Chapter 17

The jewelry appraisal event this time had gathered the top five jewelers in the world, with only ten invites handed out globally.

The invitation itself was set with a massive twenty-carat sapphire, worth up to 3 million dollars.

The person checking the invites was a top-tier jewelry appraiser,so there was no room for mistakes.

When Emily handed over her invite, the whole place buzzed with whispers and gossip.

Those who had just mocked Emily suddenly went silent, like they'd been slapped from a distance.

Of the ten invitations worldwide, James had one in his hands, while the rest belonged to various royal families around the globe. Someone wondered,'Is she connected to royalty?'

Emily was oblivious to the crowd's shock. Actually, she was the one who designed the invite, and the sapphire on it was thanks to her wealthy teacher.

James watched her hand over the invite, his mind engaged in thought.

Neither the Johnson family nor the Williams family were quaified to get this invite. Veda's face turned pale. After her invite was verified, Emily walked straight into the venue.With this invite, she could take any piece of jewelry from the venue, no matter its value! Emily wasn't in a rush to find James; she wandered around the venue instead.

There were many precious gemstones this time, some worth hundreds of millions of dollars, all from private collections.

James wasn't interested in these, chilling with a few rich guys in the lounge area.

A staff member brought him drinks and pastries, and he took a few casual bites.

Veda watched from the side. Every move James made exuded an air of detachment and nobility, showing true aristocratic demeanor.

After mentaly prepping herself, Veda slowly walked over with a smie and extended her hand to James. "Mr. Smith, I'm the Director of Design at the Williams Group. I came here to discuss some design matters with you.What kind of designs do you like?"

James stayed silent, causing an awkward moment as Veda's hand remained in mid-air. She reluctantly pulled her hand back.

Veda pressed her lips together, as James commented, "So, does your design department get a new director every day?"

To Veda, his remark carried a hint of sarcasm.

Veda forced a smile and continued, "I just joined the company. It's normal you don't know me. I'll be handling the design drafts from now on."

Veda handed him the design drafts. Seeing James not taking them, she placed them on the table next to him. The next moment. James picked up the drafts, glanced at them, and then tossed them into the trash can. saying flatly, "The Golden Birch Group doesn't need plagiarized works."

Veda's face instantly turned extremely ugly. She wished she could find a place to hide immediately. Luckily, not many people were looking at her now.

She took a deep breath and said, "Mr. Smith, are you mistaken? These design drafts are all my own work."

James lightly tapped the table with his fingertips. "Do you think I'm a fool?17

Veda shook her head,sweat forming on her forehead.

She was in a tough spot. She wanted to explain, but James cut her off coldly."I saw this design a few days ago. If you want to show you didn't plagiarize. don't you think you should have a face-to-face with the other designer?"

Veda was stunned. How did he see it?

James glanced at his assistant, who got the hint immediately. A minute later, Emily, dressed in formal attire, came over to James. She looked at Veda, who seemed frustrated, and knew that James had dlone something.

She raised an eyebrow and asked, "Mr. Smith, what's going on?" James gestured towards the trash can. Emily picked up the discarded drafts, glanced at them, and said, "Isn't this the design draft you rejected me for? What's wrong..." When Emily saw the signature below, her lips tightened,and she chuckled."It got dirty from touching the trash, so it's unusable now. Mr. Smith,what kind of design do you like? I can redesign one for you."

Veda's face turned somewhat pale. She looked at Emily with some dissatisfaction. "Emily, why are you targeting me?"

Emily innocently looked at her. "I just said these drafts got dirty. How is that targeting you?"

Veda was speechless in an instant.

At this moment, Eric Allen, sitting next to James, spoke up, "Ms. Emily Johnson, having received an invitation, you must also be skilled at appraising jewelry,right?"

Eric looked at Emily with excitement, completely ignoring James's increasingly gloomy expression.

Emily smiled lightly. "I'm not a professional, but I do know a thing or two."

Her ability to appraise jewelry was taught to her by Hayden.

When Emily was young, the Johnson family members didn't like her except for John. So she enjoyed hanging out with the Williams family and learning from Hayden.

John didn't like looking at stones all day, but Emily found it interesting because she didn't have to interact with people. "It got dirty from touching the trash, so it's unusable now. Mr. Smith,what kind of design do you like? I can redesign one for you."

Veda's face turned somewhat pale. She looked at Emily with some dissatisfaction. "Emily, why are you targeting me?"

Emily innocently looked at her. "I just said these drafts got dirty. How is that targeting you?"

Veda was speechless in an instant.

At this moment, Eric Allen, sitting next to James, spoke up, "Ms. Emily Johnson, having received an invitation, you must also be skilled at appraising jewelry,right?"

Eric looked at Emily with excitement, completely ignoring James's increasingly gloomy expression.

Emily smiled lightly. "I'm not a professional, but I do know a thing or two."

Her ability to appraise jewelry was taught to her by Hayden.

When Emily was young, the Johnson family members didn't like her except for John. So she enjoyed hanging out with the Williams family and learning from Hayden.

John didn't like looking at stones all day, but Emily found it interesting because she didn't have to interact with people. "It got dirty from touching the trash, so it's unusable now. Mr. Smith,what kind of design do you like? I can redesign one for you."

Veda's face turned somewhat pale. She looked at Emily with some dissatisfaction. "Emily, why are you targeting me?"

Emily innocently looked at her. "I just said these drafts got dirty. How is that targeting you?"

Veda was speechless in an instant.

At this moment, Eric Allen, sitting next to James, spoke up, "Ms. Emily Johnson, having received an invitation, you must also be skilled at appraising jewelry,right?"

Eric looked at Emily with excitement, completely ignoring James's increasingly gloomy expression.

Emily smiled lightly. "I'm not a professional, but I do know a thing or two."

Her ability to appraise jewelry was taught to her by Hayden.

When Emily was young, the Johnson family members didn't like her except for John. So she enjoyed hanging out with the Williams family and learning from Hayden.

John didn't like looking at stones all day, but Emily found it interesting because she didn't have to interact with people. So Hayden almost treated Emily as his successor. Even when Emily was fifteen, Hayden took her to gamble on stones. But it was ultimately more like gambling, so Hayden gradually stopped letting her go. But her skills were still there. At this point, Eric chimed in, "Mr. Smith can also appraise jewelry. Why don't you compare your skills? How about gambling on stones? There are many good pieces today; let's see who can unearth the most valuable one,shall wwe?"

Emily noticed that James's friends liked to stir up trouble. She looked at James and raised an eyebrow,exuding confidence.

James had never seen Emily like this before. The most he had seen of Emily was when she was undressed.

Emily tossed her hair and smiled at James, saying softly, "Mr. Smith, if we're going to gamble, shouldn't there be stakes?"

James looked at her faintly.

Emily wanted to provoke him, smiling confidently. "Are you afraid to compete?"

Eric laughed. "You're underestimating Mr. Smith. He has never lost in stone gambling at North Starry Capital."

Emily raised an eyebrow, her red lips slightly parted, "Interpersonal relationships in North Starry Capital don't work well in Emerald City."

She was pointing out publicly that winning in North Sarry Capital was only because others were considerate of the status of James, not because of his ability!

The people present fell silent, feeling Emily was truly bold and courageous.