Chapter 745
No.1
She looked radiant, delicate features glowing.
Four assistants followed her, carrying a board draped in red silk.
On it sat an exquisitely carved jade Buddha.
Sunlight glinted off its surface, revealing deep, forest-green hues.
The stone seemed to pulse with ancient energy.
The crowd gasped.
“My God! What kind of jade is that? The color is incredible!”
“That’s not jade. It’s the Czech No.1 Black Green Meteorite! Valued at five billion!”
“The one and only in the world?”
“Yes! It’s harder than diamond. A type of iron meteorite. Indestructible.”
No.2
“Unbelievable! Victoria actually bought it and had it carved!”
“She must have spent her entire savings!”
Admiration filled the air.
Victoria basked in the praise inwardly.
Outwardly, she remained humble.
She bowed her head slightly. “Please, it’s nothing. I just wanted to make Grandfather happy. My savings were well spent.”
Theodore beamed. “I love it! Absolutely magnificent!”
Suddenly, a voice rang out. “Who is that? She looks familiar!”
The crowd fell silent.
All heads turned toward the entrance.
No.3
Isabella walked down the red carpet.
She wore a black leather jacket and fitted pants.
Her hair flowed behind her like a dark river.
She moved with calm authority.
An aura of quiet power surrounded her.
Victoria’s smile vanished.
Isabella?
She was supposed to be in Africa.
Burnt. Broken. Ugly.
How was she so beautiful?
No.4
Eleanor Kensington stepped forward, face tight with anger. “What are you wearing? This is a formal event! Go to the backyard! You’re embarrassing us!”
Victoria forced a sweet tone. “Mother, perhaps Isabella came to celebrate Grandfather’s birthday. Let her stay.”
All eyes judged Isabella.
“Empty-handed? Some celebration.”
“A ward of the family. Probably here to beg for money.”
“Theodore saved fifteen percent of shares for her, and she brings nothing?”
Sophia Kensington sneered and shoved Isabella. “Get lost, orphan! You can’t even afford to look at this meteorite. Five billion! You’ve never seen that much money in your life!”
Isabella didn’t flinch.
A cool smile played on her lips. “Who said I came empty-handed?”
She clapped her hands sharply.
No.5
Four assistants approached, carrying another board draped in red silk.
They unveiled an identical jade Buddha statue.
Exactly the same as Victoria’s.
A perfect duplicate.
Silence descended.
Then chaos erupted.
Gasps echoed through the crowd.
“I thought there was only one Czech No.1?”
“How did Isabella gift the same thing? How can there be two?”
Victoria was the first to recover. A mocking laugh escaped her lips. “Hah! It’s obvious. She was too proud to show up empty-handed and bought a counterfeit. She never expected I’d gift the real thing. Now her pathetic lie is exposed! How hilarious!”
No.6
“Isabella, have you no shame? If you’re that broke, just stay home. Why embarrass yourself with a fake? I must have been out of my mind all those years ago, taking pity on you,” Eleanor Kensington scowled.
Eleanor had despised Isabella from the beginning. She never knew the woman she scorned was her actual daughter. The beloved Victoria was the adopted child, a carefully orchestrated plan by Victoria’s biological mother, Evangeline Kensington.
Before Isabella could respond, Victoria stepped forward. “Isabella, how could you?” she chided, playing the concerned sister perfectly. “Don’t you know gemstones carry energy? Fake ones can harm the body. How could you do this to Grandpa? Apologize now. I’m sure he and everyone will forgive you.”
“Apologize? You’re the one who should be apologizing!” Isabella shot back. “The Czech No.1 black-green meteorite was discovered in southern Czech. Experts confirm its Mohs hardness reaches 11. It can crush diamonds. Items made from it are impervious to knives or hammers.”
Confident, she continued, “Want to know which is real? Let me show you!” Without waiting, Isabella grabbed a hammer and smashed it down on Victoria’s Buddha statue.
Crash!
The moment the hammer connected, the supposed ‘Czech No.1’ shattered into countless pieces on the grass. Immediately, Isabella turned to her own statue and swung again.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Each strike was heavier than the last. Her statue remained completely intact, its color only deepening to a darker, more profound hue.
The crowd stared, utterly stunned. This was unbelievable!
No.7
“What?! How is this possible? Does that mean Victoria’s gift was a fake all along?”
“Those shards are clearly high-grade synthetic glass! We were almost fooled!”
“Exactly. How could a supermodel like Victoria earn five billion in five years? It makes sense now. She’s a fraud!”
The atmosphere shifted instantly. The previous admiration for Victoria’s generosity twisted into sharp condemnation.