Silence Walks Beside Us by Eli Dane Cade 43

Posted by ADMINMMADMIN, ? Views, Released on January 6, 2026

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Chapter 43

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Ash’s lips curved slightly as she spoke in a calm voice, “We each pick a rough stone of the same price, and whoever gets the better quality wins. If you win, I’ll forgive you…”

Tristan’s face lit up. “Absolutely! I knew you’d agree to get back together!”

Ash’s expression turned icy. “But if you lose, you’ll never show your face around me again. If you do, I’ll punch you every time I see you!”

“I won’t lose,” he replied confidently, believing this was a test she’d set up for him. “This is j right? I’ll prove myself!”

ge,

In his mind, Ash was just an amateur who didn’t know much about rough stones. He was practically salivating at the thought of easily winning this bet.

‘She must have been wanting to get back together for a while but couldn’t bring herself to admit it, which is why she resorted to such petty tricks,‘ he thought.

Seeing such a shameless man, Ash couldn’t understand how she had ever been attracted to such a loser in the first place.

With a sigh, Ash asked, “What’s your budget?”

“Pick anyone you want,” Tristan said without hesitation. As long as it helped him reconnect with Shadow Ventures, he didn’t care how much he spent; his family would cover it.

Without looking back, Ash headed straight to the shelves and casually picked up an inconspicuous rough stone. “I’ll take this one.”

Tristan paused, surprised by her speed. “Aren’t you going to think it over?”

Ash shook her head, not wanting to waste any more time.

“Just wait a moment. I’ll be right back.” He felt even more certain that Ash was eager to reconcile and hadn’t bothered to choose carefully.

His gaze drifted toward the shelf where Ash picked out stones, each priced at around 30 thousand dollars. ‘She’s still so considerate, worried I might not have enough money, so she chose something relatively affordable. I can’t let her down, he thought.

He was thrilled at the thought and quickly scanned the shelves, finally settling on a rough stone he thought looked decent.

“Mr. Ford, you’re going to win for sure!” shouted a nearby man, recognizing him.

The Ford family is also in the jewelry business, so Tristan often comes by to select rough stones, which is why some people know him.

Though their bet seemed small, it caught several shoppers‘ attention, eager to see how it would play out.

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Chapter 43

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Tristan approached Ash with a triumphant grin. “I’ll give you a chance to back out. After all, 30 thousand dollars isn’t pocket change for you.”

“Enough talk!” Ash shot back, stepping up to the cutting machine. “Who goes first?”

Her boldness drew some attention. “This lady seems confident. Does she know something about rough stones?” one onlooker remarked.

“Who knows? In a gamble like this, luck can be just as important as skill. Maybe she’ll outsh another added.

Tristan rushed forward, setting his rough stone down with purpose. “Let me show you what real skill looks like!” He gestured to the staff to start the cutting.

Ash observed as Tristan placed his rough stone–a type commonly found in Lustrous Canyon, known for producing high–quality gems. If all went well, it would likely double in value, explaining Tristan’s confidence.

Amidst the crowd’s eager anticipation, the staff collected the payment before placing the stone beneath the cutting machine.

As the machine whirred to life, cutting the stone, a bright color emerged—a sign of a high–quality gem. It was indeed a fine specimen, and onlookers began congratulating Tristan.

“Nice work, Mr. Ford! You’ve got both luck and skill!” they chimed in, impressed.

“We still have one stone to cut,” Tristan said, turning to Ash with a smirk. “If you want to concede, it’s not too late.”

Unfazed, Ash calmly handed over her rough stone.

It looked quite plain. Its surface is coarse and unpolished, with jagged edges and a dusty exterior that reveals a play of colors beneath. The stone exhibits a muted hue, with occasional flecks of a lighter shade peeking through.

Someone nearby remarked, “Why does she look so calm? Is she really not worried?”

The guy who had just congratulated Tristan shot her a glance and scoffed, “She must know she’s already lost. Why bother putting up a fight?”

Jade walked over, and Vania trailed behind her. After asking the crowd about the bet between t Jade blinked in confusion and asked, “Isn’t Ash engaged to Calvert? Why does everyone say that guy ov.. there is her ex?”

Vania’s pretty face twisted in displeasure. Ash was engaged to her brother, Calvert, and she couldn’t afford to lose face over this.

“No way! Jade, my brother has been trying to find a way to break off the engagement. She is dreaming!” Vania said, staring at Ash disdainfully.

‘Picking such an ugly stone–maybe she’s just pretending to lose to get back with her ex, Vania thought.

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Chapter 43

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Hearing that made Jade feel better. After what happened last time, she realized Calvert didn’t like her at all. Even if she threw herself at him, he wouldn’t want her.

‘But then again, Ash wasn’t exactly Calvert’s type either. If I couldn’t have him, that little bitch wouldn’t get him either!‘ she thought.

“Why don’t we just leave? This show isn’t worth watching,” Vania said, her eyes narrowing. She had silently labeled Ash as useless–pretty, sure, but that was it.

Jade wasn’t ready to leave just yet. She wouldn’t miss the chance to see Ash humiliated.

Besides, they were at the back of the crowd, and she had her mask on, so no one would rec

“Let’s watch a bit longer. I don’t want to just stand by and see her cheat on Calvert. If she loses, I’ll make sure she leaves Calvert,” Jade said, sounding completely focused on Calvert’s well–being.