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    What could the Earl possibly mean?


    Earl Poulos didn’t give Katelyn and Vincent a chance to respond.


    He continued, “There’s no treasure here at all. The rumors were started by our family’s rivals a hundred years ago. They wanted to stir up conflict over thisnd.”


    Katelyn’s face tightened as she tried to determine whether Earl Poulos was lying. Vincent leaned forward, looking concerned.


    “But what we heard was that—”


    Earl Poulos interrupted with a grin. “The rumors have gotten so out of hand that there’s no stopping them. All I can do now is tell the truth to anyone whoes asking about thisnd.”


    Katelyn nced over at Dale, who was sitting on the sofa but barely managing to stay still. His eyes kept drifting toward the items on the disy shelf, and it was obvious he was already plotting something.


    Katelyn gave a quiet cough, just loud enough to catch Dale’s attention.


    When they made the deal, Dale had agreed to help them secure thend, and only then would Vincent give him something in return.


    Dale quickly caught her hint, a sly grin spreading across his face.


    “Uncle Dous,” he said, “you might be able to dupe others with your story, but I’m not convinced. I’ve known for ages that there are precious jewels buried right here.”


    Earl Poulos, unruffled, merely shook his head in response. “You even seem to believe it. That’s how potent rumors can be. If there were any truth to it, wouldn’t I have sold these treasures long ago, rather than constantly battling treasure hunters?”


    Earl Poulos paused for a moment, a soft sigh escaping his lips. “This rumor has lingered for decades. Even if I tried to clear things up, no one would take my word for it.”


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    Katelyn paused, then added thoughtfully, “My Lord, the treasure isn’t the reason we want thisnd. If you could prove there’s nothing hidden here, it might just resolve our problem.”


    “How can I do that?” Earl Poulos replied. “The only way to prove it is to excavate the entire plot. But I can’t do that, since thisnd is the sole legacy my parents left me.”


    Katelyn was left speechless by his revtion.


    Thend was firmly in the Earl’s control, and his wealth was not in question.


    Vincent and Katelyn found themselves without any leverage.


    Furthermore, Dale’s reliability was questionable at best. They couldn’t really excavate thend just to prove a rumor, could they?


    Katelyn’s gaze remained fixed on Vincent.


    Vincent’s eyes shed with a serious light as he said, “My lord, I trust you, but I need to ask one more thing. Have you ever seen a round jade pendant with two colors?”


    Earl Poulos was momentarily puzzled. “A round jade pendant with two colors?”


    Vincent nodded gravely. “Yes. It’s a family heirloom that was lost in an ident. Recent information suggests it might be buried here, which is why we’vee to you.” Katelyn remembered that during Vincent’s conversation with Selina, he had mentioned retrieving something buried under thend. Could this be it?


    Earl Poulos seemed to think hard for a moment before shaking his head in disappointment.


    “My apologies, but I’ve never heard of or seen such a pendant,” Earl Poulos said, his voice apologetic yet firm.


    Vincent’s expression grew serious, his voice turning cold as he replied, “It’s very important to me. My grandfather’sst wish was for me to find it.”


    Vincent’s face hardened as he continued, “Let’s be straightforward about this. Name any condition you want. If I can meet it, please allow me to search for the pendant. If it’s not here, I’ll apologize for any trouble we’ve caused.”


    Earl Poulos stood firm with his cane, his tone resolute. “I’ve told you there’s nothing buried on thisnd, and I won’t allow it to be dug up. After I’m gone, I’ll leave it to the rightful owner.”


    Dale’s lips curled into a barely contained grin upon hearing this.


    Once Earl Poulos was gone, the property would be his alone. By then, he wouldn’t need Vincent’s help to clear his gambling debts anymore.


    Dale spoke up with eager confidence. “Uncle Dous, don’t worry. I’ll look after thisnd just like you would.”


    Earl Poulos, caught off guard, turned to Dale with a piercing look.


    “When did I ever mention I’d leave thisnd to you?”


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