he was a little too powerful, wasn’t he? Even the richest man in Aurous Hill wouldn’t be so generous!All of a sudden, a lot of wealthy families were about to eagerly make a move. They wished to establish a connection with the mysterious Mr. Wade while on the other hand wished to marry their daughter to him.Moreover, the announcement about Emgrand Group’s investment of two billion dollars for the hotel construction project also shook the construction and interior decorating industries in Aurous H
Claire’s announcement sent a shock wave across the room, making everyone gape in extreme surprise!Everyone thought that Claire must be out of her mind! It was the worst time to stand under the limelight now! Other than failing miserably, there’s nothing else she could achieve!Emgrand Group was the largest company in Aurous Hill and the Wilson family was nothing more than an insignificant ant to them! Whoever took the challenge would only end up failing!Harold couldn’t help but mock sarcastically, “Claire, do you really think you can get a deal from Emgrand Group?”Wendy continued in the same mocking tone after her brother, “Claire, who do you think you are, what do you think Emgrand Group is? You being so reckless and irrational will only humiliate us, the Wilson family!”Someone else added, “Wendy is right! If she is kicked out by Emgrand Group, our family will be a laughing stock in Aurous Hill!”Blood rushed to Claire’s face and she felt her face burning in embarrassment.
Looking at her parents ridiculing Charlie, Claire sighed and said, “Dad, Mom, don’t blame Charlie for this. It was my idea, I just don’t want our family to be looked down on anymore. Haven’t we suffered enough all these years?”Claire’s mother blurted, “But still, you can’t take on such a task. It’s not just you—even if your grandma goes in person, they wouldn’t entertain her!”Charlie managed a bitter smile as he watched the bickering. He bet that his snobbish in-laws would never believe that he was the real owner of Emgrand Group.At this exact moment, there was a knock on the door.“I’m coming…”Elaine heaved a distressing sigh as she walked to the door and opened it.Charlie shifted his gaze to the door and saw a young man donning an Armani suit standing at the door. The man looked very charming and alluring with a Patek Philippe watch on his wrist, which seemed to be worth at least four million dollars.Elaine shrieked excitedly, “Hey, Wendell! Why are you here?”The man w
The next morning, Claire brought the file filled with proposals that she had prepared overnight and went to the Emgrand Group office with Charlie.Standing in front of the 100-story building, Claire suddenly felt as if her heart was hollow and empty.How could such a magnificent company like Emgrand collaborate with the Wilson family? Not to mention that they were aiming for a thirty million dollars deal.It was like a beggar approaching a wealthy man and asking for a thirty million dollar change. It was absolutely ridiculous.However, she had promised her grandmother and accepted the challenge in front of everyone, so she had to go for it no matter what…Sensing her anxiety, Charlie stroked her head tenderly and said, “Dear, don’t worry, go ahead, you’ll make it. Trust me.”Claire sighed dejectedly and murmured, “Alright, let’s hope so! Wait for me here.”She took a deep breath and walked through the door.As he watched her walking in, Charlie took out his phone and called Dor
"Five hundred grand?"Mick chuckled. "Well, the sculpture looks Renaissance, and the craftsmanship as well as the material are all ideal. It would sell for up to two million in an auction, while established antique traders like us could offer up to a million. So, why the lowball?"Bill sighed. "I won't lie—it belonged to my old man, who just croaked this afternoon. But you see, he left a will stating that every antique in the house would be given to my brother… Since he's playing favorites, I thought I had to get something for myself.""That's why I quietly sneaked this baby out without anyone else knowing and am trying to sell it quickly to change my own circumstances. You don't have to tell me how many millions it's worth—I'm not that greedy. Give me five hundred grand, and it's yours."Mick shrugged as he shot back, "If it's as you say and your old man intended for your brother to have it, the fact that you sneaked it out here makes this theft. Do you think I'd buy stolen proper
It was half past six, and the skies were darkening when a figure hurried into Antique Street, heading straight toward the center—to Vintage Deluxe.Mick Crane, the manager, was holding the fort with some of his employees, and there were some guests window shopping there as well. As Mick asked the employees to assist the guests, he waited anxiously for Billy—Zachary's henchman.Nonetheless, a certain figure rushed inside within minutes, asking eagerly as he entered, "Is the manager in? Do you still buy antiques?""Yes, and yes!" Mick exclaimed as he approached Billy enthusiastically, asking, "May I ask what you're planning to sell?"Billy looked around before sneakily holding up a parcel wrapped in red cloth, carefully lifting a corner to reveal an edge so that Mick could see.Then, he promptly lowered the cloth again, whispering, "This is the good stuff. I'm just not sure if you have the money to buy it."Mick grinned. "What are you saying? If it's something Vintage Deluxe coul
Jacob chuckled. "Can't tell you right now. But I will once it's done.""Well, have you decided when we're going to Dubai?" Elaine quickly pressed.Jacob said, "I'd have to wait until tonight to see if this deal works, but we're leaving first thing tomorrow. I'll get the tickets first, and we will be staying at the Burj Al-Arab that I told you about. People are always saying how amazing it is on the internet every day, seeing how luxurious the seven-star hotel is, but I'll be the judge of that."Elaine was overjoyed to hear that. "That's amazing! And I was just thinking we can't go sooner! Go about your business, then. I'll pack our luggage right away."Jacob chuckled smugly. "Don't pack so much, though. Just stick to the necessities, since we can get the rest over there!""Alright!" Elaine exclaimed, beside herself in excitement. "Alright, you hurry up and get your thing done over there. I'll start packing now!"After hanging up, Elaine called Charlie, who was in Champs Elys Reso
