A Warm Marriage After Rebirth

There was anger in Michelle Galloway’s serious tone, but also a faint, smug satisfaction. "If you can’t find my mistake—or if your so-called mistake isn’t a mistake in an Appraiser’s eyes—then you must apologize to me in public!"

"No problem. If I am wrong, I will apologize to you, Galloway. But if *you* are wrong, then this isn’t just about you as an individual. It’s about all of Serenity Antiques! After all, your conclusion is also the conclusion of Serenity Antiques!"

A glint flashed in Seraphina Sterling’s brilliant eyes. ’I finally have my chance! This is the perfect opportunity, born from the detailed plan Joel Xavier and I worked on for nearly the entire night. There’s no way I’m letting Miles Galloway ruin it!’

Michelle Galloway just scoffed. "Are you saying you intend to challenge all of Serenity Antiques on your own?"

"’Challenge’ is such a formal word. Let’s just call it a consultation. This is a traditional Apexian cultural exchange, so it shouldn’t be limited to discussions between Apexian students and those from abroad. We can have exchanges among ourselves, too! Since Galloway is such an expert on antiques, surely you’re no stranger to this kind of discussion, right?"

Seraphina Sterling gave a faint smile. ’The trap is set. Now all I have to do is wait for Michelle Galloway to walk right into it.’

"Hmph! I was going to cut you some slack since we’re both Apexians. But you’re so arrogant, thinking you’re some kind of antiques expert just because you’ve read a few books. You even dare to publicly question an appraisal from Serenity Antiques! Fine. There’s no need for me to hold back anymore. I just hope you don’t regret this when it’s all over!"

Michelle Galloway shot Seraphina Sterling a disdainful look. ’She’s just digging her own grave! If she wants to make a fool of herself in front of everyone, I’m happy to just sit back and watch. No matter what she questions, she’s the one who’s going to lose in the end! When that happens, everyone will be even more impressed by my profound knowledge and my incredible eye for antiques!’

’For Seraphina Sterling to be this eager to become a stepping stone on my path to success... I couldn’t ask for more!’

But Michelle Galloway was just a student. Her thoughts were confined to what was right in front of her—her own personal gains and losses. How could she possibly guess what Seraphina Sterling was really thinking?

But just because Michelle Galloway failed to see the trap didn’t mean others were as blind. Miles Galloway sensed something was off and stepped forward before Michelle Galloway could agree.

"Seraphina Sterling, I am the owner of Serenity Antiques. While our shop may be young, our Appraisers have a perfect record. I’d advise you to drop this. It would be a shame for you to lose face in the end. Besides, you and Michelle are classmates. It would be even worse to harm the friendship between you."

’What a crafty old fox. With reporters here, he won’t pass up any chance to boost the reputation of Serenity Antiques. He only said a few sentences, but each one hit its mark, subtly advertising the formidable power of his shop. Joel Xavier really needs to learn a thing or two about seizing an opportunity like that!’

"You don’t need to worry, Mr. Galloway. This is just a friendly exchange of ideas. I’m only a student at Tollan High, and the chance to receive guidance from a professional Appraiser doesn’t come around every day! Besides, if there really is an oversight in Serenity Antiques’ appraisal, this gives you a chance to correct it, doesn’t it? Better to catch it now and avoid any irreparable damage!"

As she spoke, Seraphina Sterling deliberately adopted an arrogant expression. ’There’s no way I’m giving Miles Galloway a chance to back out now!’