Chapter 3

The moment I said that, the office went so quiet that I could hear a pin drop.

Mark's arrogant expression deflated like a popped balloon. He froze instantly.

Linda's eyes shot wide open. She looked completely stunned. "Y-You're talking nonsense. What 'Made in Corva?' This has a Virellia movement."

The middle-aged officer immediately saw what the key point was. He ignored Linda's rant, picked up the watch, flipped it over, and squinted at it carefully.

The younger officer leaned in as well.

After a few seconds, the middle-aged officer's eyebrows furrowed tightly.

He looked up and gave Mark and Linda a questioning stare. "There is indeed a line of tiny letters here."

Sweat started to form on Mark's forehead. He forced himself to stay calm. "Th-That must be where the parts came from. Right. Lots of big brands have their parts made in Corva."

I didn't say a word. I just watched him put on his little act.

Marvin stood nearby, hardly daring to breathe. His eyes darted between the police and Mark.

The middle-aged officer thought for a moment, then put the watch down. His voice turned serious. "Sir, ma'am, things are a bit complicated right now.

"You say this watch is worth 30,000 dollars, but Mr. Littleton here says it might not be real. He also called the police and said you tried to blackmail him."

He looked at Mark. "This could go either way. If the watch is real, it's a civil dispute. But if it's fake..."

He didn't finish. But everyone got the point.

Linda's face had already gone a little pale.

Mark swallowed. He tried to sound tough, but his voice shook. "It is real! I have the receipt and the certificate right here."

The officer nodded. "Alright then. To be fair and get to the bottom of this, I suggest we call in a professional watch expert to examine it on the spot. Any objections?"

I spoke up right away. "No objections. I'm all for it."

Mark and Linda exchanged a look.

They were in too deep now. If they said no, wouldn't that mean they knew they were wrong?

Mark gritted his teeth. "Fine. Let's get it appraised. Let's see what happens. When the results come out, we'll see how you are going to pay, you broke loser."

He was probably still clinging to a shred of hope.

The middle-aged officer said, "I've got an expert. He'll be here in no time." Then he made a call.

After he hung up, the office fell into a strange silence.

Mark and Linda sat to one side, their faces clouded with uncertainty.

I calmed Sam down and told him not to be nervous.

While we waited, Mark's two bodyguard-looking men tried to move closer to me, eyeing me menacingly.

The middle-aged officer immediately warned them. "You two, go stand by the wall. This is a school, not a place for you to act tough."

The two big guys backed off, looking sheepish.

About 20 minutes later, an old man with gold-rimmed glasses walked in. He looked gentle and scholarly. He carried a professional toolbox.

The younger officer went up to greet him. "Mr. Grant, sorry to trouble you to come all this way."

Herbert Grant was clearly an authority in watch appraisal.

He nodded, said nothing extra, and walked straight to the desk. "Where is it?"

The middle-aged officer handed him the watch.

Herbert took the watch. He pulled a piece of velvet cloth from his toolbox and spread it on the desk. Then he took out a high-powered magnifying glass.

He flicked on a portable lamp, focusing the beam right onto the watch. Everyone's eyes were on him.

Mark and Linda watched his every move nervously. Linda even clutched the hem of her shirt without realizing it.

Herbert looked very carefully. He checked the dial first, then flipped it over to look at the case back. Then he unscrewed the crown to feel how it worked.

The whole thing took about five minutes. The office was so quiet that I could only hear the soft sounds of Herbert occasionally moving his tools.

Finally, Herbert put down the magnifying glass and turned off the lamp.

He looked up, pushed up his glasses, and let his eyes sweep over Mark and Linda. Then his gaze landed on the middle-aged officer.

He picked up the "authentication certificate," glanced at it, and shook his head. A faint, almost hidden trace of contempt showed at the corner of his mouth.

He spoke slowly. His voice wasn't loud, but every word landed like a hammer on Mark's and Linda's hearts. "This watch and this certificate..."

He paused. Then, in a tone that left no room for doubt, he gave the final judgment. "Both are fake."

"Fake." Just that one word from Herbert. It was soft and light. But it hit Mark and Linda Evans like a ton of bricks.

Linda's mouth fell open in a perfect O. She couldn't close it for a long time.

The color drained from her face. Everyone could notice it. She turned as pale as the wall.

Mark swayed. If his bodyguards hadn't caught him behind him, he might have collapsed to the floor.