As Zachary agreed to do a favor for Vintage Deluxe's Mick Crane in passing, he and Jacob agreed to meet up at 7pm at the car park by Antique Street.He first took Jacob back to the Calligraphy and Painting Association and called Billy, one of his boys whom he thought was smarter than the rest, giving him the gist of the plan and telling him to familiarize himself with the script.Then, he took the sculpture back to Heaven Springs and met up with Billy in office, telling Billy what to do in finer detail and making sure he committed everything to memory.Zachary's strength as a judge of character certainly proved itself—Billy had never done anything like this before, but he took to the plan like fish to water. He committed the script to memory soon enough, and he was flawless.Once he made sure that Billy was fine, Zachary called Mick.As soon as Mick answered, he immediately asked, "Hello, Mr. Evans. How is that thing we talked about going?"Zachary chuckled. All the arrangements
Zachary continued, "Why do you think casinos are always making a profit? It's exactly because no matter how unassuming a guest is the first time, they would be allowed to win a couple of hands, making a little profit.""And suddenly, they would think that they are the chosen one, destined to win against all odds and always come out triumphant! Once such radical, blind confidence hits them, every last bit of his money would be lost to the casino!""At that point, you can get anything from them—their house, their wife, their children… hell, they'd be willing to die if you'd just let them gamble again!"Turning toward Jacob with a grin, Zachary then asked, "So, with all the points I made and that sculpture you're holding… Do you still think Raymond wouldn't fall for it?"Jacob laughed out loud. "Oh, talk about a plan within a plan! No one would ever see it coming! Raymond Cole is so screwed!"Zachary smiled and nodded. "That's why there's no reason to rush—I'll arrange a man to get r
As soon as they drove out of the village, Jacob asked Zachary eagerly, "So, when do you think we should make our move? I can't wait!"Zachary didn't hesitate, "Let's do it today. It's better than waiting! I'll get someone reliable to bring this to Treasure Measure and get him interested. I'm sure that since he has just returned to Antique Street, he'll need a hot deal to generate hype and make himself known. That's why I'm sure he'll take this sculpture."Jacob nodded repeatedly as he chuckled. "I think so too. Today is definitely best since I'll be going to Dubai soon and probably leaving once I'm done with this. Once you get this settled by the end of today, I'll get tickets for the flight tomorrow!"Zachary grinned. "Don't worry, chief. We will definitely get it settled today…"He trailed off for a moment before continuing, "Still, you should be a little patient. We should do this in the evening—at the second just before Raymond Cole closes shop.""But why?" Jacob asked in curi
Jacob was naturally gleeful that he could get the late medieval bronze sculpture along with its base. Right after he wired the agreed upon ninety-eight grand to Mr. Cardensky, he was already imagining how Raymond would buy it from him for several hundred grand.On the other hand, once Mr. Cardensky received the transfer, he saw the name on the account: Jacob Wilson.He was left perplexed—wasn't that man's last name Montague? Who was this Jacob Wilson?Still, he didn't worry about it too much since most antique hustlers preferred to work with anonymity and therefore, using a different name was perfectly normal.He then carefully wrapped up the bronze sculpture before passing it Jacob, asking politely, "Would you happen to have any other requests, Mr. Montague? I have plenty of other items here if you'd permit me to give an introduction."Jacob shook his head, "Just this sculpture will do. I'm not fully confident in your work either since this is our first deal, so I'm just trying i
Jacob asked, "Then, what would this sculpture be worth if it was genuine?"Mr. Cardensky thought about it. "Well, there are standards when it comes to Renaissance relics, but with something this exquisite, it'd definitely be auctionable for one or two million—and that's the conservative estimate.""How much would you sell it to me for?" Jacob then asked."Thirty percent of the market price," Mr. Cardensky quickly replied. "As I've said, the conservative estimate for this one is around one to two million, so we will set the price with the median estimate value at 1.5 million. And thirty percent means 450 grand."Jacob shook his head right away. "No, no, no… that's too expensive. What if I end up unable to sell it, on top of that?"In his mind, while he could barely accept that pricing, he still needed Raymond to be able to afford it if he wanted to swindle Raymond for twice the money.Mr. Cardensky quickly chuckled, "Oh, Mr. Montague—now you're being too serious. In this business,
"Okay!"Mr. Cardensky smiled and pointed at a nearby farmyard. "There's our workshop—the good stuff is all in there. Allow me to take you there!"The farmyard seemed uninteresting at first glance, but Mr. Cardensky soon led them to the stables and brushed off the straws covering the floor, revealing a plank laid flat on the ground.Mr. Cardensky then lifted it, revealing a passage below—they had dug a cellar into the ground beneath, with the stables as an entry point.As Jacob followed Mr. Cardensky down the cellar, he exclaimed in awe, "Your operation is definitely big, digging such a huge cellar!"Mr. Cardensky smiled humbly. "Anyone working in the business would have sustained their losses before. In the end, we're all folk of humble origins, starting out with raiding tombs or excavating artifacts. Just digging a cellar is really nothing."As they conversed, they cleared the stairs and arrived at the main hall.It was certainly a hall as it was around a hundred square meters,