A Warm Marriage After Rebirth

Chapter 146: Chapter 146: No One is Simple (Part 3)

Pfft—

The crowd was dying to call her out. Michelle Galloway clearly looked like she wanted to murder someone, so how on earth did Seraphina Sterling interpret that as an offer for a bonus? And two hundred thousand at that! ’Is it really that easy for her to make money?!’

Director Lowell seized the opportunity and stepped forward. ”It seems Principal Marshall and Mr. Galloway were just playing a little joke on us. There was no bet at all—it was merely a little trick on Mr. Galloway’s part to protect the reputation of Serenity Antiques. I imagine Mr. Galloway must have only just realized the Purple Clay Teapot was a forgery!”

The corners of Miles Galloway’s eyes drooped, his face growing increasingly grim. He had done so much just to preserve the reputation of Serenity Antiques, and now it had all fallen apart at the last second. All his efforts had been for nothing!

He had just claimed the matter with the Purple Clay Teapot was merely a bet, and in the next breath, Director Lowell had exposed his lie! It was a vicious slap in the face. Now, not only would the credibility, competence, and overall standing of Serenity Antiques be called into question, but his own reputation as its operator might be scrutinized as well. If things went poorly, it could even impact his auction house business!

”Since the bet never existed in the first place, there’s no need to question Apex’s sincerity toward this cultural exchange.” Director Lowell felt absolutely delighted. ’This Seraphina Sterling is really something else! She not only defused the crisis but also exposed Miles Galloway’s lie! This girl is brilliant. She has a very bright future!’

Simon gave a slight nod. ’Seraphina Sterling managed to resolve even a predicament like this. She really is full of surprises!’

”As the person in charge, I am deeply sorry for this incident. It was a mistake on our staff’s part and a failure of my supervision. However, I can guarantee that nothing like this will ever happen again! I’m certain everyone will enjoy the activities we have planned for the coming days!” Director Lowell gave a deep bow to the crowd, expressing his sincere apology. His gesture earned him the crowd’s understanding.

Meanwhile, Miles Galloway and Quentin Marshall could only stand in place, mortified. ’This feeling of being publicly exposed after getting caught doing something wrong is just the worst!’

During the open session for mingling and viewing the antiques, a reporter immediately rushed forward, blocking Seraphina Sterling’s path.

”Hello, Sterling. I’m a reporter from Sanford. I just witnessed your brilliant performance, and while I was impressed, I also have a question. Where did you acquire your appraisal skills? Appraising antiques is an incredibly difficult profession that requires vast knowledge, a discerning eye, and a wealth of experience—none of which are things one would expect someone your age to possess!”

”I’ve loved antiques since I was young and have read many books on the subject. Plus, I’ve been interning at Apex Collections. When you see enough pieces, you gradually start to understand. It’s nothing to be shocked about.” Seraphina Sterling casually dropped the name Apex Collections into the conversation.

”Apex Collections? You mean the antique shop on Trinity Street? You learned all your appraisal techniques there?” The reporter was stunned. ’I know that shop all too well! I’m the one who broke the story about the million-dollar cat food bowl, and I even got a bonus for it!’

Seraphina Sterling nodded. ”Mr. Xavier is brilliant. He’s extremely knowledgeable and has taught us so much. In fact, I’ve never once seen him make a mistake in an appraisal! I’d say he’s the most talented antique shop owner I’ve ever met. Plus, at Apex Collections, you can see many rare treasures you won’t find in other shops! They’re all from Mr. Xavier’s personal collection!”

What was supposed to be an interview had been turned into a Joel Xavier fan meet-and-greet by the pair. And while Seraphina Sterling was just a pseudo-fan, this reporter was the real deal—a true devotee! The interview was originally about the cultural exchange, but thanks to Seraphina’s deliberate steering, the topic had completely shifted to Apex Collections and the story of Joel Xavier’s rise!