Chapter 319 In the car , Francesca called Lauren and spent several minutes chatting in hushed tones .
When she hung up , her face showed clear disappointment .

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She said with a sigh , Its a shame Lauren cant join us .
We had planned to attend the showcase together with you , Andrew , but the Rhodes family has been keeping a close eye on her lately .
Shell have to skip it this time .
Andrew could not help but think back to Jerry and the others from the day before .
While they claimed to be there to pick Lauren up , their behavior seemed more like they were monitoring her .
Cedric chimed in , The Rhodes family recently had an important guest arrive from the Blumedale .
Lauren is probably tied up entertaining them , which is why she couldnt come along .
The three of them chatted casually as they drove , eventually arriving at Jayrodales most famous antique district .
The streets were already packed with people , forcing Andrew to park the car several blocks away .
Cedric glanced around at the bustling crowd and remarked , This years showcase is even livelier than last years ! Luckily for us , Im a member of the Jayrodale Antique Society .
Lets take the VIP entrance ! Andrew observed the scene as they walked , noting the overflowing shops and makeshift stalls lining the streets .
The area was full of curious trinkets and unusual items , with many people simply browsing for fun rather than making any purchases .
The world of antiques , as Andrew knew , was notoriously tricky to navigate .
Big spenders were either seasoned collectors or wealthy individuals who did not mind paying a premium .
Cedric fell into the latter category his ability to identify valuable pieces was questionable at best , but his deep pockets often made up for his lack of expertise .
Every year , Cedric would spend hundreds of thousands , sometimes millions , at these showcases without hesitation .
Yet among the crowd , there were also those rare individuals who could spot hidden treasures for a fraction of their true value .
These were the true masters of the antique world , often professional collectors or appraisers .
Such experts were few and far between , though .
In the antique community , anyone daring to call themselves a master was either a fraud or a genuine heavyweight and the latter were elusive and notoriously difficult to meet .
After Cedric flashed his membership credentials , the three of them were escorted through the VIP entrance and into the main event area .
The showcase was held in a large outdoor plaza , which had been transformed into the centerpiece of the days festivities .
Radiant Group had invited several prominent antique experts to preside over the event .
These