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Novel Catalog
Chapter 163
Hera giggled at her friend’s teasing. “You’ll have to ask him yourself…” she replied, flashing a playful smile at Nash.
Laughter and lighthearted chatter filled the room as everyone began taking their seats around the grand circular table. Hera’s former classmates, visibly excited to reunite, took out the gifts they had brought—small but heartfelt tokens wrapped with care. Among the presents were musical snow globes, handcrafted resin kits, silver bracelets, dainty earrings, and plush teddy bears. None of the gifts were extravagant, but every one of them was meaningful, bearing the warmth of friendship and shared memories.
Skadi, never one for dramatics, retrieved a rectangular sandalwood box from her bag and quietly placed it in front of Hera. “Here. This is my birthday gift to you,” she said.
Hera beamed. “Hehe… thank you, Skade!” Their bond was more like sisters than friends, so formalities felt unnecessary between them.
As Hera lifted the lid of the box, the motion-sensing lights inside flickered on. Wrapped in layers of gold-colored satin and bubble wrap was a pair of elegant jade bracelets. The light shimmered off the fine carvings on the bracelets, revealing the translucent white hue of high-quality jade—possibly Hetian jade, one of the most esteemed varieties.
“These bracelets…” Mr. Jen squinted and mumbled to himself, clearly recognizing them from somewhere.
Cain’s expression shifted in an instant. “Hera, may I take a look at those bracelets?” he asked, already intrigued. The design sparked a faint memory in his mind, but he couldn’t quite place it.
Hera nodded and passed him the box. Cain gently accepted it and carefully placed it on the table. Reaching into his inner pocket, he pulled out a magnifying glass and a small flashlight designed for gem appraisal.
Harrison chuckled from across the table. “You really do carry your tools everywhere, huh?”
Cain smiled good-naturedly. “I’m getting old. Need something to keep me busy.” His tone was much humbler now, a reflection of his newfound desire for peace and redemption after the shooting incident. With Herman likely to become the next head of the household, Cain had made peace with letting go of past ambitions—and repurposing his wealth for the family’s future.
A group of older men gathered around him, fascinated by the craftsmanship. It was evident that jade still held a strong allure for them.
“These… these are the same jade bracelets from the Centurion Auction Room three years ago!” Cain finally exclaimed, his voice low with awe.
Herman leaned closer and whispered, “Which era are they from?”
Before Cain could answer, Mr. Yonder interjected, “These were a royal gift from the last monarch to his queen. There’s controversy around them—some claim they were stolen from the royal tombs, while others believe they were never buried at all.”
Mr. Jen added gravely, “From what I remember, they were auctioned off for eighty-six million dollars.”
The entire room seemed to draw in a collective breath. A hush fell over the younger guests, stunned into silence.
Eighty-six million dollars.
The figure echoed in their minds, almost incomprehensible. That kind of money was more than they could hope to earn in several lifetimes—and yet, Skadi had casually gifted those very bracelets to Hera.
“Let us breathe the same air, Hera! Your best friend is worth eighty-six million!”
“When is it my turn to have such a rich and loyal bestie?”
“Skadi, can we have a friendship reset? I’m ready to start over!”
“Ahem… Skadi, I’m still single. If you’re open to it—” a beady-eyed man in a suit grinned, rubbing his hands together.
Skadi flashed him a warning smile. “You’re welcome to try… if you’re not afraid of a broken nose.”
“Haha, just kidding! Tomboys aren’t my type anyway.”
“You little rat, say that again!”
“Why would I? Repeating myself for you would be disgraceful!”
Their playful banter drew more laughter from the room, lightening the awe and tension that had momentarily settled over everyone.
Cain, after carefully inspecting the bracelets, returned the box to Hera.
But Hera hesitated, then gently slid the box back toward Skadi. “Skade, this is too much. I can’t accept something so valuable…” she said seriously. “I’d probably lose sleep wearing something worth that much.”
Skadi’s smile faded slightly, her tone firm. “You can put a price on jade, Hera—but you can’t put a price on friendship. You’re my best friend. That means you have to take them.”