24K Magic for a Perfect Illusion

Ch 10: Twenty-Four Karat

In the underwater floor area of the Goddesseth Hotel and Resort on a private island in Honolulu, Hawaii, an auction for rare treasures has commenced.

A lot of wealthy people all around the world are gathering in the special event hosted by ‘The Stereotypes’ of the Ronson Gang.

Even if the goods to be auctioned were ordered by specific clients in the said event, they are being sold to the highest bidder.

“And now for the highlight of this evening.” Philip made a signal to the men backstage to put the last item on the center stage.

Everyone gasped when they saw the pink diamond necklace shining brightly under the spotlight.

“It’s the twenty-four-karat pink diamond necklace also known by everyone as the ‘Pink Magic’.” Martin introduced the item.

The pink diamonds in the necklace were found inside of a marble altar that was dedicated to the goddess Hestia, the Greek virgin goddess of the hearth, the right ordering of domesticity, the family, the home, and the state.

Hence it was called ‘The Heart of Hestia’ for centuries as it was like a bloodstone before but as time passed by the color of the stone faded, the red became pink thus when it was used to make the necklace on 1945 by the jewel designer Friedlander, the finished product is called ‘Pink Magic’.

The original owner of ‘Pink Magic’ is a woman from Barbados, whose identity is only known to the upper class of the society, a friend to the legendary businessman and aeronautical engineer, Uranus Nevaeh, Hestia’s paternal grandfather.

For fifteen years the ‘Pink Magic’ was under the custody of the Barbadian woman until it was given as birthday present to Uranus’ wife, on the latter’s 60th birthday.

Gaea Tehra-Nevaeh then put the ownership of ‘Pink Magic’ thru her last will and testament to her granddaughter, Hestia, when she died six years after obtaining the necklace.

“Pink Magic grants a lovely auspiciousness of life, though I don’t know how much of truth it is but we all know that this necklace has been owned by rich ladies before, and now this lucky charm is waiting for its new owner.” Lawrence hyped up the crowd.

“The bid starts at 30 million.” Philip begins the auction.

“31 million!” a woman in red dress raised her number docket.

“33 million!” another woman in green dress counter immediately.

“36 million!” a man in blue suit also joined the bidding.

The number kept on raising until it was sold to the highest bidder for a hundred million which concluded the auction as nobody dared to counter his offer that is more than thrice the starting price.

The man who won the ‘Pink Magic’ put the necklace on his woman’s neck as soon as the treasure was handed to him.

If only Ves knew that the necklace he stole will write off his mother’s debt instantly, he’ll be more regretful that he had his hands on ‘Pink Magic’ and let the chance for freedom slipped away.

Meanwhile at the VIP room of the auction area …

“You’ll bring a lot of money home tonight, Mr. Ronson.” a man on his early fifties uttered as he raised his glass of wine to Mark.

“That’s why I like doing business here, Chairman Goddesseth, the clients are too generous.” Mark also raised his glass to the middle-aged man, as a show of respect. “Now, that your stepson is back to his own country … we can continue doing business here, right?”

“Of course, Mr. Ronson.” Amadeus chuckled. “I didn’t build this place underwater just for sight-seeing. It’s for this kind of event.” he sighed before he continued. “I apologized about my boy, he’s a novice in business that’s why he’s too righteous in managing the hotels. Give him some time, he’ll find his way to our side soon.”

Amadeus Goddesseth, an American tycoon whose business is solely on hotels, grand hotels to be exact in four prosperous states in America, that’s how he managed to be a millionaire in years.

What makes him a multi-billionaire is his illegal businesses, he’s a hotelier for the public but on the dark side of the society he’s a big boss of a mafia, and Mark’s gang is just one of the underground organizations he managed.

Hearthof knows about this fact about Amadeus, it was too late for him to backout when he found out the dark side of his loving and caring stepfather.

Thus, in order not to meddle with Amadeus ‘other’ business in the hotels in America, Hearthof built the first Goddesseth Hotel in South Korea, as he turns a blind eye with Amadeus transactions with the mafias.

That’s the main reason aside from the fact that Hearthof wants to pursue Hestia while making his own name in the hotel industry in his country of origin.

In the President’s office of Goddesseth Hotel in Seoul …

Everything is glossy black and gold that signifies how rich and powerful the office owner is, who’s currently sitting in his swivel chair and looking at the men in black lazily.

“Are you sure that they are Ronson’s men who got Lee Hoon out from the basement?” Hearthof asked his head of security coldly.

