Chapter 286 Compensation of 140 Million

Chapter 286 Compensation of 140 Million

Seeing the situation unfold, Wendy felt her composure slip for a moment. But after a beat, she reasoned that her family's heirloom had been passed down through generations—how could it possibly be fake? This had to be Ivy trying to trip her up.

She thought for a second, then called out loudly, "Fine! Let them verify it. My family's piece is absolutely genuine. The Mason family's treasure is definitely not a fake!!"

Then she turned to the buyer, her tone resolute. "Sir, you won the bid for my item. I can guarantee it's authentic. Please don't listen to others stirring up trouble."

The buyer who'd won Wendy's fossil paused, holding it up to the light again and examining it closely. He frowned. "I've been dealing with fossils for many years, and I'm a collector. Based on what I can see with my own eyes, there's definitely something off about this piece. But since you're so confident, Lady Wendy, I'm willing to wait for the official verification before making a final judgment."

He continued, "However, I should make it clear—if this fossil turns out to be a fake, I will absolutely be filing a claim with the organizers."

The auctioneer on stage responded, "Rest assured. Every item sold at our auction must be guaranteed authentic. If anything proves to be counterfeit, we don't need you to request it—we'll naturally refund your payment and provide compensation."

"However…"

The auctioneer's gaze shifted to Wendy. "Lady Wendy, when you provided the fossil, you submitted verification certificates and all the necessary documentation. Based on those certificates, we confirmed it was genuine without conducting our own examination. But if the verification shows the item is fake, that means you provided fraudulent documentation. The auction house will demand double the compensation from you—that's one hundred and forty million dollars."

Even though Wendy had complete confidence in her family's heirloom, hearing that figure made her heart skip a beat.

She nodded. "No problem. Like I said, the Mason family's items are absolutely authentic. So there's no need to look at me like that. Unlike 'certain people' who are trying to drag me down after I questioned them. Ha! The Luminous Pearl? If such a thing really existed in this world, it would've been discovered and exploited by countless people already. How could it only surface now?"

Wendy lifted her chin, addressing Ivy. "Ivy, your item is priced at two hundred million. If it turns out to be fake, you'll have to pay the organizers four hundred million in compensation. Ha! Do you really think you can afford that?"

Ivy shrugged nonchalantly, looking at Wendy as if she were speaking to a child. "Wendy, you seem to have misunderstood something. Even if my item were fake, a mere four hundred million is nothing to the Cooper family. But if your piece turns out to be counterfeit, one hundred and forty million would be your family's entire fortune, wouldn't it? Ha! Don't try to compare your family to the Coopers. You're not in our league."

Ivy's voice carried across the room, and immediately the assembled aristocrats heard every word. Several noble ladies covered their mouths, laughing. "Ha ha, Ivy's words might be harsh, but she's absolutely right. The Cooper family ranks in the top five among nobility. Four hundred million is a substantial sum, but the Coopers can definitely afford it. The Masons, on the other hand, can't even touch the bottom of the nobility's shoe. One hundred and forty million is probably their entire net worth. They'll probably have to sell their house and cars."

Another noblewoman whispered behind her hand, "Oh my God, you're right. No matter what happens, this is going to be terrible for the Mason family."

"Exactly! I can't wait to see who's lying and whose item is fake."

…

Wendy's hands clenched tightly behind her back. The more they talked, the more her heart pounded, but she believed the Mason family's heirloom couldn't be fake.

The auctioneer on stage had already taken both items in hand and publicly called over the organizers' verification expert.

The expert was from the most prestigious authentication institution in the area.

Behind the expert was an entire verification team, making the process completely transparent and open, with virtually no chance of error.

The auctioneer spoke in a measured tone. "The verification is now in progress. Everyone, please be patient."

To ensure nothing was switched, the entire verification process was broadcast on the large screen, allowing everyone to watch the experts examine the auction items. After nearly an hour had passed—

A staff member rushed onto the stage and handed the verification report to the auctioneer. The person's expression was extremely complicated as they glanced toward the stage, instantly fueling everyone's suspicions.

"Based on my understanding of facial expressions, that assistant's look just now made it clear—one of these two items is definitely fake!"

"I think so too. Something must be counterfeit, otherwise they wouldn't look like that."

Wendy sat below, looking coldly at Ivy. "Ha! If something's fake, it's definitely what Ivy provided. Ha ha! The Cooper family bringing a fake item to the Green family's auction—when the truth comes out, it'll be the Coopers who are humiliated."

The auctioneer on stage cleared their throat, looking somewhat troubled as they gazed at both Ivy and Wendy below. "I'm sorry to inform everyone that one of these two auction items is indeed counterfeit."

As soon as those words left their mouth, the audience gasped in unison. The auctioneer continued, "According to our verification, the fossil provided by Lady Wendy is indeed a fake. Based on what a genuine piece should be, this fossil should be at least several thousand years old. However, testing shows the stone itself is at most one hundred years old. Since four-winged avians went extinct over a century ago, this means the fossil is a counterfeit."

As the auctioneer's words fell, the entire room erupted in chaos.

"Oh my God, it really is Wendy! Her family really did bring a fake!"

The buyer who'd purchased Wendy's fossil protested loudly. "I knew it was fake! Wendy, and you stood there arguing with me. Ha! I want my money back!"

Standing below, Wendy immediately panicked. She stumbled over her words. "Impossible! How could my family's heirloom be fake!!"

This was apparently the first time a counterfeit had appeared at the auction, so the organizers took it extremely seriously. Several people came down from the stage with grim expressions, explaining to Wendy, "Lady Wendy, while we would have preferred your item to be authentic, after verification by multiple parties, the fossil you provided is indeed counterfeit. Therefore, the auction house will be seeking one hundred and forty million dollars in compensation from you."