Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: Luxury Warehouse Auction (2)
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"This one's... in perfect condition?"
I pulled back the second cloth. It was a round table.
Walnut wood again, with a marble top decorated in gold leaf.
"My God..."
The third, the fourth...
Every time I lifted a cloth, another stunning piece of furniture appeared.
"That's an Edwardian-style cabinet!"
"And over there—Chippendale chair set!"
Bill's voice trembled.
"Jake, we're rich. All of this is genuine!"
I pulled back the largest cloth at the very back.
A massive chest of drawers emerged.
"This is..."
I slowly placed my hand on the chest.
In that instant, a vision appeared.
*
A study that screamed luxury at first glance.
A gentleman was writing a letter under the glow of candlelight.
Shiny gold coins sat atop the chest of drawers.
The gentleman carefully hid them in a secret compartment inside one of the drawers.
And...
*
"Jake?"
Bill's voice snapped me back to reality.
"Oh, yeah. This chest... it feels like it's worth a fortune."
Bill grinned and nodded at my words.
"You got that right. Take a look here—definitely British-made from the 1880s. Especially these rose motifs carved into it; the detail is exquisite. This piece alone will fetch over $20,000."
I opened the drawers one by one.
Sure enough, there was a small gap at the bottom of the second drawer.
"Bill! There's something here."
I slipped my fingers in and lifted. A secret compartment revealed itself.
Bill hurried over and jumped back in shock.
"My God, a hidden drawer!"
Inside was an old leather pouch. I carefully pulled it out and opened it.
"...Gold coins!"
Eight $20 Double Eagle gold coins from the 1850s.
"Each one's worth at least $2,000... Eight of them make $16,000!"
The crowd watching from afar gasped at Bill's excited shout.
It was a massive jackpot.
"Gold coins? For real?"
"My God, and all the furniture's in perfect shape too?"
We inspected the other pieces. The cabinet was filled with silverware—sterling silver candlesticks, plates, cutlery sets...
"This'll go for about $6,000 too."
Marcus marveled.
"The cloths were just old and moldy-smelling, but the furniture's perfectly preserved. Must've been a well-controlled humidity warehouse."
Bill tapped away at his calculator.
"Chest of drawers: $20,000. Gold coins: $16,000. Chair set: $8,000. Small table: $5,000. Cabinet: $7,000. Silverware: $6,000... and so on..."
My heart raced as the list dragged on endlessly.
Bill's face flushed redder with every calculation.
"How much total?"
"...At least $72,000. Could hit $80,000 if we sell smart."
"$12,000 investment turning into $72,000..."
The watching dealers clicked their tongues.
"Victor of all people missed out on this. He's gonna regret it big time."
"Spent a fortune on an empty warehouse. What a clueless guy."
We carefully began organizing the furniture.
There was so much that it took until evening to finish.
We loaded it all onto the truck with utmost care.
Thankfully, Sam's loaned trailer let us haul it in one go.
"Jake, hate to say it, but... you were crazy as hell. You know that?"
Bill clapped my shoulder.
He was talking about the bidding war with Victor earlier.
"Haha, couldn't have done it without you there, Bill."
"Damn, I thought I was gonna pass out. Bluffing $60,000... All you truckers got balls that big?"
"Honestly, it was nerve-wracking for me too, but I was sure Victor would follow. Sorry I didn't warn you ahead."
"Nah, no worries. It all worked out thanks to you. Good job."
"Marcus helped a ton too. Thanks, man."
Marcus laughed at my words.
"You blew a fortune on auction fees, so cash might be tight short-term, but sell just a couple pieces here and you're golden."
"Haha, yeah. The gold coins alone should cover it. Let's unload 'em tomorrow."
Bill chuckled.
"Hey, if you're up for it, dinner together tonight? We should celebrate."
"Sounds good. Where to?"
"Franklin Barbecue? Special occasion like this calls for it."
"Oh, I went there last time... Isn't it kinda pricey?"
"My treat this time. Least I can do after finding a $72,000 treasure."
Marcus jumped in too.
"Count me in. Today was a blast."
We headed to Franklin Barbecue.
Austin's top BBQ joint. Always a long line, but the taste was guaranteed.
"Three pounds brisket, two pounds ribs, extra sausage."
Once again, generous portions arrived.
The signature smoky aroma teased our noses.
"Cheers."
Bill raised his beer.
"To today's victory!"
"Cheers!"