“Yes, Sir. I’ve seen the man before when we were in America.”

“How did he even provoke his gang?” Hearthof took off his eyeglasses as he thinks of every possibility while cleaning the lenses although there’s nothing on it but invisible dust.

Benny came in straight to Hearthof’s office without sparing a glance to other men but his boss, “President, Lee Hoon is found dead near the Han river.”

“Figures, at least it’s not here. A bloody murder is the last thing I want to be the headline relating to our hotel.” Hearthof stood up and put on his coat. “Since we’ve got nothing else to do now but wait for the news tomorrow morning, let’s just go home and rest.”

However, Hearthof isn’t satisfied that other person had their vengeance on the people that tortured his family before, in just one night everyone in that gang died in the most brutal way.

The next morning, the news about Lee Hoon and the rest of his father’s gang has been murdered, it was all over the TV and radio that made the All Saint’s day gloomier than ever.

Multiple dead bodies were found in different part of Seoul.

And the media portrayed the killers as the beasts unleashed last night as everyone were killed in inhumane way.

Hearthof is watching the news while having his sumptuous breakfast, he knows the men behind the horror that suddenly spread in Korea, they’re in the payroll of his stepfather.

But his stepfather didn’t give the orders directly as Amadeus promised him that he let him handle his own business, his stepfather is a man of his words, thus there must be someone who hired the assassins of Ronson’s gang to annihilate Lee’s gang.

Retribution is just a piece of cake to those who have power.

In the Nevaeh residences …

Since it’s the first day of the month, the whole Nevaeh clan went to church first thing in the morning and visit the cemetery before having a banquet at the North Mansion for lunch.

That’s how Hestia’s family gathering every first day of the month, aside from birthdays and Christmas.

Because it’s the first day of November, after having meal altogether, they settled for a movie outdoor as their event.

Hestia never like watching horror movies but for the sake of the occasion and making her nieces and nephews cry, she agreed reluctantly to watch with everyone.

“AAAH!” Hestia screamed as she hit Pluto, her third brother, back, shoulder, whatever part she can hit him.

She’s screaming along with the children who are in their parents embrace while watching the movie.

“I really shouldn’t be sitting beside you when watching horror movies.” Pluto sighed helplessly as he submitted to his fate as Hestia’s punching bag for two hours. “Why don’t you hit Don too? I’m not the only one sitting beside you. You only used him as a cover but I’m the one getting hit over and over again.”

“Why would I hit the person who feeds me?” Hestia leaned on Poseidon’s side and open her mouth as the latter feed her nachos.

“Tch.” Pluto sneered to Hestia’s acting like a baby. “Don, stop feeding her, she has her own hands.”

“It’s fine. It’s not liked every day I can spoil our baby sister.” Poseidon, Hestia’s second brother, said while looking at Hestia dotingly. “You want some? You’re my baby brother too.”

“Nah, I’m good with my burrito here.” Pluto took a bite on his own snack while he’s not being hit by Hestia.

Hestia looked at Pluto’s burrito disdainfully, her and Pluto’s preference in food are completely opposite, and fortunately they don’t have to share and eat the same food, as she can’t stomach what he digests.

Same with her first brother Zeus, who likes eating junk foods that she detests the most because they’re unhealthy, and speaking of which, Zeus is enjoying his hamburger while her niece, Athena is looking at his father eating smugly.

Athena is currently the youngest Nevaeh, she’s only 3 years old and yet her parents let her watch horror movie as if it’s the normal thing to do to cultivate a baby’s mind while growing up.

Parents really have different approaches in raising their children.

After watching horror, for the children to somehow forget what they just watched, a fantasy-adventure movie was next.

Just for four straight hours, the whole family was watching movies on the large white screen with the use of projector while basking in the sun along with the autumn breeze.

When the day ended, everyone went to their own mansions, since Hestia’s second and third brother doesn’t have their own families yet just like her, the three of them are still living in the South Mansion with their parents.

The next day, even though it’s Monday, it’s still holiday, so Hestia bonded with his two older brothers before they leave on the evening, Pluto going back to Canada while Poseidon will board to the cruise again for another expedition in a month.

Poseidon is a marine engineer while Pluto is mining engineer, the Nevaeh is actually a family of engineers.

“Tia, what’s with the fake diamonds on your vanity table?” Pluto noticed the display necklace on the table.

“What fake?? That’s the ‘Pink Magic’ that Lola gave me.” Hestia looked at Pluto as if he’s an i***t.

