?Chapter 979:


    But Eileen, with a quick wit, had given it a new meaning — a shield to protect Terrell and his legacy.


    As Eileen’s exnation sank in, a ripple of relief passed through the crowd. Terrell’s expression softened.


    “Nonsense,” Kam said, her voice sharp. “You must have prepared this excuse in advance. You just brought this gift to make Mr. Byrd ufortable on purpose.”


    Eileen met her gaze steadily. “On the contrary. This gift I brought has been swapped; I couldn’t have nned for this. My words are sincere.”


    As Eileen argued with Kam, Bryan’s patience wore thin. His face tightened, a cold mask settling over his features. He fixed Kam with an icy stare that sent a chill down her spine.


    Eileen, sensing his anger, tugged gently at his sleeve. She felt it was unnecessary for him to get riled up over Kam’s words. She had the wit to handle Kam herself.


    “Miss Curtis, what do you mean?” Bernice asked, sensing something. “Your gift has been swapped?”


    Eileen replied, “The original gift was prepared by my grandmother. To be honest, I don’t know its contents, but it is incredibly heavy. I could barely carry it for more than a few steps.”


    At the mention of a swap, Terrell’s face transformed. His eyes widened as Eileen described the weight, a spark of recognition igniting. “It’s a jade seal!” he eximed.


    Everyone knew of Terrell’s passion for collecting jade seals. While not inherently heavy, these prized objects were often adorned with gold oveys and special materials, significantly increasing their weight. The heavier, the better.


    g?lnσν???s?cóm is your escape


    Terrell’s excitement grew palpable. He was convinced that Le had prepared a jade seal for him as a gift. He said, “Years ago, I mentioned to the Vazquez family that if I lived to eighty, I hoped they might gift me the jade seal their family had treasured for a century. Le agreed!”


    “I’m so sorry, Mr. Byrd,” Eileen said, her gaze flicking briefly to Kam. “The gift box must have been swapped during themotion earlier. Perhaps we could check the surveince footage?”


    Kam looked away, her face ashen.


    Bernice hurried to the security room, returning with the video. The crowded scene made it difficult to pinpoint exactly who had approached Eileen’s seat during the ident. What could be seen, however, was that the gift box had changed direction.


    Yet, it was impossible to tell whether the box had been tampered with or opened.


    Terrell stood up, tapping his cane on the floor with a sense of authority. “Send out the word—no one is allowed to leave now! Everyone will be searched by my people!”


    Eileen led Bryan to stand behind Terrell. Unseen by others, she gave Bryan a quick wink and let out a soft chuckle.


    Fortunately, Terrell had been aware of Le’s gift beforehand, which saved her from potential trouble today.


    “Can you still manage augh?” Bryan felt his irritation ebb slightly. Since Eileen seemed to be handling the situation, he decided to y along.


    As everyone needed to be searched, the guests began to move. Without thinking, Bryan reached out and gently held Eileen by the waist.


    .


    .


    .