Chapter 32
Chapter 32
Chapter 32 Jane felt a knot in her stomach, exchanging a glance with Annie, whose gaze mirrored her own apprehension. “What’s she up to now?” Annie knitted her brows, “Definitely not up to any good! Jane, be careful!” “Well, it doesn’t matter.” Jane replied with a cool demeanor as she walked into Ava’s office. Ava, in a calculated move, drew all the blinds and left the door wide open, to give all and sundry outside a clear view of the goings-on. Jane was a tad puzzled. It didn’t seem like Ava was out to get her. After all, all eyes were on them. “Jane, meet Mr. Sherwood, from the Illumination Group,” Ava introduced, a smile playing on her lips. “Mr. Sherwood, this is our sales champion this month.” Jane gave a polite nod with a smile, but the more she looked at Ava, the more Annie’s words rang true. Ava had no good intentions… Carl Sherwood was a genteel middle-aged man. The moment Jane stepped in, his gaze fixed on the ring on her finger, never wavering. “Jane, today’s your lucky day!” Ava smirked. “Though Mr. Sherwood is a businessman, he’s quite the connoisseur when it comes to gem and jewelry appraisal! He an active board member of the Jewelers Association, and many jewelry firms have sought his expert judgment. His eyes, sharp as a hawk’s, can discern a genuine piece from a fake with just a glance!”
“Mr. Sherwood.” Ava turned her gaze towards Carl. What do you make of the ring on Jane’s finger?” Jane’s heart pounded as she instinctively shielded her ring. Carl stood up, offering a courteous smile. “Ms. Fallon, may I take a gander at it?” Jane hesitated. A few curious coworkers had already started rubbernecking from the hallway. Ava stood with her arms crossed, a sneer etched on her face, the picture of schadenfreude. “Mr. Sherwood, this ring is worthless, Jane said softly. “I wear it as a daily trinket. There’s nothing
remarkable about it. It’s not worth your once-over.” “Is that so?” Ava’s voice cut through the air like a knife. “Oh, but someone mentioned this is her wedding ring! “Jane, why play hard to get? If Mr. Sherwood takes a shine to gems and jewelry, show him! He’s an important customer for our company. Don’t step on his toes!” Jane took a deep breath, the penny finally dropping as to why Ava had opened all the doors and windows. She paused for a moment, an Inscrutable look on her face, and then slid off her ring, placing it on the table. Carl smiled, first donning a pair of white gloves, then extracting a professional Chelsea Filter from his bag to examine the ring up close. 1111 Ma Hasbundin & Saint Allénair 100% Chapter 37 However, the more he observed, the more his complexion seemed off. Jitters bubbled in Jane’s stomach. Just last night, Dan had confided in her that this ring wasn’t valuable… Now with Ava bringing in a so-called jewelry expert, wasn’t it just to call out her ring as a cheap knock-off and humiliate her in public? “Ms. Fallon, Carl piped up out of the blue, “where did this ring come from?” Jane eyed his stern and startled expression, finding it rather fishy. “It’s a gift from my husband, my wedding ring. Is there a problem?” Carl’s eyes practically bulged out of their sockets. “May I ask your husband’s… surname?” Jane, creasing her brows, found his question out of left field. But she maintained her courteous exterior and answered softly. “His surname is Murphy.” Carl was stunned. The confusion in his eyes did not dissipate, but deepened. Why would his surname be Murphy? The inconspicuous emblem on the ring shank was clearly theNôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.
symbol of the Campbell family from Central City! If he wasn’t barking up the wrong tree, this ring was a treasured heirloom of the Campbell family. once worn by one of their ancestors when she was a consort. Ava, also noticing Carl’s peculiar expression, couldn’t resist probing. “Mr. Sherwood, what’s up this ring? Is it fake?” The crowd outside started to multiply, gossiping. Jane bit her lip subtly, smoothly retracting her ring and slipping it back onto her ring finger. with “This ring isn’t fake. In fact, it’s worth a pretty penny Carl replied, removing his gloves. “This gem is an emerald, and the ring shank appears to be made from pure gold from the Humar River Goldmine. Despite its vintage style, it’s of high value.” “What?” Ava was shocked. “Mr… Mr. Sherwood, did you see it clearly?” “Are you questioning my expertise, Ms. Zeller?” “No, no, I didn’t mean that… Carl shot her an unhappy look, and then turned to Jane with a smile. “Ms. Fallon, this emerald has remarkable hardness, purity, and size. If it hits the auction block at Christie’s, it would fetch an unimaginable price!” Jane was a bit taken aback by his proclamation. The onlookers outside, initially there to relish the spectacle, were also flabbergasted. They whispered among themselves and cast more complex glances toward Jane. “I’ve heard that your sales proposal is quite impressive, Ms. Fallon. I have some business dealings with your company that I’d like to discuss. Would it be convenient for you now?” Jane blinked, her gaze meeting Carl’s gentle eyes. She chuckled lightly. She couldn’t say no to business that was served on a silver platter! “Mr. Sherwood, please wait for me in the conference room. I’ll get you some coffee and present you with the previous sales proposal.” Chapter