Obsidian Buddha, Three Million Dollars Debt

I was ordered to retreat into the mountains for three years. My mission was to focus on restoring a lost ancient technique of wood carving.

Once the project was finished, my mentor granted me leave to visit my family.

When my fianc heard the news, he didn't come to welcome me. Instead, he showed up at my doorstep with his new girlfriend. He had only one goal: to break off our engagement.

His mother stood there with her arms crossed, screeching at my grandmother.

"Your granddaughter has been gone for three years, playing with sticks in the woods without a word. She wasted three prime years of my Waylan's life. You must pay us three million dollars in compensation for his lost youth!"

My grandmother looked helpless and overwhelmed.

"Sianna didn't mean it. Before she left, she told us her work was special. She had to stay isolated from the outside world."

His mother let out a sharp, mocking laugh.

"Isolated? I bet she was just too ashamed to show her face! Anyone can carve wood. The old carpenter at the end of the street does it every day. He doesn't act like he's some top-secret national asset!"

"Besides, she could carve for a lifetime and still not compare to our future daughter-in-law. Today, with Lyndsey here, this engagement is over! And you won't get away without paying every cent of that money!"

I stood outside the door, almost wanting to laugh out loud. If I were just an ordinary woodcarver, her words might have crushed me.

But what I had spent three years carving was the Obsidian Serenity Buddha. It was a masterpiece lost for centuriesDa literal national treasure.

"This is far enough, Mr. Weaver. Thank you."

The Department of Cultural Affairs took my return very seriously. They had provided a private car and a security detail to escort me all the way.

The entourage was a bit much, and I didn't want to startle the neighbors in our quiet town. I just wanted a low-profile visit to see my grandmother. So, I asked Mr. Weaver to park at the edge of the neighborhood.

Mr. Weaver nodded respectfully.

"Ms. Blackwell, we will wait right here. If anything happens, please contact us immediately."

After saying goodbye, I followed my memory to my front door. Just as I was about to push it open, a shrill, nasty voice drifted from inside.

"Break it off! This engagement ends today, whether you like it or not!"

I froze for a moment. It took me a few seconds to realize it was Mrs. Chislett, the mother of my fianc, Waylan.

In my memory, she had always been a kind woman who praised my craftsmanship. Waylan and I had known each other since we were kids. It was she who had pushed for our engagement.

When I received the summons from the Department of Cultural Affairs, I knew I'd be gone for a long time. I told my grandmother I didn't want to hold Waylan back and suggested we end things then.

But back then, Mrs. Chislett refused to hear of it. Waylan had even sworn to wait for me forever, no matter how long it took.

I had been moved by his promise. I came back thinking we would finally discuss a wedding date. I never expected this nightmare.

My grandmother's voice sounded strained.

"Sianna will be home any minute. Can't we wait until she gets here to talk?"

"Wait for what? You're just trying to stall! My son is a famous food blogger now with millions of followers. He's worth tens of millions. Does your granddaughter really think she can still climb this social ladder?"

Mrs. Chislett hadn't come alone. She had brought a crowd of neighbors, surrounding our old family house.

The crowd started chiming in.

"Exactly. Waylan is a big-shot influencer now. His girlfriend, Lyndsey, comes from a family that owns a massive restaurant chain. They're a perfect match. Don't be selfish, you two. Don't ruin a good man's future."

Waylan stood in the middle of the crowd, looking smug. He had his arm around a girl, whispering softly to her.

"Don't worry, Lyndsey. For your sake, I'm ending this once and for all today."

My grandmother, a woman of integrity, was blushing from the public shaming. Seeing Waylan's resolve, she finally nodded with a heavy heart.

"If Waylan has found someone else, my Sianna isn't the type to beg. The engagement is off."

I thought that would be the end of it. But Mrs. Chislett's eyes gleamed with greed.

"Breaking it off isn't enough! Your granddaughter stayed in the mountains for three years carving junk. She wasted my son's time. We need to settle the bill!"

"My son makes hundreds of thousands in a single livestream. Three years of his time is worth way more than three million dollars!"

"The wedding is canceled, but the money must be paid!"

My grandmother had lived in this small town her whole life. To her, three million dollars wasn't just a numberDit was an impossible fortune.

She had never faced such a vicious scene. Her face turned pale, and her voice trembled.

"Sianna told us her work was confidential and she couldn't call. You all agreed to that back then!"

