Chapter 884: Appraising the Treasure

Natalie gestured for Ava to proceed. Ava carefully removed the red cloth covering the tray, revealing a pair of ivory tusks. She gingerly placed them before Natalie, who picked up one of the tusks with focused eyes. Natalie examined it closely, her fingers brushing over its surface. She brought it to her nose for a sniff, then lightly tapped it against the table, producing a faint sound. Suddenly, Natalie flung the tusk to the ground. It shattered instantly, breaking into two pieces that scattered across the floor. Ava let out a startled cry, her beautiful face flushing with anger. “Natalie, what are you doing? Do you have any idea how difficult it was to acquire these tusks? Is this how you treat something I brought for your appraisal?” Natalie waved a hand dismissively, her tone warm and calm. “Don’t rush to anger. Let me be honest with you—the tusk I broke is a counterfeit. I’ve carefully examined it. The authenticity of ivory can be judged in four ways.” Ava’s face remained ten