"Dad, I''m leaving now. You know you and Ruth share the same birthday, right?
Feeling she''d stayed long enough at the birthday party, Sasha stood up and kissed Warren on the cheek. She had promised Ruth she would be there for the second round of celebrations. "Okay. Take Felix with you," Warren replied.
Felix felt a wave of helplessness. Warren was clearly eager to see him and Sasha together, but he probably had no idea how different Sasha could be when she was away from home, Seeing no point in arguing with Warren, Sasha smiled and said, "Alright, Feliz. Let''s go,"
Warren seemed to have something else in mind and added, "I''ll call youter. Make sure Feliz picks up."
A sh of irritation flickered in Sasha''s eyes. Warren had her exactly where he wanted her. She had intended to
part ways with Felix as soon as they left, but now, it was clear she''d have to bring him along
Felix had been hoping for the same thing-to go his own way-but now, it was obvious that those ns were ruined.
After they had been gone for a while, Warren''s phone rang with an unfamiliar number. "Hello?"
""Mr. Quinton, this is Thomas Camden."
Thomas Camden?
Warren was stunned. He quickly stood up and moved toward the nearby rest area.
Was this some kind of prank? Warren was a passionate collector of antiques, with a deep knowledge of the field He knew Thomas was a renowned figure in Avesburgh''s antique circles-a man of immense wealth and connections that reached far beyond what Warren could fathom.
"Mr. Camden, how can I help you?" Warren asked.
"I heard you''ve recentlye into possession of a porcin teapot. I was wondering if you''d be open to letting it go," Thomas said.
A porcin teapot? Warren racked his brain and could only think of the one Felix had given him. He didn''t own a porcin teapot in his own collection. But how on earth did Thomas know about it?
"To be honest, Felix visited my shop, and after using removal liquid on that porcin teapot, it was revealed to be a masterpiece by Henry Davies, a famous teapot maker from the Clearwater era," Thomas exined.
Warren was shocked. How could Felix have such incredible luck that the item he casually picked up at the antiques market turned out to be a masterpiece? But Warren was no expert in porcin teapots and wasn''t certain of its true value.
Thomas continued, "Mr. Quinton, if you''re willing to part with it, I can offer up to 25 million dors."
Warren drew in a sharp breath. 25 million dors? Hispany was thriving, but he was still just a billionaire. 25
million dors was no small sum to him.
As Warren returned to the table, lost in thought, Nattie noticed his distracted expression and quickly asked, ''Warren, what''s wrong?"
11
Her question snapped him back to the present. He nced over at the table next to the couch, where all his gifts
were piled up. To his rm, he saw Milo about to set the porcin teapot on the floor.
"Don''t move!" Warren shouted, his voice thunderous, causing Milo to freeze in fear.
He rushed over and carefully took hold of the porcin teapot. Only then did he let out a sigh of relief.
"Warren, it''s just a shabby 5,000-dor teapot. Look at how you scared Milo. You''re really something," Nattie remarked.
She couldn''t shake the unease growing inside her. Warren seemed to be cing far too much importance on Felix and this worn-out teapot, treating it as if it were a priceless treasure and even shouting at Milo during what was supposed to be a joyful celebration. "You don''t understand. This is a masterpiece by Henry Davies, the famous teapot maker from the Clearwater era. It''s called the Mystic Drake Teapot. Thomas Camden, the top collector in Avesburgh, just called and offered 25 million dors for it," Warren said. What was he talking about?
Nattie was stunned, and the other rtives were equally shocked, their mouths hanging open as they stared at the porcin teapot. Could a mere trinket really be worth 25 million dors?
"Isn''t that a scam? Warren, you can''t just believe everything you hear," Nattie said.