Chapter 13: Revelation

Rowan Erickson, being perceptive, instantly grasped Sophie's intention. She was marking her territory. Rowan rose, shaking Sophie's extended hand. Soon after, the two women gracefully seated themselves on either side of Henry, a situation that quickly drew many inquiring gazes. "How does this loser attract so much female attention?" whispered a bystander. "Indeed! Sophie Mitchell, such a prize, and he's the one to have her," another whispered back. The room buzzed with a mix of envy and disdain. "Ms. Erickson, do you know my husband?" Sophie continued. "In a manner of speaking. I stumbled upon his video online. Come to think of it, I believe Ms. Mitchell was present in one of the segments," Rowan noted, causing a hint of embarrassment to cross Sophie's face. Rowan, with a playful chuckle, shifted her focus back to Henry, holding up a piece of amber she wore, "Mr. Carson, what do you think of this amber piece?" Henry, who'd been lost in thought, quickly looked up. Against Rowan's pale blouse, the amber pendant shone brilliantly. "Exquisite," he commented after a few moments of admiration. Sophie, misinterpreting his gaze, pinched Henry's leg under the table, hard enough to hurt but discreet enough not to draw attention. To her, Henry was blatantly admiring another woman's figure. Though she conceded internally that Rowan had a great figure, Sophie was certain she wasn't lacking either. "I was referring to the amber," Henry clarified with a helpless expression. "And what about it?" Rowan prompted with a smirk, testing Henry's knowledge. Henry, eager to avert further misunderstandings, swiftly detailed, "Amber is a variety of resin. There's an old saying: 'Amber for a thousand years, beeswax for ten thousand.' While there are many shades of amber - white, yellow, red - yours, a 'chicken oil yellow', is rare, originating likely from Poland. It's considered of an imperial grade." Rowan, nodding in appreciation, questioned, "And its worth?" "Typically, average to high-quality amber is priced per gram. However, given the rarity of your piece, it would be inappropriate to price it that way. I'd estimate it at around five million." Rowan's eyes twinkled with amusement, "You're knowledgeable indeed. Though, I did pay eight million for it, at a 'friend's discount'." Henry chuckled, "Well, I'd say you paid a bit much. You could check recent international auction records; a similar piece recently sold for five million." To her surprise, Rowan's quick search confirmed Henry's statement. "Do you truly have expertise in gem appraisal?" she asked, astounded. Among those most shocked was Sophie Mitchell. To her knowledge, Henry never showed any interest in this field. The Henry she was seeing now seemed utterly foreign. "I don't, really. I just read an article on it," Henry clarified. However, amidst the gentle banter, Theo Roberts, simmering in jealousy, abruptly stood up, demanding attention, "Thank you all for gracing our celebration today. I'd like to take this opportunity to let you know that the root cause of our recent company crisis is none other than Sophie Mitchell and Henry!" The room fell into stunned silence. Seconds later, every gaze converged on the unsuspecting couple, Sophie Mitchell and Henry. Sophie Mitchell hadn't expected Theo Roberts to pull such a stunt. Though she was innocent, she found herself speechless amidst the false accusations. She wished she could disappear into the floorboards from sheer embarrassment. Seeing the effect of his words, Theo's face twisted with a smug satisfaction. "Theo Roberts, this product scandal has nothing to do with me!" Sophie finally snapped back. "Ella, your sister's audacity astounds me. I invite your family to this banquet out of courtesy, and yet she denies any involvement? Should I call the police on her?" Ella Mitchell snapped, pointing accusingly at Sophie. The room was in chaos, with all fingers pointed at Sophie and Henry. Joseph Mitchell, realizing the gravity of the situation, especially with The Ericksons present, stood up. "Enough!" he roared. "You all are embarrassing us. Theo, call the police. Let's get these two traitors arrested." His objective was simple. He wanted to show Rowan Erickson that he was willing to sacrifice family for the greater good. Theo eagerly pulled out his phone, his eyes gleaming with malice. "Wait, Dad. It wasn’t Sophie’s fault. All these years, she’s worked tirelessly for the company. Arrest Henry, but let her go!" Yuan Yiming pleaded. The celebratory dinner was spiraling into a bitter family feud. "Silence! From now on, your family is banned from all family events," Joseph decreed, nodding at Theo. Theo smirked at Henry, "Wait for it." Sophie started to retort, but Henry gently pulled her back. "Don’t waste your breath on him. He’ll get what's coming to him." "What did you say?" Theo hissed. Henry shrugged, "I said, your bad luck's about to start." Before Henry could react, Leah Mitchell stormed up to him, slapping him hard across the face. "You spineless worm! Apologize to Mr. Smith right now. It's one thing if you suffer, but don’t you dare drag our family down with you." "Mum, what are you doing?!" Sophie cried out, shocked by her mother’s actions. Even Rowan Erickson hadn't expected such an outburst. The slap startled her, and her eyes followed Henry, curious about his next move. "Alright, I'll give you a chance," Theo sneered. "Kneel and bow three times to me. Maybe then, I’ll ask the police to just arrest you and spare your wife." As Theo's words echoed in the room, all eyes turned to Henry, eager to witness his submission.