Thaddeus Hawthorne shook his head with a rueful smile, suddenly realizing his own blunder. He was a recognized expert in jade and gemstone appraisal, and the moment he raised his paddle, every bidder in the room took it as implicit validation of the piece's worth. His participation had inadvertently inflated the jade chimera sculpture's value far beyond its actual market price.
"One point eight-five million!"
"One point nine million!"
The bids climbed steadily until a middle-aged man near the back finally claimed the jade epoch jade chimera sculpture for two point two million dollars.
Thaddeus Hawthorne let out a long breath and muttered under his breath, "Having more money than sense. That piece tops out at around one point eight million on a good day, and now it's gone for four hundr
