The Charismatic Charlie Wade

Chapter 5518

Upon seeing the cryptic text, Maria wasted no time chiming in, her voice laced with curiosity, “Maria, I’m pretty sure the borough in question here is Queens, New York. That photo? Yep, definitely Queens. Now, this guy “Cole”, is obviously a last name. And I can tell by his look that he has Chinese descent. The catch? We don’t have a clue what his first name is.”

“You’re spot on,” Jagoan concurred, his brow furrowing in deep thought.

He mused, “There’s something oddly familiar about this Cole fellow. But, try as I might, I can’t put my finger on where I’ve seen him before.”

Maria reassured him, “Don’t rush it, Master. That sense of familiarity might stem from a fleeting memory. It’s there, just beneath the surface. All you need is to give it some time, let it simmer. Trust me, the answer will come to you.”

She probed further, “Besides the familiarity, anything else about this whole scenario that strikes you as odd or strangely familiar?”

Jagoan, still massaging his temples, replied, “You know, Maria, there’s more to it than just the familiarity. Looking at this picture, I sense something deeper, something profoundly familiar. But the specifics, they elude me.”

Maria breathed a sigh of relief, “Master, don’t fret. Let’s piece this puzzle together. First, let’s talk about the attire of your dad and this Cole character. Anything noteworthy there?”

Jagoan scrutinized the photo and replied, “Dad’s sporting late 20th-century gear, a bomber jacket—pretty trendy back then. Cole, on the other hand, has on a regular woolen windbreaker, typical attire for the time.”

Maria probed further, “And what about Queens? Your parents lived in the States for years. Did Queens ever come up in your conversations or visits?”

Jagoan pondered for a moment before responding, “In my recollection, the States trips with my folks or visits to relatives with Mom usually centered around Long Island. Apart from that, we were Manhattan regulars. Queens? It’s all a bit fuzzy.”

Then, he added, “Even this antique shop—I only learned about it from my uncle a few days back. Never heard a peep about it from my parents.”

At this point, Jagoan’s expression froze suddenly.

Unaware of his abrupt change, Maria remained focused on the photo and suggested, “Perhaps we could contact your father’s former colleagues. They might recognize this person.”

But Jagoan, deep in thought, didn’t respond.

Perplexed, Maria prodded, “Master?”

Jagoan snapped back to reality at Maria’s query.

his brow and cheeks as he stammered, “I… I think I know why this man

taken aback and pressed,

and I had this strange

what he was doing, insisted on visiting an antique shop to ‘broaden his horizons,’

The Young Master got the ‘Apocalyptic Book’ from the remains of

nodded and pointed to the man beside his father in the photo, muttering, “He

over 20 years ago, taken with your father in

Hill was Vintage Deluxe, owned by the Moore family. At the time, it wasn’t a prominent part of the Moore family’s business empire. Jasmine Moore, the current head of the Moore

his

his uncle mentioned that his parents had found the Preface to the Apocalyptic Book,’ hinting at a connection between the two texts. But now, he stumbled upon a

was Felix who had handed the jade pot and spring vase to his father-in-law,

swiftly grabbed his phone and dialed Jasmine’s number. If anyone

her voice lighthearted, “Why the late-night

me if Felix, the former manager of Vintage Deluxe, still works

utterly rude to you and your father-in-law, and he utterly failed to recognize the true value of the jade

Jagoan probed further. “Do you have any

no idea,” Jasmine admitted. “I never saw him

another question, “And when did he start

there for just over a month, maybe less than

This timeline felt deliberate, like Felix had

the one who hired

had my share of issues with my uncle and cousin. So they handed me Vintage Deluxe. It was struggling, and

further, “Why

both Eastern and Western antiques, humble, well-educated—the guy had a compelling demeanor. His answers during the interview were smooth, eloquent, and he didn’t demand

out so ill-tempered, insulting your father-in-law and failing to recognize your incredible restoration skills.

knowledgeable, humble, and well-educated is

floated through the phone, “Jagoan, what sparked your sudden

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