Chapter 526: Did He Pay For It?
When the owner found out she was talking to the CEO of the Phoenix Alliance Group, her voice changed right away. She became polite.
“Mr. Evans, I understand what you’re asking,” she said. “But I’m currently out of the country.”
She didn’t want to offend the Evans family. But she also didn’t want to give up the diamond.
The red diamond was extremely rare. Owning it was a once-in-a-lifetime chance.
But for Dave, money and distance didn’t matter.
“I’ll have the money sent to you. Just ship the necklace back,” Dave said in a firm tone.
The woman hesitated, then said softly. “Mr. Evans, the issue isn’t the money. I signed a six-month contract with Miss Scott. That agreement is still active. I can’t return the necklace yet.”
Dave’s voice turned cold. “Isn’t that contract something you can cancel with a word?”
She panicked and quickly explained.
“Actually, I don’t have the diamond right now. I thought six months wasn’t too long, so I sent it to the Jewelry Museum in Heliosara for an exhibit. I wanted to earn a bit from it.”
She took a breath and continued. “What I didn’t expect was that the First Lady of Heliosara saw it and loved it. She has it now. I can’t get it back until the museum ends the exhibit and returns it.”
Dave tapped his fingers on the table, his lips curling into a cold smile.
“If you can’t fix this, I will. But are you ready for what comes next?”
On the other end, the owner of Prosper Pawnshop rolled her eyes.
The red diamond was with the First Lady of Heliosara.
Even if Dave came from the powerful Evans family, what could he really do?
His power meant nothing inside the president’s home.
Still, she kept her tone respectful.
“Of course.”
“Good.”
Dave ended the call just as Wyatt walked back in.
“Wyatt, looks like I need you to go to Heliosara.”
Wyatt didn’t expect things to turn out this way. It was hard to believe that the red diamond necklace was now with the First Lady of Heliosara.
But in some ways, that might actually help them.
In Heliosara, Dave held real power. One decision from him could shake the whole economy.
Most people didn’t know how far his influence reached. But Wyatt did.
Dave had put a lot of money into Heliosara. He was involved in banking, real estate, and steel. Even seven major banks followed his lead.
Years ago, Dave set his sights beyond Edenfield. He went all in on international deals.
After a brutal fight with his own family, he won. He gained control over most of Heliosara’s market.
He didn’t stop there. He took those profits and reinvested them wisely. That’s how he became one of the most powerful men in the country.
The President’s office, the center of all political power, carried Dave’s quiet influence.
His behind-the-scenes moves and generous donations had helped the current leaders stay in place.
The President knew better than to upset a man like Dave over a piece of jewelry.
His power depended a lot on staying in Dave’s good graces.
When Wyatt showed up, he was welcomed with full honors.
It was the kind of treatment saved for Dave’s most trusted people.
The President didn’t hesitate once he understood why Wyatt had come.
“So the red diamond… it belonged to Mr. Evans all along?”
His voice shook slightly, filled with both respect and worry.
“I always wondered who the real owner was,” he added. “Mr. Cooper, see to it that the gem is returned to Mr. Evans right away.”
The President quickly wiped the sweat off his forehead.
His smile looked calm, but every part of it was deliberately careful and polite.
“It’s been far too long since Mr. Evans last visited. Our country would be honored to welcome him again. If he has the time, please let him know he’s always welcome.”
“Rest assured I’ll pass your message to him,” Wyatt said with a nod and a slight smile.
Once Wyatt left, the President’s smile disappeared. His face twisted with anger.
“We were lucky Mr. Evans didn’t take this personally,” he said through clenched teeth. “I can't let a trivial thing like this ruin my status!”
He picked up the phone and called the owner of Prosper Pawnshop right away.
His voice was cold and furious.
“Why didn’t you tell me the red diamond belonged to Mr. Evans? If I had known, I would’ve stayed far away from it. His things are off-limits. Always. This mistake could have cost me everything!”
The pawnshop owner was stunned. Her voice trembled with confusion. “What happened? And the diamond?”
“It’s been returned to Mr. Evans,” the President said, finally feeling a bit of relief.
“What? Did you give it back? Did he pay for it?”
“Pay?” The President’s tone turned sharp. “It was his to begin with. I’m just lucky he didn’t come after me. And you’re here asking about money?”
“You clearly have no idea what kind of man you’re dealing with.”
“But… it’s worth a billion…” she whispered.
“Enough!” the President shouted, clearly losing his patience.
“Your ignorance is unbelievable. Keep pushing, and I’ll shut down every one of your pawnshops. I’ll take everything you have!”
“I… I’m sorry,” the owner said quickly, her voice full of panic.
“I didn’t mean any disrespect. But I don’t understand. You’re the leader of this country. Why are you so afraid of a businessman like Dave Evans?”
“Stop talking. You don’t get it,” the President said sharply.
“You can’t understand the kind of power he holds. He’s out of your league. If you make the wrong move, you won’t walk away from it. If my wife hadn’t interfered, your pawnshop would be gone by now.”
The call ended.
The owner of Prosper Pawnshop stood frozen, overwhelmed by fear.
Tears streamed down her cheeks as the truth hit her. She had made a mistake she couldn’t take back.
“Dave… what have you done?” she whispered into the silence.
The idea that a businessman could scare a president was hard to believe.
No one would ever think it was true. How did Dave become that powerful? How could he have that much control over a nation’s leader?
The fear in the President’s voice was real.
The pawnshop owner collapsed to the floor, overwhelmed by regret.
The air felt heavy around her, filled with her own despair.
She hadn’t just lost the red diamond. She’d lost over half a billion.
And now, she had the President’s anger to face.
Regret consumed her. She should’ve backed down earlier.
Now, she had to deal with the damage her delay had caused.
Dave’s last words on the phone kept playing in her head.