Nathaniel Nathan kept his eyes fixed on Vera Xavier as he spoke. Vera saw the piece of jade, its quality so good it was off the charts, and said, "Wow, it was cut open so quickly! It really is Emperor Green!"
Nathaniel had a vast range of knowledge and had even studied micro-expressions, so he could interpret the look on Vera Xavier's face with precision. When she saw the jade, there was a flash of pleasant surprise and a bit of happiness, but none of it was significant. This was proof enough that she'd known the outcome all along. Her reaction was just an act for his benefit.
She was hiding something from him.
This conclusion made Nathaniel very unhappy, and he looked at her with a frosty expression.
Vera felt the pressure in the air drop significantly. She turned to look at Nathaniel's icy face and instinctively took a step back, asking, "What's wrong? Aren't you happy we found an Emperor Green?"
