214: Unveiling Secrets

Amidst the tension of the auction's aftermath, Emma regarded Alex's offering—a wooden doll carved by her grandfather—with a composed detachment. Her disinterest was not a facade; the doll, a piece of her childhood, held more sentimental than material value to her. "I appreciate the gesture, but there's no need. My grandfather was the craftsman. These dolls were a childhood amusement, nothing more. I have countless others like it," Emma revealed, her voice steady, betraying no sign of jest. The revelation that the renowned artisan was her grandfather left Alex and the others momentarily taken aback. To Emma, the wooden doll Alex presented was but one of many, lacking the unique value others might perceive. Jada, too, showed no particular interest, having her own treasures from her grandfather. Emma's past endeavors to reclaim certain items were not born of a desire for possession but a wish to gather what was rightfully part of her heritage. Alex's acquisition of the doll, ther