All Chapters of The Legendary Martin Garvey: Chapter 1 
				
					- Chapter 10
				
10 chapters
				Chapter 1
			
December 23rd, 7 p.m., at Willow Lane—one of the upper-middle-class neighborhoods in Havenport, the second largest city in Norvia.“Everyone, sorry for keeping you waiting. Tonight’s dinner is something special I made just for you. Please enjoy.”Martin Garvey rushed out of the kitchen, carrying a large pot that was still steaming with a delicious aroma. His smile spread wide across his face, glowing with pride and warmth.Since they had to dine at the main Hayes residence tomorrow night, he decided to prepare a special meal tonight so they could enjoy something nice at home for once.“Stop acting so dramatic and just serve it already!”Slamming her hand on the table, Catherine Hayes—a woman in her late forties—glared at him sharply. For three long years, this useless man had lived under her roof, and aside from doing house chores and taking odd low-paying jobs outside, he had done nothing to make her proud.“Have you forgotten that this food was bought with my money? God, at least ha
				Chapter 2
			
"Hey, lazybones, get up and take me to the market!"Martin lazily opened his eyes as a kick landed squarely on his back. It was December 24th — most companies in the country were off for Christmas.Since he had nothing to do today, Martin decided to go back to sleep.After all, ever since Quinn asked for a divorce last night, he hadn’t been able to close his eyes until dawn."Why are you just lying there? Get up! If you’re not downstairs in five minutes, you’ll regret it!"Catherine stormed out of her daughter’s room, scolding loudly."Yes, Mother. I’ll be right there," Martin muttered, rubbing his back and pretending to be hurt. But his thoughts were elsewhere.“Why did Quinn say that last night?”Still lying on the thin carpet — the same spot that had been his bed since the day he moved into this house — Martin lifted his head toward the bed above him.It was empty.Since today was a holiday, Quinn should still be resting.Last night, after saying she wanted a divorce, she had simpl
				Chapter 3
			
“Oh my, what a wonderful young man! They truly look perfect together!”From a distance, Catherine could barely contain her excitement as she watched Ethan escort Quinn into Victoria Boutique, one of the most prestigious jewelry stores in the city—if not the best.Just minutes earlier, she had nearly lost her breath when Ethan brought her daughter to Havenport Place, the largest shopping plaza in town. Her shock quickly turned into admiration when she realized their first stop was the top-floor boutique—one reserved for the city’s elite.Back when the Jonathan family still lived in the Hayes main mansion, Catherine would visit that boutique at least once a month.Now? She hadn’t stepped foot in there since the day they were cast out.Her excuse about “going to the market” was just a cover-up. In truth, she was tailing her daughter’s date, eager to witness everything with her own eyes.“See? Ethan really knows how to treat a woman. Taking my daughter to such a luxurious boutique on thei
				Chapter 4
			
"Mr. Downey, please forgive me. But I can’t accept something this expensive."Quinn shook her head slightly, an awkward expression crossing her face.Ethan might be her superior at work, but that was exactly why she didn’t want to complicate things by accepting such an extravagant gift.If Quinn had agreed to go out with the director today, it was only because her mother insisted—and as usual, she never took these meetings seriously."Quinn, what are you saying?"Ethan looked surprised at her refusal. Yet rather than discouraging him, it only fueled his desire to win her over."There’s no woman more deserving of such a beautiful piece of jewelry than you. Please, take it. A woman as lovely as you deserves it."Ethan pushed forward a sleek black box. Inside lay a gold necklace, its pendant adorned with over a dozen diamonds. Even in the daylight, the soft glimmer from the stones spoke volumes about its quality."I’m sorry, Mr. Downey. I can’t."Quinn shook her head again, stepping back
				Chapter 5
			
“Miss Smith, please wrap this box for the young lady.”With a triumphant smile, Ethan handed the box to the young woman who had been standing nearby all along. The name tag on her chest read Delilah Smith.“Of course, sir.”Receiving it with both hands, the clerk bowed politely.But before she could take a single step—“Wait.”Martin, who had been standing quietly outside the boutique, finally walked in. His steps were calm, unhurried. He didn’t rush to stop Catherine or Quinn from taking the necklace.At first, Martin only wanted to see whether his wife would be tempted by such a luxurious piece of jewelry. But when he saw that Quinn’s expression remained steady and unmoved, his heart was at ease.Even so, something about that necklace felt… off.And he couldn’t let his wife accept it.This was the right moment to act.“What do you want? Why are you stopping me?”Delilah snapped, her tone sharp and disdainful.“If you’re here looking for a job, you should just leave. We’re not hiring
				Chapter 6
			
