Chapter 12 The Centerpiece

"If I hadn't begged him to stop, Charlie might not be alive today," Willa dramatically added, further vilifying Tyler. Eager to curry favor, Elbert sided with them. "I agree. No matter how valuable an object is, it can't compare to a human life. Tyler fellow truly went too far." He patted Charlie's shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, I won't forget this. "As soon as I find that bastard, I'll bring him to you to deal with." Elbert's words instantly earned him Charlie's loyalty. Shifting his focus back to Clarissa, he said, "Ms. Middleton's wedding is in three days. "It's a gathering of the elite, and opportunities will abound. "I came by today to take you shopping, so you can outshine everyone there." Willa wasted no time, nudging Clarissa. "What are you waiting for? Go with Mr. Barton!" ... At the Elysium Plaza in Oxbourne, Tyler entered the city's most prestigious jewelry store. "Mr. Pascall, I've heard you're the best jade repair master in Oxbourne. "Could you take a look at this bracelet and see if it can be repaired?" He carefully unfolded a silk cloth, revealing hundreds of shattered fragments. The elderly craftsman, Gresham Pascall, examined the ruby bracelet, nodding then shaking his head. "It can be repaired, but the cost would be enough to buy two new ones. There's no need to fix this one." Tyler's face lit up. "As long as it can be fixed, money is no object." Gresham was taken aback, giving Tyler a curious look. "Alright, please have a seat outside. I'll prepare a quote for you shortly." Tyler stepped into the sales hall and approached a saleswoman. "Miss, show me your most expensive gold jewelry." "The most expensive?" The saleswoman blinked, unsure if she'd heard correctly. "Sir, are you certain? "Our most expensive gold jewelry is priced in the seven figures." The mention of such a price caused the other customers to turn and stare. But Tyler remained unfazed and made an even more extravagant request. "I recall your store's centerpiece is worth tens of millions, not just millions. "Please bring it out. I can afford it." Boom! The room erupted in murmurs. A piece worth tens of millions? Could he truly afford it? Just then, a mocking voice cut through the air. "Tyler, aren't you getting a little ahead of yourself? Even if Lindsey's Jewelers has something that expensive, where would you get the money to buy it?" Tyler frowned. Why did Clarissa seem to be everywhere he went? Before he could respond, Clarissa continued speaking. "I get it. You're probably still heartbroken over the divorce, but you need to learn to move on. "There's no need to follow me around, and definitely no need to show off to get my attention. It's really childish." Woosh! The crowd gasped, their perception of Tyler shifting. Tyler was speechless. Was Clarissa's imagination really this wild? All he wanted was to repair his family heirloom and buy a gift for Mona, not to attract her attention. Before he could speak, Elbert interjected, eager to humiliate him further. "Tyler, I really should thank you. "If you weren't so useless, I wouldn't have had the chance to chase after someone as perfect as Clarissa. "You don't need to cling so desperately. When we have kids, I'll let them call you godfather." Boom! The crowd gasped again. This guy not only stole someone's wife but was now planning to have the kids call him their godfather. Could there be a greater insult? Elbert's words stung. Tyler's face darkened. "My patience has limits. You two need to leave before you get in the way of me buying gold jewelry." Bang! Elbert slammed his hand on the glass counter, making a loud noise. "What the hell are you pretending for? "You haven't earned a dime in years. Even the Prestons' dog is better than you. Where are you getting the money to buy gold? "Don't think I don't know you tried to steal from the Prestons. If I find the evidence, I won't let you off." Tyler chuckled coldly. "Oh? You haven't even registered your marriage yet, and you're already so eager to defend the Prestons?" His sharp, domineering gaze silenced Elbert, who didn't dare curse further. Tyler then turned to Clarissa. "I understand if others are foolish, but I'm surprised you're this foolish too. "If I'm really worthless, do you think the Prestons could have gone from nothing to being worth billions in just three years?" Clarissa, still furious, didn't grasp the weight of his words. Wanting to belittle Tyler further, Elbert jumped in again and ordered the saleswoman. "Do as he says. Bring out your store's centerpiece. "He can't afford it, so I'll personally buy it to slap him in the face!" The saleswoman snapped back to her senses and nervously replied, "I'm sorry, the centerpiece isn't here. It needs to be specially delivered … "