Shattered Gift, Broken Engagement

Yuri's expression changed drastically, and Zoey was so terrified she immediately hid behind Lauren.

I stepped forward and blocked Lauren just as she was about to get into the car. "Miss Hayes, can we talk properly about compensation now?"

Lauren flushed with anger, glaring fiercely at me. "Do you have any idea what happens to people who offend the Hayes?"

I laughed and shot back, "Then do you have any idea what happens to people who offend the Keanes?"

She froze, then suddenly seemed to realize something. "You're… you're Harrison Keane?"

I let out a chuckle, my gaze sweeping over her with amusement. "Should I feel honored that you still remember the fiance you once had a childhood engagement with, Miss Hayes?"

Maybe Lauren heard the mockery in my tone, and she frowned slightly.

Zoey instantly jumped out from behind her, shrieking, "What?! You're the broke loser who had that childhood engagement with Lauren?!"

She looked me up and down with disgust before bursting into exaggerated laughter.

"Hahaha! Lauren, your fiance is actually a delivery guy? Someone like him isn't even worthy of shining your shoes!"

Lauren gave me a cold, brief glance and didn't deny it. "Mr. Keane, that so-called childhood engagement was just a joke between our elders. You are not my fiance, and I definitely do not like you. Anyway, for the sake of the friendship between our families years ago, I won't hold today's incident against you. Please step aside."

I actually felt a sense of relief when I heard her say she wanted to cancel the engagement. Marrying such an unreasonable woman would only throw the entire household into chaos.

"Call the marriage off. I have no objection. But the porcelain bowl was our family's betrothal gift to yours. Now that your best friend deliberately smashed it, you must compensate me."

"Are you insane?" Zoey immediately shrieked, "Lauren, he's obviously taking advantage of you! How much could that pile of broken junk even be worth?!"

The surrounding bystanders burst into mocking laughter.

"This delivery guy must be starving for money! How dare he try to extort Miss Hayes?"

"His family must've spent a fortune to score a childhood engagement with the Hayes! Someone like him should check the mirror before having such ridiculous dreams!"

"I heard Miss Hayes has already settled down with Mr. Mercer. This guy is clearly just here to latch onto the Hayes family by any means…"

Instinctively, I looked toward Lauren.

Seeing her make no effort to deny it, I knew the rumors weren't baseless.

Seizing the moment, Yuri shoved me forward. "You hear that? Don't overestimate yourself! A delivery guy like you demanding two hundred million from the Hayes family? Keep dreaming!"

He grabbed my collar and murmured so that only I could hear, "So you're the loser who's engaged to Lauren. Let me tell you this—Lauren's already my woman. I'm the future son-in-law of the Hayes family, and you'll never be."

With that, he shoved me away, then turned to Lauren and pointed at me dramatically. "Lauren, he admitted it! He faked some worthless porcelain to scam us. Why don't we just call the police?"

Hearing that suggestion, Lauren hesitated.

Nonetheless, Yuri kept whispering poison in her ear, "Lauren, think about it. If you don't call the police, who knows if he'll keep using the title 'your fiance' to scam people outside in the future? That would ruin the Hayes' reputation."

At that, Lauren finally made up her mind and gestured for Zoey to call the police.

"So your last name is Keane, huh? Get ready to spend some time in prison!"

Hearing Yuri's provocation, I calmly picked up the most intact fragment from the ground and pointed to the letters carved on its base: Aurelius.

"You'd better hold off on calling the police. Maybe look this up online first."

Yuri scoffed, still full of bravado.

However, the moment Lauren's gaze landed on the porcelain shard, her expression changed dramatically. She suddenly shouted, "Don't call the police yet!"

Lauren snatched the shard from my hand, her slender fingers trembling faintly under the sunlight.

The moment she clearly made out the letters engraved on it, the once arrogant and imposing Miss Hayes suddenly found her breathing turning rapid.

"Harrison, where did you get this?"

I kept my hands in my pockets and answered calmly, "Of course, it came from my dad. It was originally a family heirloom. We planned to use it as your betrothal gift."

I paused, then let out a soft chuckle. "But it seems that won't be necessary anymore."

Lauren didn't say anything. She just stared tightly at the porcelain shard, disbelief filling her eyes.

I knew she had already realized the piece was extremely valuable.

After all, the Hayes family built their fortune in the antique trade. As the eldest daughter, there was no way she didn't recognize the weight behind the name "Aurelius".

"Lauren, what is it? Why are you wasting time with this scammer?" Still clueless, Zoey impatiently whipped out her phone. "We should call the police and have him arrested first. Let's see if he dares act cocky then!"

Yuri stepped forward, flattering Lauren with every word, "Lauren, nobody in Kingshore has ever dared speak to you like this. He needs to be taught a lesson today!"

Nevertheless, Lauren completely ignored them. Her gaze moved repeatedly between the porcelain shard and me, her expression turning sourer by the second.

Finally, she forced herself to speak, "This porcelain… It might be real."

"What?!" Zoey shrieked, her face instantly losing all color.

"No way! It has to be fake!" She jabbed a finger at my face. "Lauren, look at him! He's a delivery guy! How could he possibly get a real antique?!"

Lauren couldn't believe it either, but she trusted her eyes. "I'm not mistaken. I've rarely seen pieces this fine, even in my father's collection. It's the real deal."

A heavy silence fell over the entire crowd.

As everyone stared at me in shock, Yuri suddenly chuckled cockily. "Lauren, he's got you fooled! I bet he's a thief!

"If his family had any real wealth, would he show up on a junk motorcycle? I know exactly what happened. He must've stolen the porcelain from some rich family while delivering food. Giving it to you as a 'betrothal gift' is just to cover up the crime!"

He sounded so convincing that even I had to laugh.

I didn't expect Lauren to actually believe him.

"I heard you've been abroad these years," she said, looking at me with disdain, her posture dripping with condescension. "So this is what you've been doing? Stealing antiques? Harrison, if you turn yourself in now, it's not too late."

This time, I really couldn't help laughing. "You want me to turn myself in? Sure."

I immediately pulled out my phone and started dialing. Just as I said my name, Yuri snatched the phone away.

"This thief stole an invaluable antique and offended Miss Hayes! Come arrest him immediately!" He hung up and tossed the phone back at me smugly. "Get ready for prison, loser!"

I glanced at Lauren with a faint smile, unable to hold back. "Miss Hayes, your taste in men is truly impressive. Imagine liking someone like him!"

Lauren's face stiffened, and she was about to snap when the crowd suddenly erupted into chaos.

A line of police cars came speeding in with flashing lights, but even more shocking were the three black armored vehicles following behind them. The bold characters "Special Operations" glinted in the sunlight.

The crowd instinctively backed away.

The leading police car screeched to a stop right in front of us. The door swung open, and stepping out was none other than Grant Jacobs, the Chief of Kingshore Police himself.

Seeing who arrived, Yuri's eyes lit up. He puffed up proudly and raised his voice for everyone to hear. "See that? One phone call from the Hayes, and even Chief Jacobs came personally! Let's see who dares disrespect the Hayes now!"

Before he even finished bragging, Yuri hurried forward, fawning shamelessly.

"Chief Jacobs, perfect timing! This delivery guy stole a priceless antique and tried to extort the Hayes family. You—"

Before he could finish, Chief Jacobs strode right past him, heading straight toward me.