Mrs. Chislett sneered.

"Confidential? Tell me, what kind of job forbids a phone call for three years?"

"I... I don't know. Sianna said she signed a non-disclosure agreement. She couldn't say a single word."

My grandmother looked pained. Before I went into the mountains, I had indeed signed strict protocols. Even my family couldn't know the details. We only communicated through vetted letters. She knew I was safe, but not where I was or what I was doing.

Mrs. Chislett used this as a weapon.

"Confidential? It sounds like a pathetic excuse to me! What's so secret about carving wood? I bet Sianna was just working as some low-paid apprentice in a dusty factory. She was too embarrassed to come home!"

The neighbors nodded in agreement.

"That makes sense. Everyone around here knows a bit of woodworking. Why the secrecy? She was probably just making table legs in some sweatshop."

Some of them even started to snicker with contempt.

Mrs. Chislett tilted her chin up, looking down her nose at us.

"Honestly, your granddaughter is an idiot. She used to be the most talented girl in town. Her embroidery was legendary. People used to beg for her designs. But no, she had to go study ancient books and wood carving. She threw her life away!"

"On the other hand, my Waylan might not have been a scholar, but he's smart. He's a millionaire now. He's living the dream."

Waylan soaked in the envious stares of the crowd. His grin was so wide it almost reached his ears.

He had always been overshadowed by my reputation when we were younger. Now that he had finally "made it," he couldn't wait to rub it in.

"Grandma, I heard Sianna was coming back, so my mom and I came to settle this. Where is she? Is she too ashamed to face the neighbors as a lowly carpenter?"

"We aren't heartless. Just sign the papers and pay the three million. Then we can all move on."

I finally understood. They wanted me back then because they thought I'd be famous and rich. Now that they thought I was a failure, they wanted to dump me and extort a fortune at the same time.

Unfortunately for them, they had picked the wrong day to play this game.

I pushed the door open, my face cold as ice.

"Mrs. Chislett, your family begged for this engagement. If you want to break it, fine. But what makes you think we owe you a dime?"

"Furthermore, if Waylan is such a successful businessman, he should know that a verbal engagement has no legal standing. There is no such thing as compensation here."

Every eye in the room snapped toward me.

In the mountains, I wore simple linen clothes that were easy to move in. I hadn't bothered to dress up for the trip home. I was wearing a plain tunic and canvas shoes. My bag was even dusted with a bit of wood shavings and incense powder.

Compared to Waylan and Lyndsey in their designer brands and heavy makeup, I looked like a stray.

The neighbors who used to greet me with smiles now looked at me with pity and disdain. They were convinced Mrs. Chislett was rightDI was a total failure.

Even the neutral ones started drifting toward Mrs. Chislett's side. They wanted to distance themselves from the "loser."

Waylan held Lyndsey's hand, his head held high. He looked like talking to me was beneath him. It was a far cry from the boy who used to bring me snacks and beg me to teach him how to draw.

Mrs. Chislett looked at me with pure disgust. She wanted to get rid of a poor relative, but she didn't want to lose that three million.

"Time is money, Sianna! You wasted three years of Waylan's life. You think you can just walk away from that debt?"

"Look at you, looking like a beggar. You probably didn't make a cent in those mountains. Since we have history, I'll be nice. Sell this old house and give us a million as a down payment. You can sign a promissory note for the rest and pay it off over twenty years."

I was so angry I almost laughed.

Over the last few years, the government had given me massive bonuses for the national project. I didn't just have three million. I could have paid thirty million without blinking.

But this was extortion. I wouldn't give her a single cent.

My grandmother saw me, and tears immediately filled her eyes. She grabbed my hand, her body shaking so hard she couldn't speak.

I knew she was terrified. She was a kind soul who didn't know how to handle bullies. She was scared this debt would ruin my life.

I squeezed her hand to comfort her. Then, I took out my phone to call the Director of the local Heritage Bureau.

Mrs. Chislett was clearly here to cause a scene. The Director was a respected veteran in town. If he mediated, things would go much smoother.

But as soon as the call went through and I said my name, he sounded rushed.

"Hello? Sianna? Look, the signal here is terrible. I'm at a meeting in the mountains. Let's talk later!"

He hung up. Mrs. Chislett smirked at me, her hands on her hips.

