The Rise of David
Copyright© 2025 by RichXpower
Chapter 30: A Rental
Yvonne shot David a glare and snapped, “You’re saying that the watch is a knock-off without even looking at it! It’s glaringly obvious that you’re jealous! Are you feeling resentful that your girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend is doing better than you?”
“I’m just stating the facts.” David flashed her a faint smile.
In response, Yvonne harrumphed. “Pah! This is plain jealousy! If it’s true, do come up with proof!”
Seeing so many people speaking up for him, Lincoln asserted with a frosty expression, “We’ve just made each other’s acquaintance today, so why are you targeting me, David? If you don’t give me an explanation for this matter, mark my words that I’m going to have you brought out of here on a stretcher!”
However, David merely sneered, “Okay! You know better than anyone whether the watch is an imitation. Since you want to be humiliated, don’t blame me for granting you your wish.” While saying that, he stood up and ordered, “Give me your watch. I’ll prove it to you all!”
Instead of giving the man his watch, Lincoln withdrew his hand and demanded warily, “How are you planning to prove it? This watch of mine cost a few hundred thousand. Can you afford to replace it if you were to damage it?”
He would never hand it over, for he knew that it was a knock-off. In truth, he was merely creating an illusion of being a wealthy man.
“That’s simple. We’ll know whether it’s an imitation after smashing it to the ground,” David answered nonchalantly.
As long as the gold watch shattered, one could instantly tell whether it was the real deal. The mechanisms in an authentic gold watch were made of gold, but a knock-off couldn’t possibly imitate that as well.
“You want to shatter my watch? This watch cost a few hundred grand, David! Can you afford to pay me back after ruining it?” Lincoln questioned guiltily upon hearing that.
He couldn’t allow the man to shatter the watch since it was an imitation, and that would be clear as day once smashed.
“Exactly! Can you afford to pay for it?”
“You dare smash a watch worth a few hundred thousand? What kind of authentication method is this?” “Don’t boast if you don’t have that capability! And here I thought that you really knew how to verify whether it’s real!”
Everyone started criticizing David and heaping scorn on him.
Smiling, David stated, “There are still other methods to decipher whether it’s the real deal even without smashing it. Gold is different from other metals, so the answer will be evident as long as we weigh the watch and compare its weight with the figure stated on the official website.”
No matter how good an imitation was, the weight couldn’t be the same. After all, gold weighed differently from other metals.
When the others heard that, they found it to be a feasible method as it also wouldn’t ruin the watch.
“And I’m supposed to just do as you say?” A glimmer of panic flitted across Lincoln’s eyes. He would never agree to weigh it, knowing that it would only prove the watch to be a knock-off.
“David, you’re jealous of Lincoln and claim that his watch is an imitation, but what if it’s not? There’s no reason for him to listen to you just because of a baseless remark!” Michelle demanded with her eyes fixed on David.
“If the watch is genuine, I’ll pay for this meal!” David declared confidently.
He had full confidence that the watch was a knock-off.
Hearing that, everyone turned to Lincoln. “Just let him weigh it, Lincoln. Since he dared make such a bold statement, prove him wrong once and for all! Besides, we’ll also be getting a free meal out of it!”
By then, Lincoln was a smidge panicked, and cold sweat started beading on his forehead.
Never had he expected David to fixate on his watch.
“This watch requires a precise weighing instrument, but we don’t have it now. How do you want to weigh it? Don’t tell me you can tell by just weighing it in your hand?” Lincoln questioned.
“All right, I’ll admit that you’re right in that we don’t have a weighing instrument now. However, do you dare give your watch to me for a look? I’ll only take a look at it,” David drawled with a smirk.
“What are you planning to do? Are you going to smash it?” Lincoln asked warily.
“No, I definitely won’t do that. If I damage it even one bit, I’ll pay you back according to the original price regardless of whether this watch of yours is genuine!”
David shook his head. He didn’t need to smash the watch, and he was merely teasing the man when he said he was going to shatter it to tell whether it was genuine.
“Fine. I don’t mind giving it to you for a look.”
Lincoln was afraid that David would continue insisting that the watch was a knock-off if he refused to give it to him for a look, so he took it off and handed it to the man. Then, he asserted, “Many people are standing witness for me here! If you smash it, you’ve got to compensate me according to the original price!”
