Chapter 350

The tension was palpable as they pulled up to Harbor Market.

Nathaniel Blackwood smirked at Oliver Prescott with an unreadable expression.

"Oliver, how about a little wager? If you find her first, I'll accept she's yours and never pursue her again." His voice dropped lower. "But if I find her first...all bets are off."

"Whatever." Nathaniel shrugged indifferently.

"You're the most generous man in Newport City!"

Oliver practically leaped from the car, immediately scanning the crowds for any sign of Vivian.

Nathaniel exited with deliberate calm, straightening the cuffs of his tailored suit. His sharp gaze swept across the chaotic marketplace like a predator assessing its territory.

Harbor Market was the largest underground antique hub on the East Coast.

Situated at the crossroads of international smuggling routes, it attracted treasure hunters and criminals alike. Many had made fortunes here overnight.

But wealth brought danger. The market teemed with rival gangs and shady dealers.

Nathaniel moved through the throngs like a tourist. He paused at a weathered stall where an elderly vendor with a long white beard sat surrounded by artifacts.

Dusty relics covered the frayed cloth - bronze coins, cracked jade carvings, and pottery shards that reeked of freshly disturbed earth.

"Looking for treasures, sir?" The old man chuckled, stroking his beard. "My wares are genuine tomb finds. Pick anything - you won't be disappointed."

"I'm not here to shop."

The vendor's eyes gleamed knowingly. "Ah, searching for someone then. A man of your stature slumming here? Must be quite the woman."

Nathaniel neither confirmed nor denied.

"You've been here long enough to know everything that happens in these alleys."

The old man produced a bamboo cylinder filled with carved sticks. "For fifty dollars, the spirits will guide you. Ask your question and shake - the fallen stick holds your answer."

Just as Nathaniel reached for it, Oliver came barreling through the crowd.

"Are you sightseeing? I could've found her by now!" Oliver panted, glaring.

Nathaniel smirked. "Why rush? You'd only embarrass yourself."

"Is that a challenge?" Oliver bristled. "Who taught you how to chase women anyway?"

"Do you really think cheap tricks work on someone like her?" Nathaniel's voice was ice.

Oliver opened his mouth - then closed it. The truth stung. Vivian Lockhart wasn't some naive girl to be won over with flowers and sweet talk.

The old man watched their exchange with amusement. "Young love," he muttered, shaking his head. The bamboo sticks rattled ominously in their container.