On the first floor of the exhibition hall, Kevin and Yvette wandered aimlessly, pausing occasionally before moving on. Whenever Kevin encountered a promising raw emerald, he’d pull out a mini flashlight, magnifying glass, and other tools from his pocket, examining them expertly. However, his limited budget restricted him to inspecting emeralds priced around several hundred thousand dollars.

They had covered nearly half the area, examining numerous emeralds, but Kevin remained unsure if any would yield high-quality stones. Yvette trailed behind him quietly, almost invisibly. Yet, wherever she went, people murmured, "pretty" and "beautiful." She ignored them, but Kevin garnered extra attention simply by her presence.

After surveying the entire area, Kevin narrowed his choices to two raw emeralds: a 170-pound white one and a nearly identical black one. Both were within his budget, but he could only afford one. Torn between them, indecision weighed heavily on him, as both seemed potentially high-quality.

Yvette, strolling with hands in her pockets, appeared relaxed. Seeing Kevin pause, she returned, cleared her throat, and softly asked, "What's up?"

Kevin, surprised by this seemingly aloof beauty's concern, hesitated. He glanced at the emerald before him, then pointed to the black one he'd seen earlier in Zone A. "Which one do you think has high-quality stones inside?" he asked, anticipating some insight from her presence at the event. Surely, she hadn't come just for sightseeing.

Yvette glanced at both emeralds, then casually pointed to a much smaller, eleven-pound emerald in the far corner, priced in the tens of thousands of dollars. Kevin stared, baffled. He’d noticed it earlier, but dismissed it as insignificant compared to the larger, ton-sized specimens. Nobody else had shown any interest. Such emeralds were typically included as filler, designed to deceive newcomers. A family like the Garcias wouldn't consider such a stone.

Kevin looked at Yvette's impassive face. He didn't want to disappoint her, despite her likely inexperience. She means well, but she's a novice, he thought.

Yvette, calm as ever, lowered her gaze slightly and raised an eyebrow. "Hurry up and place your bid," she said coolly.

Kevin hesitated, then sighed. Fine, just to please her. It's only around 100,000 dollars. I guess it's money lost, he thought. "All right… I'll go now. Wait here. It won't take long." These bids were first-come, first-served; a few minutes at most, and he could even have it cut on-site—a tactic that always fueled impulse buying.

After Kevin left, Yvette leaned against a large raw emerald, scrolling casually on her phone. A commotion erupted in the distance. Her ears pricked up; she recognized a familiar voice. With a thoughtful expression, she pocketed her phone and headed toward the sound.

In Zone D, Martin, Kevin's uncle, was examining a massive, one-ton emerald. As the second eldest Garcia, known as Mr. Garcia in the jewelry world, he estimated a 90% chance of high-quality stones. However, the emerald had attracted the attention of their longtime rivals, the Jones family, represented by their seasoned general manager, Edward Jones.

Priced at $43 million, the emerald was within Martin's budget, but purchasing it would severely restrict his other acquisitions. A difficult position indeed. A failed investment could end his bidding journey early, while walking away from such a potentially valuable stone was equally painful.

As Martin hesitated, Edward approached with a smug smile. "Well, well, if it isn't Mr. Garcia. Eyeing this one too? I was just about to claim it. Your family's been doing quite well with emeralds this year; how about letting me have this one?"

Edward's remark ignited the crowd, their excitement fueling the belief in high-quality stones within, encouraging Martin to bid. Zone D became the epicenter of attention.

Martin felt Edward's mocking gaze. The Garcias had had a rough year, financially strained by less successful ventures, and Edward knew it. Gritting his teeth, Martin stared at the emerald, ignoring Edward's smirk. He began to speak, but was interrupted.

"Since Mr. Jones wants this emerald so badly, why not do him the favor of letting him have it, Mr. Garcia?" The crowd fell silent, shocked.

Yvette stepped forward, hands in her pockets, a casual yet defiant smile on her face. Her gaze was cool and unperturbed. Murmurs arose.

"Who is this woman, and why is she involved?" one person muttered.

"She doesn't seem to understand how things work here," another whispered. "Speaking out of turn is a big no-no."

"But she's stunning!" someone else added.

"Let's hear what she has to say," another suggested.

Martin frowned. She's just a woman with Kevin. What right does she have to speak up? he thought.

Edward smirked, recognizing Yvette as Kevin's companion, assuming her to be his "sugar baby."

"Mr. Martin Garcia, surely you're not taking advice from her? I saw her with Mr. Kevin Garcia. Seems he knows how to enjoy himself, bringing a woman to an event like this." Edward shot Yvette a disdainful glance.

"You're spouting nonsense!" Kevin shouted, his voice cutting through the crowd. Having finished his paperwork, he'd witnessed the commotion and recognized Yvette's involvement. There was nothing between them. Edward's insults spurred him to action.

"Kevin, stop!" Martin ordered sharply. Conflict during bidding could blacklist both parties—a serious consequence neither family could afford. Kevin froze, flushed with anger, but he restrained himself.