"Trying to call the Director? You're out of the loop, sweetie. My future daughter-in-law, Lyndsey, just donated twenty thousand dollars' worth of supplies to the local nursing home. The Director is busy escorting city officials on a tour. He has no time for a little carpenter like you."

"Oh, I forgot to introduce you. This is Lyndsey Vance. Waylan's future wife. Her father is the CEO of 'Gourmet Haven,' the biggest restaurant group in the state. She's a famous food critic herself. She doesn't just donate money; she gives free samples to the whole neighborhood."

Lyndsey fiddled with her diamond-encrusted nails. She didn't even look at me. The neighbors, having received her handouts, flashed fawning smiles her way.

Someone even tried to "advise" me.

"Sianna, stop wasting Ms. Vance's time. She has a TV segment to film later. Just be smart. Pay the money, sign the note, and let everyone go home."

I narrowed my eyes. They had planned this wellDusing money and social pressure to crush us.

But they had no idea who they were dealing with.

I let out a cold chuckle. From my bag, I pulled out a small obsidian box wrapped in silk.

"This is the 'National Master Artisan' badge recently awarded to me by the Department of Cultural Affairs. Since the Director is busy, why don't we go straight to the State Bureau and let them settle this?"

An old man standing at the back of the crowd squinted his eyes. He let out a gasp.

"That badge... I think I saw it on the news. It looks exactly like the one on the national special report!"

The room went silent as everyone stared at the exquisite badge in my hand.

Even Mrs. Chislett swallowed hard, looking nervous.

But then, Lyndsey, who had been silent, stood up impatiently. She snatched the box from my hand, glanced at it, and burst out laughing.

"'National Master Artisan'? My family creates stunts like this every year for marketing. You hire a few influencers, tell a story, and you can make up any award you want."

"The leaders of the Department of Cultural Affairs are high-ranking officials. Even my father has to book a meeting weeks in advance. Do you really think a mountain-dwelling woodworker has a real badge from them? There's a limit to how much you should lie."

With a look of pure contempt, she tossed the box aside. The badge, which represented years of my blood and sweat, hit the corner of the room like trash.

My eyes widened. I rushed to pick it up, but as I leaned down, Mrs. Chislett stepped on the box and ground her heel into it.

My expression went dark.

"Mrs. Chislett, what the hell do you think you're doing?"

Mrs. Chislett rolled her eyes toward the ceiling.

"Sianna, you used to be so talented. How did you become such a fraud? You brought a fake badge to trick us. If Lyndsey hadn't seen the world, I might have actually believed you. Honestly, you can buy these for fifty bucks at any tourist trap, right?"

The neighbors' faces shifted again. They started pointing fingers at me.

"Sianna, you need to be honest. How can you lie like this?"

"I knew it. How could a woodcarver get a national award? You can carve for a hundred years and you'll still just be a laborer. You don't get medals for that."

The insults flew. Even my grandmother's face went white. She asked me in a trembling voice.

"Sianna... is it really fake?"

I held my grandmother's shoulders.

"Grandma, don't worry. It's more real than anything in this room. I have never lied to you."

Ignoring the mocking glares, I pulled out my phone again and called Mr. Weaver.

"Mr. Weaver, I'm having some trouble at home. Please come here and take me to the State Bureau to see the officials."

"Understood, Ms. Blackwell. I'm coming right now with the team."

Mrs. Chislett shouted impatiently.

"What kind of act is this now?"

Waylan stood by Lyndsey, sneering.

"She probably realized her fake badge was a bust, so she's calling some paid actors to save face. Sianna, I guess you saved some money in the mountains if you can afford a whole cast. Stop wasting our time. Sign the papers and pay up. I have a Michelin dinner to attend with Lyndsey."

"Or are you just obsessed with me? Are you dragging this out because you can't stand that I'm successful and you're a nobody?"

Looking at his arrogant, pathetic face made me want to throw up.

"Don't flatter yourself. I have zero interest in a traitor like you. We are breaking this engagement, but I'm not giving you a single cent!"

Waylan's face twisted in rage.

"So what? You can play with your sticks forever, but you'll never be in our circle! You're just a lying, penniless loser!"

Just as he finished his sentence, someone came running in from outside, shouting at the top of their lungs.

"Mrs. Blackwell! Your granddaughter is a big deal! I just passed the entrance to the neighborhood, and there are several black SUVs with government plates parked there! Men in suits are asking for Sianna's house! They say they're taking her to see the top brass!"

"They're coming down the street right now!"