CHAPTER 31. Upcoming Auction
1932 Words
“Gabriel, look. Is this the bloody pearl you are looking for?” Axel immediately handed his phone to Gabriel, who is sitting in his office while busy checking some files on his monitor. Gabriel quickly took it, it was a site of an underground market that shows their latest collection for an upcoming auction and the price of the pearl starts at ten million dollars.
“Heck! It is too expensive!” He complained while gazing at the screen of the phone showing a red as blood tiny pearl placed in a small black box.
“By the way, why are you so interested in this pearl? Don’t tell me you want to put this on a ring and give it to Rachel? Admit it to me then I’ll beat you until you come up with your senses before you could spend millions with that tiny stuff.” Axel playfully told his friend, who has a serious expression still gawking at the phone.
“I will never give her something as precious as this,” Gabriel mumbled.
“So? What is this for?”
‘For Crystal.’ He told himself.
“None of your business.” Gabriel retorted, handing back his phone.
“When is the auction?” He also asked, tapping his finger on his wooden table while thinking about where he could get the money to use for the bidding event.
“Next week, but you have to register first on their website before going there because they will not let you enter the venue that easily, my friend,” Axel informed him.
"I need to have enough money to get the pearl. It should be me who is taking that bloody pearl home." Gabriel muttered and stood up, picking up his phone.
"Where are you going?" His friend asked when he approached the door, going out of his office.
"I need to get enough money for the pearl." He told him as he walked towards his secretary's desk.
"What?"
"Ryan, I'll be out for a bit. Don't let anyone enter my office." Gabriel instructs his secretary.
"Yes, sir," Ryan responded politely while Gabriel and his friend continued walking along the hallway, approaching the elevator.
"I can't wipe out my savings because for sure my father would freak out when he learns about it."
"So, what are you thinking?" Axel inquired.
"I have to sell the yacht." He announced.
"What!? Are you sure?"
"Hundred percent."
Gabriel wasted no time and drove his car immediately to the harbor. While driving, he called the first person who popped up in his mind to whom he could offer the yacht.
"Hi, uncle Leo! How are you?" He excitedly greeted the man on the other line. While Axel, sitting on the passenger’s side, is just silently listening to him.
"Doing good, son. So, what can I do to you this time?" The man was certain that his handsome nephew needed something from him, that's why he approached him with that warm tone.
"You really know me very well, uncle," Gabriel remarked as he laughed softly.
"So?"
"Are you at the harbor now?"
"Yes. Tell me, what do you need?"
"How much will you pay for my yacht?" Gabriel let out.
"That sounds interesting, son. Come over here and let's talk about that over coffee."
"Sure." And with that, Gabriel ended the call and focused his eyes on the road.
"Gabriel, are you sick?" Suddenly Axel inquired out of nowhere.
"What?"
"Well, it just makes me wonder why you are so eager to get the pearl." But Gabriel didn't respond to him, as he didn't care what his friend would think of him.
After an hour of driving, they arrived at the harbor and went straight to his uncle’s container shelter, which is just in the same area.
“Does your father know you are selling your yacht?” Leo Anderson asked his nephew who sat on the couch comfortably while Axel was busy roaming his eyes around, staring at the middle-aged man’s ocean’s collection. Such as corals, shells, and also pearls.
“He doesn’t have to know since I bought it with my own savings.” Gabriel strongly answered.
“Gab, Haven’t you asked your uncle yet about the red pearl? He might have one here in his collections.” Axel interrupted.
“No, he doesn’t have it. He’s the first person I asked about it, right uncle?”
“Yes, and I don’t have the red pearl you are talking about, but look at these, my newest collection,” Leo announced, grabbing a small round glass fishbowl with tiny pearls inside, showing it to Gabriel.
Gabriel’s eyes widened, and with no warning, he scooped some pearls with his fingers.
"Uncle, where did you get this from?" He quickly inquired.
“One of my customers gave this to get a high discount from a boat’s rent. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he proudly announced. Gabriel looked up to him and an exciting feeling suddenly surged inside him.
“Wha-what? What's the name of the customer? Do you know where she stays? What does she look like?” He continues asking.
“She’s Pearl, the organizer of the ocean clean-up drive. She told me that her father gave it to her and said that these are siren’s tears.” His uncle explained.
“Siren’s tears? I’m not even convinced that their race has truly existed once.” Axel interrupted.