Glasses clinked.
"You tossing Victor's card?"
Marcus asked.
I pulled out the business card. Black background with gold foil—definitely high-end.
"Gonna hold onto it for now. Might sell him some of our stuff later. Could come in handy somehow."
"Smart thinking. In this business, no one's enemy or ally forever."
Bill nodded and added,
"Victor's a jerk personality-wise, but he pays top dollar for good stuff. That's what makes him Texas's best."
"Still, he lost $100,000 today. That cool with him?"
"Ha, $100,000's pocket change to Victor. Guy pulls in over a million a month."
Marcus chimed in.
"Ego's bruised though. Especially in front of his girlfriend."
We burst out laughing.
We relived the auction over BBQ until late into the night.
Got home at 11 p.m.
The trailer lights were on. Dorothy was waiting.
"Jake! How'd it go?"
"Haha, total jackpot."
Nancy came running out at the sound of my voice.
"Jake! Did you find treasure?"
"Of course, my little angel! Even gold coins."
"Eek! Really? Pirate treasure?"
"Something like that?"
I recounted the day's events.
Dorothy muttered in disbelief.
"A $100,000 empty box... Those guys must be gutted."
The commotion drew Sam outside too.
He beamed after hearing the story.
"$72,000? My God, for real?"
"Got lucky."
"Luck's a skill too! Great work, Jake."
The lively celebration wound down.
I crawled into bed in the trailer.
Today was truly special.
More than just the money.
I'd gone head-to-head with Houston's top dealer and come out on top.
Sure, luck played a huge part... but everything went just as I'd hoped.
And it wouldn't have happened without great partners like Bill and Marcus.
I pulled out the business card again.
'Victor Hamilton...'
We'll cross paths again in this line of work.
Next time, he might be a rival or a new buyer.
But one thing was certain: No more sloppy moments like today.
'Gotta admit, he left quite an impression.'
I drifted off, dreaming of becoming a big shot like him someday.
Monday morning, 7 a.m.
My eyes popped open before the alarm.
Yesterday's excitement lingered, making my heart pound.
The sunlight filtering through the window felt brighter than ever.
"Alright, 10 a.m. appointment today, right?"
I bolted out of bed and stretched.
Today, I was meeting the gold coin dealer Bill recommended.
We'd sell the coins first to cover the auction balance.
'Eight gold coins... wonder how much they'll fetch...'
Just thinking about it had me buzzing with excitement.
After a shower, I heard commotion outside.
I opened the door to find Nancy pacing in front of our trailer, holding Mr. Hop.
"Jake! You're up?"
"What's up with my little princess this early?"
"Mom says come eat breakfast. She made pancakes!"
Dorothy's pancakes? Impossible to refuse.
I took Nancy's hand and headed to trailer 32.
"I dreamed about you last night. You were finding pirate treasure!"
"Really? What kind?"
"Shiny gold coins and a big diamond! But bad pirates tried to steal it, and Mr. Hop and I beat 'em!"
A six-year-old's imagination.
I listened to Nancy's epic adventure as we entered Dorothy's place.
"Jake's here. Sit down; it'll be ready in a sec."
Dorothy poured batter into the pan.
The kitchen filled with the rich scent of butter.
"Day off after ages, and here you are slaving away for me?"
"Gotta treat you on a day like this. Plus, yesterday was a big win. Worth celebrating."
She smiled and set down a plate.
Golden pancakes drizzled with maple syrup.
"Yay, pancakes! Woo-hoo!"
Nancy cheered, grabbing her fork.
Over breakfast, I explained my plans: Sell the gold first, then sort the rest of the warehouse haul gradually.
"Whoa, so how much you getting?"
"Dunno exactly, but Bill figures around $16,000. Gold prices are climbing."
"$16,000..."
Dorothy inhaled sharply.
It was a fortune beyond her imagination.
"Jake, you're incredible. Feels like yesterday you hauled trash to that auction."
"Ugh, don't remind me. Pure luck this time."
"Luck following you everywhere—that's the real key."
At 10 a.m., I arrived at Prestige Coins in downtown Austin.
Bill's recommended gold specialist—well-known in the biz.
"Mr. Winch? Bill told me about you."
A white-haired gentleman offered a handshake.
Robert Collins, 40 years as a gold coin expert.
I carefully laid the coins on the table.
He donned his loupe and examined each one meticulously.
"1854... 1856... Oh, even a 1851. Condition's superb."