Chapter 1535 No Matter the Cost
“We're not even divorced yet, and it's clear he's interested in you. How can I not be on guard?” Timothy huffed, turning to ask
Johanna. “Do you know why he's still unmarried in his thirties?”
Johanna glanced at him. “Zander is in the same class as me and is six months older than me. He's just thirty-one.”
“Isn't he in his thirties too?” Seeing her speak up for Zander, Timothy felt a pang of jealousy. “He's a scumbag, and worse, he's a
playboy who swings both ways. He couldn't win over Genevieve in high school, and now he's trying to pursue you. Jojo, you
should avoid people like him.”
Johanna quickly grasped the meaning of 'swings both ways' from his mouth. “He just came to deliver a bouquet of flowers.
Where did you get the idea that he's pursuing me?”
Timothy asked, “If he didn't care, why would he personally come to deliver it?”
As Timothy responded to Johanna, he quickly unwrapped the gift from Zander. To his surprise, it was a painting of a sunset,
seemingly the work of a renowned contemporary artist.
Johanna asked him. “What did Zander send?”
“It's just a painting, and not even a good one at that.” Timothy quickly stuffed the painting into the bag before Johanna could take
a look.
He passed his gift over. “Jojo, open it and see.”
He had already stuffed the box into Johanna's arm, leaving her with no choice but to tear open the seal on the box. From within,
she pulled out a framed oil painting.
Johanna instantly recognized the artist of the painting and exclaimed in surprise, “This is 'Sunset at the Rocky Mountains' by
Albert Bierstadt. I just saw it a while ago at Yuvan's art gallery. Where did you get this counterfeit? It looks so convincing.”
“Don't you think it's genuine?”
Johanna said, “Albert Bierstadt passed away at the age of thirty, leaving behind only a few works, so each one is very expensive.
Yuvan said that this sunset painting is the treasure of Luna Art Gallery. It's not something you can buy with tens of millions. He is
extremely fond of paintings, so he probably won't sell it to you.”
“He didn't get enough money from others,” Timothy pointed out astutely. “I noticed you really like this painting, so I bought it from
him by paying double the price.”
Johanna paused for a few seconds. “So, how much did you spend?”
“It's not much, just one hundred and thirty million,” Timothy added. “We're not divorced yet, so my money is your money. This is a
gift I bought for you with our shared marital assets.”
Johanna understood what he meant. “Didn't we sign a prenuptial agreement?”
“It seems I've misplaced it accidentally.” Timothy shrugged, his face innocent. “I asked the lawyer earlier, and even his assistant
doesn't know where that document was put.”
For a moment, Johanna didn't know what to say.
Timothy had effectively blocked all her escape routes. He openly gave her gifts, leaving her with no reason to return them,
cleverly maintaining a delicate connection between them despite their separation.
“Jojo, where should we hang this painting? I think it would look pretty good on the first floor.” Timothy tactfully changed the
subject.
“Do I want someone to trash my shop again by hanging a one hundred and thirty million painting here?”
“No worries, there is a surveillance camera at the entrance, and I've also had high-definition hidden cameras installed on the first
and second floors.” Timothy pointed in the direction of the hidden cameras.
Johanna's fear was that one day, a connoisseur might walk into the shop, recognize the authenticity of the painting, and harbor ill
intentions.
She decided to hang this painting in her apartment.
Timothy helped Johanna clean up the packaging bags on the table and casually tossed Zander's gift into the bag as well. “Jojo,
focus on your work. I promise to find the person who vandalized your store within a week.”
He had to work and also take care of Asel, so Johanna didn't want to trouble him. “I've recorded a video. I'll the police and I think
this will do.”
Timothy said, “The perpetrator struck in the early hours of the morning, and there's not even a surveillance camera around. Even
if you call the police, there's nothing they can do. It's not a big deal, so let me handle it.”
Since he said that, Johanna couldn't find the words to refuse. “I appreciate your help,” she said.
“Jojo, I never realized you had two faces.” Timothy leaned closer to Johanna, his warm breath breathing on her ear. “You're cold
toward me during the day but refused to let me go at night. You even want to devour me.”
He asked softly, “When do you plan to devour me?”