“Martin, stop being ridiculous! You’re embarrassing me. Let’s just leave now!”Ignoring the stares and sneers aimed at her and her husband, Quinn tried desperately to drag Martin away. But no matter how hard she pulled his arm, it was useless.“Quinn, why should I be embarrassed for speaking the truth? If someone else ended up with that fake necklace, I wouldn’t care. But I won’t stand by and watch it happen to you.”Martin’s tone was calm and confident.But that only made Quinn even more anxious.If this hadn’t been Victoria, she wouldn’t have cared so much about what her husband said. But here—where people measured their worth by their wealth—every word had to be chosen carefully, or you’d become the city’s next laughingstock.“Martin, please,” she begged softly, her voice trembling—something she had never done before. “Let’s just go.”“I’m sorry, Quinn,” Martin said quietly, “but I have to see this through.”For the first time, Quinn saw something different in her husband’s eyes. H
				Chapter 7
			
“Hahaha! Look at you—still have the nerve to talk back to me now? You really don’t know who you’re dealing with!”Ethan took two steps forward and hissed into Martin’s ear.“You know, everyone in this city bows when they hear my family’s name. If I make up a lie, they’ll swallow it without thinking. Now, whether that necklace is fake or not, nobody will care. If I say it’s genuine, they’ll believe me.”“Fine, if that’s what you think,” Martin smiled. “Let’s see who gets the last laugh.”He turned his gaze to the crowd.“You’re free to disbelieve me. But I’m not lying.”Martin then walked up to the large glass display where the Eclat d’Or sat.“I have a way to prove it. I just want everyone to do exactly as I ask.”He wasn’t bluffing. Martin knew that a reputable company like Victoria's would have methods to guarantee the authenticity of the pieces they sold, such as serial tags on the jewelry, matching numbers on the box, and an inventory tag on the display. Earlier, he’d glimpsed the
				Chapter 8
			
“Idiot! How could you be so careless? That trash will figure out our plan any minute!”Ethan’s voice snapped, barely contained. He could not hide his irritation.“I didn’t notice the display had a serial number… this is my fault.”Delilah’s face was pale with panic; her eyes glistened with tears.Two days ago, to impress Quinn, Ethan had conspired with this senior Victoria boutique clerk to present Quinn with an Eclat. At the same time, the boutique’s latest original piece had already been reserved by another buyer.Of course Ethan had no intention of buying such an expensive necklace for a first date. He paid Delilah to procure a convincing duplicate.“Even your manager wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between the real one and this.”That’s what the counterfeit maker had told Delilah when handing over the fake Eclat. The plan had felt foolproof—until Martin arrived.“Stop making excuses and come up with something! I don’t want our plan ruined!”Ethan tore a hand through his pe
				Chapter 9
			
“Sorry to have kept you waiting.”With a confident smile, Delilah set the exclusive black box on the display case. Unlike before, her movements were now full of assurance.“I didn’t allow you to see it immediately because this necklace was reserved by Mr. Downey,” she said, glancing at Ethan. Unnoticed by the crowd, the clerk winked at him. “So I had to ask for his permission first. Of course I’m responsible for its security. Please handle with care, okay?”Delilah pushed the box forward toward the fat man who had bet against Martin. “Here you go.”The man gave a polite smile toward Ethan and nodded before turning his attention to the box.“Mr. Downey, my name is Jack Phillips. You might not know me, but I’m one of the top people at your father’s company. Don’t worry. Let me take care of this trash for you.”When he said “trash,” his eyes flicked to Martin with disgust.“Thanks, Jack. Show me — and don’t disappoint me.”“Certainly, Mr. Downey.”Jack looked over at Martin.“Hey, before
				Chapter 10
			
While everyone gaped at the Eclat’s brilliance and seethed with endless hatred toward Martin, he simply shook his head as he stared into the box.“My God—how can these people be fooled by such a simple replica?” Martin muttered under his breath. With a single glance he knew the stones weren’t real.“Hey, trash—keep your promise and free Miss Hayes from the misery and humiliation you’ve put her through by being her husband! Free her from you!”The bespectacled woman couldn’t help herself; she stepped closer and shouted at him.“You won’t get away today! We’re all watching! We’re all witnesses to the bet you made!”Jack stepped forward too, pressing him.“Everyone, how can you not see the truth?” Martin’s voice rose. “This is a fake diamond!”He pointed seriously at the black box on the display.“Shut up and get out now!” the bespectacled woman yelled again. “We’re sick of your nonsense!”She grabbed at Martin’s shirt to drag him out; Jack did the same at his side.However, no matter ho