Swapping a Broken Heart for a New Start novel Chapter 714

“All our items have been appraised by professionals. What you see is what you get—no tricks.”

He paused, then added with a shrug, “Of course, there’s always a bit of a gamble involved.”

“Maybe you can’t decipher this book now,” he continued, tapping the worn cover for emphasis. “But if someone manages to crack it in the future, its value will be beyond measure. No matter how much money you throw at me then, you wouldn’t be able to buy it.”

That actually made a certain kind of sense.

But Camila Davis wasn’t easily fooled. She flipped through the book, her eyes cool, and asked, “But there’s still a chance it’s worthless, right?”

If no one could ever decode it, it was as good as scrap paper. Five hundred grand, straight down the drain.

The young man’s gaze flickered, but he still answered confidently, “Of course. Everything has two sides. There’s no such thing as a free lunch—if there was, it’d be a scam. The price is what it is, the choice is yours. Buy it if you want, walk away if you don’t—no pressure from me.”

That was fair. Camila respected that; any deal was a two-way street.

She mulled it over for a few seconds, then made up her mind.

She’d buy it.

It wasn’t like she couldn’t afford it—half a million was steep, but nothing she couldn’t handle. Whether the book was ever deciphered or not, it would be enough to put a smile on Eric Morris’s face. For her, that alone was worth the price.

Without another word, Camila pulled out her card, ready to pay.

Lavinia Roberts, standing nearby, had fully expected Camila to back out and was already preparing to swoop in herself. When she saw Camila actually about to swipe her card, her eyes widened in disbelief—then she lunged forward and seized the book.

“I want this book!” she snapped.

Whatever Lavinia wanted, she got—and she wasn’t about to let anyone snatch it from her.

Camila hadn’t expected such blatant snatching. She sidestepped deftly, clutching the book tighter to her chest, and shot Lavinia an icy glare. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Lavinia, frustrated at missing her grab, snapped back, her voice sharp and domineering: “Didn’t I make myself clear? This book is nothing but a fancy paperweight to an amateur like you! Let it go—now!”

Camila, listening to their exchange, began to piece things together. There were only a few old, reclusive medical families left in the country—one with the Roberts name, another with the Taylor name…

Could she really have run into the heirs of both, here and now?

With that thought, Camila’s tone turned chilly. “I’ve heard the Roberts Family once produced a Senior Physician, renowned for their humility and grace. Seems those stories were exaggerated. Judging by your behavior, Ms. Roberts, the reality is far from flattering.”

Lavinia barely had time to process Camila’s guess before the sting of insult hit her. The Roberts Family had indeed produced a Senior Physician, one held in high esteem by royalty. Even though their influence had waned over the years, their medical legacy remained a point of pride—and within the old families, their reputation was formidable.

As the family’s cherished daughter, Lavinia had always been the center of attention. Other than Jarvis’s occasional sarcasm, she’d never been spoken to like this.

Her fury boiled over. “Who the hell do you think you are? You dare talk down to me? Maybe you need a lesson in respect!”

Lavinia, spoiled all her life, didn’t hesitate—she raised her hand, ready to slap Camila across the face.

Jarvis’s eyes widened in shock. He drew a sharp breath. “Stop! Don’t you dare make a scene in here!”