Everyone in the room knew what type of man Mr. Titus truly was, and it was clear that it would take someone with great influence to change his decision once it was made. The weight of this realization hung in the air, thick and suffocating.Mr. and Mrs. Curry, Emily, and Jackson all felt a burning sensation in their faces, as if they had been slapped. Their faces reddened not only from the tension of the moment but from the humiliation that was starting to settle in.It dawned on them that Mr. Titus’s previous politeness—his cordiality and apparent respect—had never been because of Jackson. No, it was because of Amelia. Jackson had believed his association with Mr. Titus would protect them, but it was clear now that it was Amelia’s connection to Richard that had earned them the favor.“I didn’t expect Amelia to have grown so quickly in the past few years,” Mrs. Curry muttered, her voice filled with a mix of admiration and regret. “Even people like Mr. Titus have to give her face.” She

At this moment, Mr. Titus had already grasped Richard’s intention, and when he saw Mr. Dusk leave, he turned to Richard with a sharp gaze. “I’ve always believed that the vases were real. But since you’ve said they’re fake, I’ll have someone bring out the vases now. Let’s see if they’re real or not.”Richard’s lips curled into a faint, knowing smile, his eyes cold with determination. “Finally, Mr. Titus gets it,” he thought to himself. The moment of realization had arrived. Richard wasn’t here to argue about the vase’s value, but rather to pull the rug out from under this entire farce.Richard’s presence wasn’t just about confronting Mr. Titus or the Curry family. It was a way to help Amelia, Mr. Curry, and the others out of a mess they had no chance of handling alone. Richard knew that if he played his cards right, he could resolve this. But to do that, he couldn’t just use traditional means. With Amelia’s sharp intellect, she’d easily catch on if he made the wrong move.“I’ll have to

As Richard was about to speak, ready to address the situation with calm authority, Lady Hamilton’s voice cut through the air, sharp and dismissive.“What does he know?” she snapped, her tone dripping with disdain. “I think he’s just making nonsense. He can’t possibly have known the vase was fake just by guessing!”Her words hit like a thunderclap, instantly freezing the atmosphere in the car. The temperature dropped so sharply that even the air felt still.Amelia, who had been focused on driving, turned her head to glare at her mother. Her expression was icy, and the look in her eyes could have burned through glass. “Mom, what nonsense are you talking about?” she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.“Nonsense?” Lady Hamilton scoffed, her face darkening. She wasn’t going to back down so easily. “Richard never even touched the vase! He’s not an expert in antiques. How could he possibly know that the vase was fake?”Amelia’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, but she didn’t immediat

Richard stepped forward, his gaze steady and unwavering as he addressed Steven. He wasn’t going to let Steven’s arrogance slide this time. He knew that reasoning with him was pointless, but he would try anyway. "I’ve had enough of this nonsense," he thought to himself. "Time to show him exactly who he’s dealing with."Richard called Steven over, his voice calm but commanding. "Let’s talk," he said, his eyes locking with Steven’s. "I want to see if we can sort this out like reasonable people."Steven looked at Richard with disdain, clearly uninterested. "What do you think you can do to me if I don’t do as you say?" he scoffed, a smug grin on his face. "You really think you can intimidate me, don’t you?"Richard didn’t flinch. His expression remained calm, almost serene. "I won’t waste my breath explaining it to you," he said, his voice firm. "But let me show you something instead. Your business will crumble right before your eyes, and trust me, you won’t want to witness it."Steven’s fa

Richard sat quietly in his seat, the sounds of excitement echoing around the classroom. It was the final day of the Deans Cup competition, and the air was thick with anticipation. His classmates were eagerly discussing the match, their voices full of excitement and hope. But Richard wasn’t really feeling the same. For him, today wasn’t about celebrating the game—it was a reminder of everything he didn’t have.Today was special for everyone else, but for Richard, it was just another day. Football wasn’t his thing. He never really felt the need to join in on these kinds of activities, preferring to spend his time running errands for classmates, making a little money where he could. After all, it wasn’t like he was ever part of the class’s team—too poor to afford the fees, too unimportant in their eyes to be included.Richard’s mind drifted back to the previous day, to the conversation with Amelia. How could he ever explain to her that, despite his best efforts, he would always be on the