Chapter 34
“Mr. Hoffman sends his best to Sir Shaw. He wishes him all the happiness of the endless oceans and a life as enduring as the ancient mountains.”
Joseph could butter anybody up. Spotting Charles, he could not resist the chance to strut his stuff in front of the crowd. He shot Xavier a look and sidled over. “Mr. Hoffman! Xavier, aren’t you gonna say hi? Your uncle’s here because of you!”
“Uncle, you’re here too!”
Xavier might have been stewing on the inside; however, in front of Charles, he had to swallow his pride. After all, Charles was a big deal, and showing up here was a big honor….
Once Joseph spilled the beans, the dots connected for everyone. Xavier was Charles‘ nephew, and it looked like Joseph had the mighty Hoffman family in his corner.
Charles squinted, a sly grin playing on his lips. It was a grin that said more than words could. His gaze fixed on Xavier with such intensity that Xavier felt a shiver run through him. Standing there with Charles, he was hit with a wave of intimidation.
The room fell silent as Charles entered, his eyes twinkling with a distant amusement that left. everyone too intimidated to guess at what he was thinking.
Ronald chuckled, breaking the silence. “Mr. Shaw, aren’t you curious about the gift?”
Noelle shot Ronald a puzzled look, wondering what he was playing at. She caught Samuel’s eye, and he gave her an encouraging nod. “Noelle, since Mr. Hoffman was kind enough to bring a gift, let’s see what’s inside!”
Samuel was as sharp as a tack. He had picked up on the fact that Charles was no ordinary guest, especially since he did not seem close to Joseph. He was itching to find out what surprise Charles had up his sleeve.
With a nervous bite of her lip, Noelle unwrapped the gift. Her eyes widened in astonishment. This
Sar
OVE
leaned in, equally taken aback, and his face lit up with delight as he ran his fingers contents of the box. “Wow, this is a chessboard from the 18th century, carved from
manowany!”
He knew his antiques, and he could tell this was the real deal. “This…”
The crowd buzzed with curiosity, everyone stretching to get a better look. Only those near the door, like Xavier and his friends, could see the chessboard’s obvious worth.
Noelle was stunned. She had not expected Charles to gift her grandfather the very
chessboard they had admired together at Curio Corner, especially since she did not have the money for it.
+15 BONUS
Catching Noelle’s gaze, Charles gave a small, knowing smile that seemed to dim the room’s lights. “Sir Shaw, do you like it?”
Charles was asking Samuel the question, but his eyes were on Noelle. Her cheeks flushed a soft pink, and she looked down shyly as her heart did somersaults inside her chest.
“I love it! But Mr. Hoffman, you must’ve broken the bank with this one.”
“It’s no big deal. Money’s no issue. If you’re happy, it’s money well spent.
Joseph caught the moment to push Xavier into the spotlight. “You’ve got to match the occasion too, right? Xavier, what’s your and Winter’s gift?”