“You’re kidding right?” Pluto walked towards the vanity table and took the necklace to examine. “This is definitely fake. You can’t fool me as I’ve seen all kind of stones in my field of study.”

“No, this is really the ‘Pink Magic’.” Hestia took the necklace from Pluto’s hand. “Where else should I get a fake one to display??”

“Look, you can observe diamonds sparkle to determine if it’s real.” Pluto rummaged inside Hestia’s drawer. “See this diamond ring, there’s bright shimmers of light bouncing off the diamond. A real diamond provides an exceptional sparkle since it reflects white light extremely well. Compared to the diamonds on that necklace that gives off a notable rainbow light. That’s definitely fake!”

“No way!” Hestia shook her head vigorously. “This can’t be fake; Lola won’t give me a fake jewelry!”

Poseidon took the necklace from Hestia. “Of course, what Lola gave to you is real but this one …” he trailed off and pursed his lips. “It’s been replaced. When did you take this necklace out?”

“Last Saturday, I wore it at the Halloween Party in the Goddesseth Hotel.” Hestia watching her necklace being dismantle.

Poseidon scooped one of the diamonds out from the silver-like metal which obviously also replaced and put the fake diamond into the glass full of water.

“If the diamond is real, it will drop to the bottom of the glass due to the high density of the stone. If it’s a fake, it will float on the surface of the water.” Poseidon did the test while he explained.

The diamond floated after sinking for a second, it’s really fake!

Hestia recalled all the events that happened that day and she arrived into one conclusion, the ‘Pink Magic’ had been swapped while she’s in the box during the magic show.

“No … no … it can’t be. I’ve watched their shows before in America, they can’t be thieves.” Hestia still convincing herself that she’s not wrong with judging people.

Poseidon and Pluto exchanged glances to each other and asked Hestia in unison, “Who’s they?”

“The Whoops! You know, Jeff Bhasker the magician, Lady Starlight the illusionist, and Neon Pryta the mentalist. They’ve been performing magic shows in America for a few years now.”

“You know them?” Poseidon asked Pluto.

Pluto shook his head. “Doesn’t ring a bell.”

“You guys …” Hestia said in frustration. “They’re quite popular like the Copperfield famous! You sure never heard of them before?!”

“The Whoops, sounds shady to me like oops! They’re thieves!” Poseidon joked and he’s the only one who laughed on himself.

“Nice try Don!” Pluto consoled his trying hard older brother. “But Don has a point, they’re thieves! Mom and Dad needs to know this.”

There wasn’t no other instances that the ‘Pink Magic’ could’ve been swapped only at that time, and the fact that the person in the box with her is blurry in her memory, something must’ve occurred during that moment and Hestia got a hunched that she’s been hypnotized, which led to the primary suspect who can do mental magic among the three, it’s Neon Pryta!

Hestia’s brothers talked to their parents and Hestia told everything from the moment she got on stage to the part she got home late night.

Her parents agreed to her that ‘The Whoops’ are the primary suspect as she’s been followed by her security team all the time except for that moment she’s alone on the box with a stranger.

Since it’s a case of theft and the object stolen holds a sentimental value to their family as it was a gift from the deceased matriarch of the Nevaeh clan, Cronus, Hestia’s father, reported it to the police and the officials made their investigation right away.

The next day, the police officers handling the case went to the Goddesseth Hotel to conduct their investigation.

As much as Hearthof wants to coordinate with the investigation, he doesn’t have any information about ‘The Whoops’, the identities of the three aside from their stage name are unknown and the assistants working with them as well as their manager used fake IDs during the registration upon entering the hotel premises.

Hearthof can’t deny the fact that there was a serious security breach that night but he won’t disclose about the assassins who took Lee Hoon out from the basement.

That same evening, Hearthof went to the Nevaeh residences.

At the South Mansion …

“Hestia, I’m sorry. I should’ve been more careful. It’s my fault that you lost your necklace.” Hearthof apologized sincerely.

“No, don’t say that. It ain’t your fault. You’re also a victim here. Who knows that those group of entertainers are actually thieves!”

“I’ll make it up to you. I’ll ask my stepfather’s help to find those people, he has connections everywhere in America.” Hearthof assured Hestia to make up for his mistake whatever it takes.

Hestia pursed her lips. “Thank you. I appreciate your help. I want to get my necklace back as soon as possible.”

“Of course, you should reclaim what’s yours.” Hearthof tucked the strand hair on Hestia’s face under her ear. “You’ll get it back, I promise you. I’ll get ‘Pink Magic’ back to you.”