Chương 3 - Chạm Vào Thế Giới Kim Cương

I stared him.

“You that too?”

“ father collected aggressively.”

“ I’m learning.”

smiled.

“I’m going to leave the two jewelry nerds alone.”

She walked away.

Ethan waited until she was gone.

“There may be Parker work collection.”

stomach tightened.

“ didn’t you tell me?”

“ it wasn’t mine to tell.”

Fair answer.

Then his voice lowered.

“There’s something else.”

“?”

“The Bennett collection was professionally photographed three years ago insurance.”

“?”

“I saw two pieces earlier tonight that didn’t look right.”

“You think they’re fake?”

“I think you should compare them to the old inventory before you say anything.”

“ me?”

“ trusts you.”

I looked across the room.

was laughing guests.

“Who has access?”

“Family.”

“That’s not answer.”

“. . ’s brother, Logan. the house manager.”

Before I could ask , a voice carried across the gallery.

“Well, perfect.”

.

Red gown.

Emerald around neck.

Ryan beside .

She walked toward me holding a folded document.

“I was hoping you’d be here.”

reappeared almost instantly.

“.”

“ will take ten seconds.”

She held out the paper.

“Authentication report.”

I didn’t take it.

smiled the people who were starting to look our way.

“The emerald Nora claimed was treated?”

I glanced Ryan.

looked like wanted to disappear.

tapped the report.

“Natural emerald. No significant treatment noted.”

“Who issued it?”

She told me.

I knew the name.

did Ethan, judging by his expression.

The lab shared ownership the auction group that handled the sale.

I looked .

“That company has a financial relationship the seller.”

smile froze.

“ now the lab corrupt too?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You never say anything directly. You just imply it.”

people stopped talking.

She wanted audience.

Fine.

I said, “Send the stone to a lab that has no relationship the auction house.”

laughed.

“?”

“ the stone you were told it was, independent report will end the argument.”

“ it comes back clean?”

“I’ll apologize to you personally.”

“ front everyone?”

“Yes.”

She took step closer.

“ you’re wrong professionally?”

“ I’m wrong about seeing signs treatment, I’ll say .”

“You should resign.”

cut .

“, enough.”

But kept looking me.

“You’re very comfortable embarrassing people when you think you’re the smartest person the room.”

“No.”

I glanced the paper hand.

“I’m comfortable asking independent evidence.”

That was the sentence that cost me two weeks work.

’s father was our company’s largest private clients.

By Monday morning, corporate received a complaint alleging that I publicly humiliated his daughter, disparaged another firm, damaged the company’s relationship a high-value customer.

I was placed on paid administrative leave while they reviewed it.

manager looked miserable.

“I’m sorry.”

“You didn’t make the decision.”

“No.”

She lowered voice.

“But I didn’t stop it either.”

“You couldn’t.”

“I could pushed harder.”

That mattered than she probably knew.

Megan was standing by the counter when I packed things.

She didn’t look happy time.

Just uncomfortable.

“ happens now?”

“Two weeks.”

“ then?”

“I guess they decide whether telling a customer to get independent lab report a fireable offense.”

She picked the edge a display cloth.

“I thought was just going to complain.”

“She did.”

“I mean… I didn’t think dad would get corporate involved.”

I put notebook bag.

“People who are used to buying outcomes tend to get upset when they find they can’t.”

once, Megan didn’t answer.

The first morning suspension, called.

“I heard.”

“News travels fast.”

“ our circle? Faster than flu.”

I laughed.

She didn’t.

“I want you to do something me.”

“, about calling corporate—”

“It isn’t.”

“Good.”

“I want you to inventory family collection.”

I went quiet.

“All it?”

“ hundred twelve pieces.”

“That’s not a small project.”

“I know.”

“You need accredited appraiser insurance values.”

“I already .”

“Then me?”

“ the last accredited appraiser didn’t notice Ethan noticed.”

There it was.

“You know about the possible substitutions.”

“ told me concerns. Nothing .”

I leaned against kitchen counter.

“You understand that I find something wrong, I’m not going to tell you you want to hear.”

“That specifically I’m hiring you.”

I checked employer’s policies before agreeing.

Paid leave prevented me from working store shifts or representing the brand.

It did not prohibit unrelated private inventory consulting.