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nScott wasn’t in a hurry to close the deal. Instead, he asked, “You mentioned there were two treasures here, where’s the other one?”

nPowell was a bit excited, as he had just acquired these two items today. If he could sell them off immediately, it would be a truly risk-free transaction.

n“This one,” Powell began, “is a medieval pewter cup. The craftsmanship is exquisite and the piece is in perfect condition. I dare say there’s not another like it in the world. Even the few pieces in museums can’t compare.” Powell spoke confidently, all the while watching Scott’s expression, trying to gauge his interest. “This is a rare find that I paid a lot for. What do you think, do you like it?”

nFinding a buyer for such a high-quality pewter cup wouldn’t be difficult, but selling it directly to a wealthy individual would certainly be better than taking it to an auction.

n“It’s indeed a great piece,” Scott said, staring at the pewter cup for a long time before adding, “It’s a shame it’s just a single cup, though. If it were a set, it would be worth much more.”

n“A set? You must be joking,” Powell laughed, “The fact that there’s only one of these cups makes it even more precious. If it were part of a set, it wouldn’t be worth as much.”

n“Is that so?” Scott chuckled, “It’s a fine cup, but I’m not interested. As for the pearl, it’s thirty million dollars, right? I’ll take it.”

n“Very well!” Powell smiled, “May I ask your name, sir?”

nScott replied, “I’m Scott. I’ll have someone transfer the money to you shortly.”

nUpon hearing the name, Powell’s eyes lit up as he finally realized who the middle-aged man before him was. Scott Taylor, Chairman of the Allen Group!

nFor most people, paying thirty million dollars in one go might be a stretch, but for the Allen Group, it was a drop in the ocean. The conglomerate’s business spanned multiple industries, with a market value exceeding one hundred billion dollars. What was a mere thirty million dollars to Scott?

n“Alright! However, you should know that a thirty million dollar transaction is not a small sum. Even with a wire transfer, it will definitely take a few days. I’ll need to wait for the funds to clear before I can give you the item,” Powell said, well-versed in the intricacies of large transactions. Payments in the millions don’t typically arrive instantly. The transfer of thirty million dollars would require various formalities to be completed before the money could be credited, otherwise it might be flagged for money laundering.

n“Don’t you trust me?” Scott’s mood wasn’t the best. Just a few days ago, his son David Taylor had died tragically on Mount San Juan Teotihuacan. He wouldn’t have even come out if it weren’t for the discovery of this priceless treasure.

nPowell was put on the spot by this question, and his smile became stiff. “Mr. Taylor, you jest. How could I not trust you? But this is the way things are done.”

nBusiness people can’t simply ignore protocols just because the other party is wealthy.

nEspecially when dealing with someone like Scott, who has significant resources. In case of any dispute later on, Powell would be at a disadvantage if he didn’t follow the rules. It was best to wait until the money had been received before handing over the item.

nWere it not for the fact that Scott, as a Soulmancer, couldn’t freely harm ordinary people, he would have taken the item and left. After hesitating for a moment, he coldly said, “I’ll come to collect the item in three days. Make sure you don’t lose it, or you won’t need to keep your shop open anymore.”

nAfter saying this, he walked out of the room and instructed his assistant waiting outside, “Complete the paperwork with him and transfer thirty million dollars from the company to him.”

nPowell was sweating profusely as he watched Scott’s retreating figure. Carefully, he packed up the item. He couldn’t believe he’d had the nerve to speak to Scott like that. Maybe it was because the sum involved in this transaction was so large.

nWilliam wasn’t interested in the ownership of the Radiant Empress Pearl. Although it was indeed a precious relic of Byzantine Empress Theodora, it held no attraction for him.

n“Master, what kind of shop are you planning to open?” Alice asked curiously, wondering what William was up to.

nAfter thinking for a moment, William said, “A bookstore. Let’s open a bookstore in a somewhat remote area.”

n“A bookstore?” Alice was puzzled. Could a bookstore be profitable?

nEspecially since William wanted to open it in a remote location.

n“If there’s an existing one available, that would be ideal,” William added. “You handle this.”

nAlice was left with even more questions.

nThe reason for choosing to open a bookstore, besides William’s fondness for reading, is that running a bookstore is relatively leisurely.

n“Alright,” Alice felt as if she had become William’s housekeeper. To open a bookstore, especially in a more remote area, where would you need two million dollars? It seemed to her that her master had no concept of how much money he had or how to manage it, but no matter how much money you had, it should be well planned for spending.

n“If you have nothing else to do, go back and read. In a couple of days, I’ll teach you some other stuff. Don’t come over tomorrow; I have to entertain a friend.” William still had to go to the bar; he hadn’t received Nicholas’s lottery ticket yet. Tomorrow was Sunday, the bar would be closed, and Evelyn would be going home.

nEven though William and Evelyn were currently just ordinary friends, he didn’t want to be misunderstood.

nAlice murmured an acknowledgment and sneakily glanced at William. Entertaining a friend, and specifically telling her not to come over tomorrow—what did that mean?

nHe must have made an appointment with some girl.

nCould it be Bella? So, the two of them are indeed connected!

nBut if Bella becomes William’s girlfriend, won’t she have to call her Mrs. Bell?

nAlice had initially thought it was no big deal, but upon thinking of this, she suddenly felt uneasy.

nThe Bell and Turner families were considered old friends, and the children of both families were often compared by the older generation. Everyone had a competitive spirit, and they were all roughly on par with each other. If Bella suddenly became her master’s wife, it would bring a lot of contradictions and challenges.

nIf such a thing happened, Alice didn’t know how she would face Bella in the future. 𝘦𝘯.𝘰𝘳𝘨

nAs they walked, Alice became lost in thought. If she went over tomorrow, wouldn’t it be even more awkward?

nTo go or not to go? Alice hesitated for a moment before asking, “Master, you’re not inviting Bella for dinner tomorrow, are you?”

n“Bella?” William frowned. “Of course not. Why would I invite her to dinner?”

nAlice felt an immense relief. As long as it wasn’t Bella, it was fine.

n“Can I come over for dinner tomorrow? There’s no one at my house.” Alice looked at William with a pitiful expression. If it wasn’t Bella, she could go and see who it was. If she was meeting her future master’s wife, at least she would be mentally prepared. If not, it wouldn’t be a big deal.

nWilliam didn’t really care about many things. When Alice asked to join them for dinner, he didn’t refuse. “Bring some ingredients over tomorrow if you want to eat. Bring whatever you want early, as I’m too lazy to go shopping.”

nAlice then asked, “What should I call you when I come over?”

nThis was an important question. In this day and age, when two people who looked similar in age told others that they had a master-disciple relationship, who would believe it?

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