The moment I stepped into Golden Phoenix Pavilion with Delilah, I caught the tail end of an argument between the shop owner and his assistant.
The older man, a shrewd-looking guy with a neatly combed mustache, held a jade ring in his hand, his face twisted in frustration. The assistant beside him looked like he wanted to shrink into the floor.
“How could you charge such a high price for this jade ring?” the owner snapped, gripping the piece of jewelry tightly between his fingers. “Don’t you know that Alaric Vance is nothing but a gambler? He’s lost everything he owns! What good thing could he possibly offer?”
The assistant fidgeted, his head bowed. “He said it was passed down from his ancestors, so I accepted it…”
The owner let out a dry laugh, shaking his head. “Just because he said s
