Claire felt a surge of excitement as she stepped out of Wilson Group’s office. Tomorrow, Grandma would officially announce her new role, and at last, she could hold her head high with pride!

Turning to Charlie, she exclaimed, “Charlie, thank you so much! If it weren’t for your encouragement, I wouldn’t have had the courage to take on this challenge.”

With a warm smile, Charlie replied, “You truly deserve this, Claire.” After a moment, he added, “Oh, and we should celebrate this wonderful occasion, don’t you think?”

Claire nodded enthusiastically. “What do you have in mind?”

“Our third anniversary is just around the corner,” Charlie proposed. “Let’s celebrate it together! I’ll handle all the details while you relax.”

Claire’s eyes widened in surprise. “Are you planning to surprise me?”

“Absolutely!” Charlie laughed, nodding. “I’m planning a surprise just for you!”

A warm feeling swelled in Claire’s heart. “Alright then, I won’t pry for any details.”

“No need to ask—just wait and see!”

Charlie had a series of plans ready for a special and intimate anniversary celebration. Compensation was his main goal; in the past, he had struggled financially and was unable to buy gifts for Claire or even afford a proper wedding. Now that he was doing well, he was determined to make it up to her.

After parting ways with his wife, Charlie ventured alone to a jewelry store called Emerald Court, located in the heart of Aurous Hill. Known as the most popular jewelry store in town, Emerald Court offered everything from gold and platinum to diamonds and jade—essentially, every gem and accessory one could dream of. Charlie aimed to find a gift for Claire before he headed to the best hotel in town to reserve a venue for their belated wedding.

Upon entering the store, the sales staff initially ignored him, noticing his worn counterfeit Adidas sneakers. Undeterred, Charlie browsed for a while until he spotted a stunning jade necklace displayed in a glass case. Crafted from exquisite icy jadeite, it was a perfect match for Claire’s grace. He glanced at the price tag: thirteen million dollars, which was well within his means now.

He signaled to one of the salespeople. “Excuse me, could you please take this necklace out? I’d like to see it.”

The staff member looked at him dismissively and replied, “I don’t have the key; our manager has it.” He then used the intercom to call out, “Miss Wolfe, there’s a gentleman here who wants to see our most prized possession!”

Moments later, a striking woman with heavy makeup rushed to the front. Her name was Jane Wolfe, the sales manager.

“Which esteemed guest wishes to see our prized collection?” she inquired.

The salesperson pointed to Charlie, saying, “This gentleman here.”

Jane’s expression shifted to one of disdain, as if she had just tasted something unpleasant. How could this apparent loser afford such an expensive item?

She turned to the male staff member and remarked, “Gill, are you joking?”

“No, he genuinely wants to see the necklace,” Gill replied.

Jane sneered, “Are you telling me this guy can afford that necklace? Are you blind? If you are, let me know so I can fire you immediately!”

With years of experience, Jane prided herself on her ability to assess customers and their financial status. From her observation, Charlie appeared to be just another poor man who couldn’t even afford a $1,300 necklace, let alone one worth thirteen million. He was simply wasting her time.

Though the male employee fell silent after her outburst, Charlie frowned and challenged her, “You opened your doors for business, right? I want to see the necklace. What’s the issue?”

Jane laughed derisively. “Yes, we are open for business, but we don’t serve the mentally challenged. You can’t afford it, so kindly leave our store!”

Charlie’s frown deepened. “How do you know I can’t afford it? What gives you the right to judge me?”

“Haha!” Jane mocked, “This jade necklace is worth tens of millions. How exactly do you plan to pay for it? I know what you’re up to—you want to see it just to take a picture and show off on Instagram, right?”

She crossed her arms, her demeanor haughty and condescending.

A few customers in the store overheard the exchange, whispering among themselves in disbelief. “Can you believe this guy? Why would he want to look at something he can’t afford?”

“Seriously! Did he even glance in the mirror before leaving? He doesn’t belong near such a beautiful gem!”

“People like him are everywhere these days!”

Charlie, noting Jane’s contemptuous attitude, decided it was time to teach her a lesson. He pulled out his phone and dialed Stephen’s number.

“I need you to get thirteen million dollars in cash and meet me at Emerald Court in ten minutes,” he instructed.

“Understood, Young Master. I’ll take care of it,” Stephen replied promptly.

Jane smirked, mocking him. “Oh wow, look at you, putting on quite the show! Thirteen million in cash? Hilarious! I’ve never seen that much cash in my life. Don’t you know you need to schedule an appointment with the bank for withdrawals above a million? You’re too funny!”

Charlie simply nodded, unperturbed. “You’ll see it soon enough.”

As whispers filled the store, Jane listened, enjoying the ridicule aimed at Charlie. She couldn’t wait to see how he would react when the money didn’t materialize.

Just a few minutes later, several Rolls-Royce cars pulled up outside Emerald Court. Eight imposing bodyguards in black suits emerged, each carrying a black leather suitcase. Their serious demeanor and intimidating presence sent a chill through the store. Everyone was left in stunned silence, wondering who this man could be and what was happening.