“They did, son. Centuries ago.” Leo spoke, putting back the bowl in its place. But Axel only shrugged his shoulders, not wanting to argue about what he thought was impossible, while Gabriel was having troubled feelings about seeing the same pearls as Crystal’s tears.
“Uncle, I want to talk to this Pearl. Do you know where she stays?” He asked.
“Yeah, she lives in the townhouse along the coast of the Creekwood sea bay.”
Gabriel quickly got up from the couch and went out of the quarter, leaving his friend and uncle behind.
“Hey! I thought you wanted to talk about the yacht!?” his uncle cried.
“Later uncle! I’ll be back!” He yelled back as he got inside his car.
“Why does Gabriel suddenly become interested in pearls?” Leo wondered and asked Axel, who was standing behind him while also watching Gabriel steering away.
“I don’t have any idea, uncle. He even wants to get the red pearl that is going to bid next week that’s worth millions in an auction.” Axel revealed.
“What red pearl?” Then Axel tapped on his phone to get on the same site he showed Gabriel earlier.
“This.” Handing the phone forward.
“Bloody pearl? Ten million!? What’s with this pearl anyway, why does he want it?”
“I do not know. It says there that they also knew it as the healing pearl given by the Ocean and Moon Spirits. Sounds very mythical, just like a siren's existence.” Axel remarked, unable to believe the description written about the pearl.
“It was once owned by a treasure hunter, Elliot James, who has now passed away and his wife sells his collections in the black market. So, yeah, the pearl is one of his greatest collections.”
“You think it has something to do with the island where he accidentally cast away?” Leo asked again.
“I thought so too, uncle and that mysterious lady, Crystal,” Axel added
*****
Pearl was currently busy with her laundry while she asked Carol to bring Roxanne to her swimming class today, but a sudden doorbell stopped her from what she was doing.
“Wait!” She cried as she approached the door, but her eyes widened when she opened the door and saw the very neat and attractive Gabriel Anderson, wearing a pair of expensive navy blue suit and formal leather laced up shoes, standing outside her house.
“Hi?” her first word with hesitation.
“Hi, I am looking for Miss Pearl?”
“Yes? That’s me.” and Gabriel smiled delightedly.
“My name is Gabriel Anderson, and I just wanted to ask something about the pearls you gave to the caretaker of the boats in the harbor.” He reluctantly let out.
“Oh! I see. Come in, first.” She offered, which Gabriel politely did while Pearl closed her eyes the moment she turned her back at him, trying to think fast.
‘What am I supposed to tell him? Should I tell him I knew where Crystal is? But What if Crystal didn’t agree with it and got mad at me?’ she weirdly talked to herself.
She gestured to Gabriel to sit on the couch while she also sat on the single one across from him.
“By the way, can I get you something to drink?” Pearl offered as she was about to stand up.
“Thank you, Miss Pearl. But I’m all good, I am only interested in the pearls, that's why I came here.” Gabriel politely refused.
“So, what is it you want to ask about the pearls?” Pearl is sitting back on the couch as she hardly acts to look natural in front of him.
“May I know where you got those pearls?”
“I already told the caretaker that my father gave it to me.”
“How did you know that those are siren’s tears?” Gabriel urged.
“Well, my father only concluded that because those were very tiny and looked like one, you know.” Pearl came up with a lie again.
“Alright, but how did your father collect a bunch of those?” Gabriel kept his interrogation to the lady, but Pearl doesn’t feel comfortable with the situation she’s in.
“Wait. Mr. Anderson, are you not convinced that my father collected those and thought that we stole them from someone or something? And why are you so interested in it, by the way? What are you up to?” Pearl retorted in an irate tone too, to convince the man.
“Are you thinking that I’m a siren and I shed those tears to bribe, Mr. Leo?” She dramatically added as she chuckles softly.
“Uh, no. I’m sorry. I was actually looking for someone who I know can provide those kinds of pearls. I was just trying my luck if you happen to know her.” Gabriel explained as he dropped his head in defeat. Pearl notices his sudden emotion, but she can’t betray Crystal. Also, she feared Austin’s warning and didn't want to put her family in danger, especially her daughter, Roxanne.
“I apologize for disturbing you, Miss Pearl. Here, if you need anything, my line would be open for you,” he said, handing her his calling card and walking towards the door to get out of the house already.
Pearl sighed and stared at the small card in her hand.
“I’m sorry, Gabriel,” she muttered as she watched the man getting inside his car and drive away.
- Writer
