The Legendary Martin Garvey

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.”

She flicked her hand dismissively, as if shooing away a beggar.

To her, a man dressed so plainly walking into Victoria could only mean two things — he was either lost, or desperate.

And either way, he didn’t belong here.

“There’s no place for people like you here,” she sneered. “Now get out before I call security.”

But Martin only smiled.

“I’ve heard Victoria is supposed to be the most prestigious jewelry brand in the country,” he said evenly. “But I didn’t expect your collection to be nothing more than counterfeits.”

His finger pointed calmly toward the box in her hand.

The moment the word ‘counterfeit’ left his lips, every head in the boutique turned toward him.

These were wealthy people — you could tell from the way they dressed, every piece tailored to perfection.

For them, Victoria wasn’t just a store. It was a symbol of status.

To say this place sold fake jewelry… was no small accusation.

It wasn’t just an insult to the brand — it was an insult to everyone inside.

“Hey, man! What the hell are you talking about?”

A chubby young man in a formal suit barked.

“Have you ever even seen real jewelry in your life?”

“This guy looks like a complete bumpkin,” another snorted. “He’s probably a beggar who just wandered into the city.”

Laughter rippled through the boutique.

If someone from the Hayes or Mercer family had said that, they might have listened. But coming from a man dressed like this?

It was absurd — laughable, even.

“He probably thinks if he says something crazy enough, we’ll pity him and give him money!”

The mockery only grew louder, followed by another round of laughter.

“That’s enough,” said a woman in her fifties, dripping with designer brands and perfume. “Throw this lunatic out already! I came here to find gifts for my children and in-laws. I won’t have my Christmas shopping ruined by trash like him.”

She turned to Delilah, urging her to act.

“You heard the lady,” Delilah hissed. “Get out before I make you regret it.”

“You…”

Catherine’s fists clenched tight. Her face burned with anger.

She couldn’t believe her useless son-in-law had just said something even more humiliating than she ever thought possible.

Victoria was the pinnacle of prestige — a place where even a slight misstep could ruin one’s reputation.

And now, Martin had just accused them of selling fakes.

It was intolerable.

Unable to hold it in any longer, Catherine stormed up to him and hissed under her breath:

“Are you completely out of your mind? Do you want to humiliate me even further? Leave. Now. Before you make this worse.”

“Martin!”

Even Quinn looked distressed. She had tried so hard to stay composed in such an elegant place — and now her husband had turned it into chaos.

“Let’s just go!” she pleaded, gripping his arm, trying to pull him away.

But Martin didn’t move. His calm eyes stayed fixed on the box.

“Quinn,” he said, his voice steady but firm.

“I only spoke the truth. The necklace is fake. So tell me — what’s wrong with that?”

His words carried through the entire boutique, loud enough for everyone to hear.

And just like that —

the elegant silence of the jewelry store shattered into pure chaos.

“How dare he!”

“Throw him out!”

“Unbelievable!”

The crowd erupted, their outrage filling the air like fire catching dry leaves.