With that said, he was convinced that David wouldn’t dare smash it anymore. Without being weighed, it was also impossible to tell the authenticity of the gold watch. After all, it was a top-notch imitation, and only an expert appraiser could tell whether it was genuine at a single glance.
He didn’t believe that David could discern that. David took the watch from him. After fiddling with it for a while, he handed it back to the man. “That’s it? You can tell whether it’s the real deal with just a look?”
Lincoln regarded him with puzzlement written all over his face even as he took his watch back. “Yes, I only needed to take a single look.” David nodded firmly.
“Hmph! How ridiculous!” Snorting, Lincoln slipped his watch back onto his wrist.
Just as everyone was waiting for David to come up with the proof, Michelle abruptly shrieked, “Lincoln, q-quick, look at your watch!”
Startled, Lincoln hastily swung his gaze to his watch, only to be wholly stumped. All the others were perplexed and shifted their gazes to the man’s watch as well. At a single look, they were all similarly floored. The gold watch on Lincoln’s hand had long since lost its golden luster earlier and had turned into a coppery color, making it all too clear that it was discoloring.
With that, they could all tell that it was unquestionably an imitation since authentic gold wouldn’t discolor. They all stared at Lincoln with a peculiar look in their eyes. The atmosphere also became exceedingly awkward.
“That imitation watch is so inferior that my hand is all covered in gold powder!”
David snagged a piece of wet tissue and wiped his hand, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. Lincoln’s expression turned exceedingly grim, becoming as black as thunder.
Beside him, Michelle gaped at him in shock, at a loss for words. Lincoln, who had initially acted high and mighty with an arrogant aura, felt his face flaming hotly right then.
He didn’t even dare look anyone in the eye.
“Lincoln, could it be that you were duped by that friend of yours? How could he get you a knock-off from Sumanthova?” someone couldn’t help asking.
That reminded Lincoln of a possible excuse, and jubilance immediately inundated him.
He lifted his head and snarled, “That damn fellow must have duped me! I spent a few hundred grand, yet he dared to buy me an imitation watch? I’ll definitely kill him when I catch him!”
While saying that, he smashed the watch in his hand to the ground, shattering it into smithereens.
However, the trust earlier was already gone from some of the people’s eyes as they looked at the man.
After all, it was clear as day that he was using an imitation watch to show off.
“That swindler is truly despicable! It’s just a three-hundred grand watch, no? Lincoln certainly won’t lie about that when he’s driving a car that costs over a million. Why would he still need to buy a knock-off to put on a show?”
Michelle stood up beside Lincoln and defended him. Seizing that opportunity, Lincoln took out his car key and placed it on the table to flaunt his status.
“Who knows whether he rented the car?” David chimed in with a sneer right then.
In fact, many people there shared his sentiments. After all, Lincoln’s watch was an imitation, so there was a possibility that the Mercedes-Benz was also rented. Besides, a day’s fee didn’t cost that much.
“Nonsense! How could it possibly be a rental? I’ve seen him driving it long before today, not just for tonight!” Michelle retorted.
“The answer will be evident once he shows us the car ownership certificate,” David countered.
As long as Lincoln produced the car ownership certificate, there would be no doubt about the name on it at a single glance. Michelle turned to Lincoln, seemingly wanting him to retrieve the car ownership certificate to shut David up.
Seeing that, Lincoln hurriedly declared, “It’s too troublesome to go to the car and retrieve it. You just want to see whether I’ve got that capability, no? I’ll order a new watch online right away! I find myself feeling uneasy without a watch!”
While saying that, Lincoln ordered a watch costing over two hundred thousand right in front of everyone’s eyes.
Furthermore, he even paid for it, so all that was left was to wait for it to be delivered. With that, envy slithered into everyone’s gazes once more. They all believed that he was truly loaded, which meant he had undoubtedly been duped about the imitation watch.
At the same time, Lincoln breathed a long sigh of relief that he managed to safeguard his status as a wealthy man.
Glimpsing his reaction, David chuckled softly. Cancellation is entirely possible for purchases made online.
Therefore, he can simply cancel his order later without losing a single penny.
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