SWNOVELS Chapter 147
Chapter 147
At 7:40 AM, Everard finally showed up at the entrance. Before he could utter a
word, the others rushed over, “Are you here to deliver the painting?”
With a nod from Everard, they hastily grabbed the artwork and scurried off to the
exhibition area.
Everard didn’t seem bothered and turned to Cordelia. Noticing Cordelia had no
intention of approaching, and even started to walk away, Everard could only
approach her and ask in a low voice, “Had dinner yet?"
Cordelia nodded, “Yes, I did.”
Their conversation was interrupted by a commotion nearby.
Cordelia, taken aback, moved closer just in time to hear Fanny's taunting voice.
“Come on, let's see just how good this knockoff is. Ha! As far as I know, there are
only five decent knockoffs out there. Apart from the one that got damaged
yesterday, the rest are in private collections! And I bet this one here is a cheap
imitation. Oh look, they're unveiling it..."
But her words abruptly stopped.
Silence fell over the crowd.
Cordelia pushed through to get a better look. As the painting was slowly unfurled,
a majestic and overwhelming presence swept over everyone, silencing the room.
Even Fanny was speechless.
Everyone stared at the painting for a long while before someone finally
exclaimed, This is incredibly lifelike; the aura is strikingly similar to the original.”
Heads nodded in agreement.
Only Ballaster stood aside, his expression one of utter shock, He pushed his way
through the crowd, scrutinizing the painting through his glasses.
As time ran short, he reluctantly commanded, “Quick, hang it up.”
The painting was gingerly mounted with someone murmuring. “Be careful, even
though we know it's a copy, it feels like we're handling an antique! Could it really
be as good as the original?”
From a distance, Fanny cried out in disbelief, “How can this be? How could there
be a sixth copy so similar?”
Only Ballaster kept to himself, suppressing a smirk.
This was no imitation. Mr. Watkins had brought the real deal! That original, after
being in the Ontoky Museum, was never loaned out again. It had fetched billions
at auction!
Mr. Watkins had apparently moved mountains to woo his girlfriend!
Unfortunately, the girl in question seemed utterly unaware of Mr. Watkins“ grand
gesture. Such a high and mighty figure, yet here he was, showing such humble
moments.
Ballaster couldn't help feeling a bit of amusement.
He fought to keep his grin in check and turned to Fanny, barking orders, “Who let
this outsider in? Security, take her down! She damaged a national treasure
yesterday, and here she is again—I suspect she’s up to no good. Call the cops!”
“Right!”
As Fanny was restrained and the police informed, Ballaster detailed her
suspected vandalism, and she was
taken away.
As the gallery opened, the high society ladies arrived for the viewing, witnessing
the entire scene, tarnishing Fanny's reputation completely
After the successful exhibition, the members of the Greenmeadow Art
Association gathered in the back office for a meeting.
Ballaster announced, “With Fanny arrested and the chairmanship vacant, it's time
for you to choose a new
chairman.”
No sooner had he finished than someone raised a hand, 1 nominate Lornal”
“Me too!"
“Me too!"
The room echoed with endorsements for Lorna, who tried to decline, “I'm not
even a member yet.”
Ballaster smiled, “Special times call for special measures. The Greenmeadow Art
Association is now in your hands.”
All this was of no consequence to Cordelia.
She was currently wandering the exhibition with Everard, lacking the eloquence
of Lorna and not understanding the art. She simply accompanied Everard in
silence.
Cordelia broke the quiet, “Do you understand these paintings?”
Everard replied, “I do.”
Cordelia probed, “...but you've been looking at me the whole time. How can you
understand?”
Everard chuckled softly, then said, “I understand paintings, but none of these
paintings are as captivating as you, girl.”
Cordelia was speechless.
Everard maintained a respectful distance before sighing.
Cordelia asked, puzzled, “What's wrong?”
Everard's voice held a hint of hurt, “We've been dating for over two months, and
this is our first real date.”
This wasn't exactly a date, was it?
Cordelia rolled her eyes, feeling like she was dealing with a whining little girl.
What was she thinking?
She kept silent, and Everard continued, “What's on your mind?”
“Thinking of you,” she replied curtly, making Everard pause.
But then Cordelia’s eyes, clouded with thoughts, met his as she continued, “...
thinking if you left now, I could go home, do some practices, and read a couple of
pages on elemental chemistry.”
Everard fell silent, then laughed, realizing his girl was as straightforward as ever.
He reached out and affectionately ruffled Cordelia’s hair.
In the evening, as the exhibition closed, the staff carefully removed the painting,
packed it away, and handed it to Everard with reverence.
Lorna made a point to ask, “Everard, where did you get this painting?”
Everard paused, then responded, “Borrowed it from a friend's place.”
Lorna cautioned, “...then be extra careful. This copy is too similar to the original;
it must be worth a fortune. You better return it quickly and don’t damage it.”
Everard nodded, “Will do.”
Inside the Midnight Scent
Chapter 147
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When Everard returned, Skyler had
already whipped up a hearty dinner.
The aroma filled the kitchen, and the
dishes were steaming hot, a
symphony of colors and flavors.
Everard tossed a painting across the
room, causing Skyler to scramble to
SES 3
catch it. “Dude, be careful! That piece
: " :
is worth a fortune!” The content is on
Novelxo.org! Read the latest
chapter there!
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After Everard cleaned his hands, he
sat down to dig into the meal. Skyler,
resting his chin on his hands, eyed
: “
him from across the table. “So, boss,
ie x . :
how's it going with Lia? You guys
Ca s ” »
hitting it off?” The content is on
Novelxo.org! Read the latest
chapter there!
Everard shot him a cool glance. “Got a lot of free time on your hands lately?”
Skyler clutched at his chest, feigning distress. “Hey, don't give me that killer look,
it scares the hell out of me
Then, leaning in with a mischievous grin, he prodded, “So, have you guys kissed
yet?”
Everard's silence was all the answer needed.
But Skyler wasn't done. “Rare, huh? What about hugs? Do you get one of those
every day?”
Everard remained silent, his expression unchanging.
“Not even daily “I love you's?"
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; 3
Skyler's face was a picture of
: «
confusion. “Really? None of that?
Calvert, the jerk, told me you were
I )
some kind of love quru. Boss, you're
. op n
moving at a snail's pace!” The
content is on Novelxo.org! Read
the latest chapter there!
Everard remained seated, a forkful of food poised midway to his mouth, rendered
utterly speechless.
Chapter 148