Chapter 53

Gianna brimmed with confidence, eager to prove her skill.

As she entered earlier, her sharp gaze swept over the booths until it landed on an uncut stone nearby. Its smooth surface bore a faint green hue-subtle but enough to suggest high-quality jade to a trained eye.

Pleased, she walked over and lightly ran her fingers across the stone, eyes glittering with pride and certainty.

"This is the one!" she announced confidently. "Sir,how much is it?"

The seller beamed. "Young lady, you've got a sharp eye. This is the crown jewel of my booth-priced flat at $500,000."

Gianna nodded without hesitation and made the payment.

She glanced sideways at Grace. "Grace, be sure to choose wisely. I'd hate to see you lose too badly."

She sneered inwardly. Grace challenging her was nothing more than wishful thinking.

Unbothered by the jab, Grace smiled faintly and wandered casually between the booths, her gaze moving steadily over each uncut stone, composed and unhurried.

Julia stood nearby, her expression tinged with concern as she watched Grace. She feared her daughter might end up at a loss.

After all, Gianna had grown up surrounded by gemstones-her eye was sharp, her judgment reliable.

"Grace,do you want me to help you look?" Julia asked gently.

Grace shook her head, a soft smile curving her lips."It's alright, Mom. I'll choose for myself."

Gianna snorted. "Aunt Julia, there's no need to worry.Since Grace dares to bet, she must think she has some talent,right?"

Grace said nothing, her gaze now fixed on a rough,unremarkable stone. Its surface was cracked and weathered, completely lacking any outward sign of jade.

"I'll take this one," she said, pointing to it.

Gianna blinked, then burst out laughing. "Are you serious? That thing looks like trash from the roadside.

Are you picking the worst one on purpose so you'll have an excuse when you lose?"

The onlookers began murmuring in amusement.

"Even blindfolded, you'd pick better than that."

"Is she out of her mind? That thing's worthless."

"She's definitely going to lose."

Grace remained calm. "Luck plays the biggest role.How can you be so sure this one has nothing inside?"

Gianna chuckled, amused. "Fine. If that's your choice,don't say I didn't warn you."

After Grace paid for her stone, both women waited as the seller prepared to cut them.

After starting the stone-cutting machine, the seller expertly cleaned the stones.

Everyone's attention was drawn to Gianna's uncut stone, which was the first thing put on the machine.

As the blade sliced through, a vibrant green shimmer appeared beneath the outer shell, drawing gasps from the crowd.

"It's jade! She has a sharp eye-she picked out high-quality jade with just a glance!" someone exclaimed

from the crowd.

"Yeah, unbelievable. What incredible luck!"

Gianna lifted her chin proudly, her smile radiant under the praise.

"Young lady, stop the cutting! I'll give you $1,000,000for it right now," someone offered eagerly.

Gianna responded with a gracious smile. "Sorry,I'm in the middle of a bet. But if you'd like,I can help you pick one later."

Grace's voice was calm and composed. "Gianna, since someone's willing to pay that much, maybe you should take the deal. Ever heard the saying, 'All that glitters is not gold'? It might just be limestone inside."

Gianna's expression tightened, her temper flaring.Was Grace jinxing her? Pressing her lips together, she replied curtly, "Save your concern. The result is already obvious."

With that, she gestured for the seller to continue cutting. She was determined to crush Grace's confidence.

The seller resumed, carefully guiding the blade through the heart of the stone.

But as the machine cut deeper, the vivid green began

to fade,replaced by a dull grayish-white. Veins of fibrous impurities snaked through the core,reducing the once-promising jade to rubble.

Gasps echoed through the crowd.

"How... how is this possible?" Gianna's eyes widened,her face draining of color.

Disappointed murmurs rippled around her. "What a shame. The outer layer looked amazing, but the inside's full of cracks and impurities. Totally worthless!"

The man who had offered to buy it sighed in relief."Lucky I didn't seal the deal. You can't even make a proper bracelet out of that-just a few cheap pendants."

Gianna stood frozen, her whole body trembling. Her fingers clenched into fists, nails biting into her palms.She was shocked to learn that the jade in her carefully selected stone was of such poor quality!

Grace gave a quiet sigh, her tone gentle but steady."I did warn you, Gianna."

Gianna snapped her head up, eyes burning. "Don't pretend! You just got lucky. That garbage you picked must be even worse!"

Grace remained serene, unaffected by the jab. She turned to the seller. "Sir, please cut mine next."

The man nodded and began securing the rough,unimpressive stone.

Around them, interest had all but vanished. A few people even turned to leave.

Even Gianna's possible stone had failed, after all.What is there to gain from this useless piece?