Chapter 321
Andrew chuckled and said, “There’s nothing strange about this. The antiques market has always been like this–full of counterfeits, knockoffs, and replicas with sky–high price tags.
“If they find someone clueless, they’ll rip them off hard. But when they’re dealing with an expert, even a treasure from a king’s vault could be marked down to the price of candy in a gumball machine.”
Elsie chuckled, her cheeks flushing as she gave Andrew a playful glare. “Mr. Lloyd, your analogy is pretty amusing, but you’re spot on–that’s exactly how it is.”
Francesca clenched her teeth and muttered, “These shameless crooks! If Ms. Santana hadn’t been here, I’d probably have been scammed by that old man.”
After this little drama, her opinion of Elsie had clearly shifted for the better.
Elsie led them around the plaza, where they continued browsing. Francesca was unfamiliar with antiques and mostly picked items based on appearance, gravitating toward colorful or uniquely shaped pieces.
She figured that with Elsie around, she would not get ripped off and could afford to indulge a little.
Andrew, on the other hand, did not buy a single thing. He was content to accompany the two women and enjoy the experience.
When they returned to their seats, Elsie hesitantly asked, “Mr. Lloyd, was there nothing you liked? Or perhaps this antique fair isn’t up to your standards?”
She had been under strict orders from Silas to personally ensure Andrew’s satisfaction.
Andrew waved off her concern. “Ms. Santana, you’re overthinking it. There are plenty of impressive items here, but I haven’t found anything that matches my taste.”
Relieved, Elsie let out a quiet sigh. Her biggest worry had been that Andrew’s standards were too high for the fair to meet.
After a pause, she added, “By the way, Mr. Lloyd, you seem to know quite a bit about antiques. yourself.”
Andrew replied modestly, “I know a little, but compared to you, I still have a lot to learn.”
Elsie quickly downplayed his compliment, though she felt a warm sense of pride. Being able to impress the mysterious Andrew with her expertise was a rare achievement, and she was quietly thrilled.
Just then, a commotion erupted from the center of the plaza, where the largest crowd had gathered. Among the noise, two loud voices stood out, clearly arguing.
Francesca’s expression changed, and she said urgently, “Andrew, that sounds like my
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Chapter 321
grandfather!”
Andrew recognized the voice as Cedric’s, who sounded both furious and flustered. Standing
up,
he said, “Let’s check it out.”
The three of them made their way through the crowd and arrived at the largest antiques. booth. There, they saw Cedric holding a bronze religious statue, arguing heatedly with an older man in a gray robe who wore a smug expression.
Cedric’s face was red with anger as he shouted, “Orion, you bastard! You tricked me into wasting a million dollars on this piece of junk! You’re despicable!”
Orion Kelce smirked and retorted, “Cedric, you may have some skills as a doctor, but when it comes to antiques, you don’t know a damn thing
“You fell for this statue on your own. If you got scammed, that’s on you, not me. What’s next? If I told you to eat dirt, would you do it?”
Cedric stomped his foot in frustration. “You specifically told me this statue was a lost relic from the ancient monastery! That’s the only reason I bought it!”
Orion rolled his eyes. “If you’re gullible enough to believe everything I say, that’s your problem. Cedric, you were swindled at the last antiques fair, yet here you are, making the same rookie mistakes. Face it–you’re hopeless when it comes to this stuff. Just stick to being a second–rate doctor and leave antiques to the experts!”
