Chapter 590

“Alright,” Wilfred said, watching Nina as she left.
Nina pedaled her bicycle towards the city center, not far from her home. Nash had left her the most valuable property. It was a busy time, and she stopped at a red light, waiting to cross the street. When the light turned green, she pushed her bicycle across the street. Suddenly, a young man offered, “Let me help you.”
Nina glanced back and saw a young man pushing her bicycle from behind, seemingly noticing that she was pregnant and might be struggling.
Today, she was dressed casually, with her hair in a braid, wearing a straw hat, and a loose dress that revealed a slight baby bump. Apart from her outfit, there was little to indicate she was pregnant. She was not weak enough to need help, but not wanting to waste his goodwill, she said, “Thank you.”
Once she crossed the street, the young man headed in the opposite direction. She continued riding her bicycle along the non-motorized vehicle lane.
For some reason, she noticed that the road she was on had very few cars, almost none. Looking at the opposite lane, there was a steady stream of electric scooters and bicycles passing by. Her path, however, was completely clear.
Though she found it odd, Nina did not dwell on it. She arrived at a jewelry shop that would buy second-hand items.
Entering the store, she approached the owner, a man with glasses, in his fifties. He was of average height and somewhat chubby.
He looked up and asked, “What are you selling?”
“A ring,” Nina replied, placing the ring on the table. “How much is this worth?”
The owner’s eyes lit up when he saw the large diamond. It was rare to see such a big, well-cut stone with significant value. He took out a magnifying glass to inspect it closely. “Is this set in 18K gold?”
Nina was not entirely sure, but she knew Nash would not give her anything cheap. “Probably. So, how much can I get for it?”
The owner, with a glint of greed in his eyes, said, “Hold on a moment, let me take a closer look.”
He carefully examined the ring with his magnifying glass, clearly thinking he had stumbled upon a treasure.
Nina waited patiently until the owner finally said, “Miss, the best I can offer you is three thousand dollars. I’m giving you a good deal.”
Nina stared at him. She did not want to be swindled. “Are you sure it’s only worth three thousand?”
Smiling, the owner explained, “This ring is only worth two thousand. Diamonds aren’t as valuable these days, with so many synthetic ones around. They don’t hold value like gold does. There are some diamonds I wouldn’t even buy, but this one is in good condition, so I’ll take it.”
Fed up, Nina took back the ring. “Then I won’t sell it.”
“Wait, miss, wait!” the owner called after her.
Nina stopped and turned back. “I’m serious about selling, but you’re not being fair. I’m not selling it.”
“Miss, name your price!” the owner pleaded, clearly eager to get the ring.
Nina turned back. “At least ten thousand.”
The owner’s eyes sparkled. “Deal!” he said, smiling.
His quick agreement without haggling made it clear the ring was worth much more.
Still, Nina decided to sell it. “Is there a restroom here?”
“Yes, right this way,” the owner replied, his excitement evident.
He directed her to the restroom, eager to get his hands on the ring.
As Nina left for the restroom, the owner gleefully examined the ring under his magnifying glass.
But before he could celebrate his find, a group of men entered the store behind him.