Chapter 147: A Rental

"Fine. I don't mind letting you examine it," Lincoln said, fearing Jared would insist the watch was a fake if he refused. He removed the watch and handed it to Jared. "Many people are witnessing this! If you damage it, you'll compensate me for the original price!"

He believed this would deter Jared. However, the watch's authenticity couldn't be determined without weighing it; it was a high-quality imitation, discernible only by an expert appraiser. He doubted Jared possessed that expertise.

Jared examined the watch briefly, then returned it.

"That's it? You can tell if it's genuine with just a look?" Lincoln asked, puzzled.

"Yes," Jared replied firmly. "One look was all I needed."

"Hmph! Ridiculous!" Lincoln scoffed, putting the watch back on his wrist.

As everyone waited for Jared's proof, Michelle shrieked, "Lincoln, look at your watch!"

Startled, Lincoln looked at his watch and was dumbfounded. The others, equally surprised, also stared. The gold watch had lost its luster, turning coppery, clearly discolored. This proved it was a fake; real gold wouldn't discolor.

They stared at Lincoln, the atmosphere thick with awkwardness.

"That cheap imitation left gold powder all over my hand!" Jared said, wiping his hand with a tissue, a slight smirk on his face.

Lincoln's face darkened. Michelle stared, speechless. His arrogant demeanor vanished.

"Lincoln, were you duped by your friend? How could he get you a fake from Sumanthova?" someone asked.

A surge of relief washed over Lincoln. "That damn fellow ripped me off! I spent hundreds of thousands, and he gave me a fake? I'll kill him!" He smashed the watch on the ground.

However, the doubt in some people's eyes remained. His display of a fake watch was blatant.

"That swindler! It's only a three-hundred-thousand-dollar watch. Lincoln wouldn't lie about that, especially since he drives a million-dollar car. Why would he need a fake?" Michelle defended him, standing beside him.

Lincoln, seizing the opportunity, placed his car key on the table.

"Or maybe he rented the car?" Jared sneered. Many shared his suspicion, given the fake watch. A day's rental was relatively inexpensive.

"Nonsense! I've seen him driving it before, not just tonight!" Michelle retorted.

"He can prove it with the car ownership certificate," Jared countered. The certificate would clearly show the owner's name.

Michelle looked to Lincoln, urging him to retrieve the certificate.

Lincoln hastily said, "It's too much trouble. You just want to see if I can afford it, right? I'll order a new watch online! I feel uncomfortable without one!"