Chapter 319
Billionaire’s Missing Darling
âItâs over!
âIt was completely over!â
Doris took a step back, her complexion paling.
The others remained silent as well. Those who had advocated for Doris appeared somewhat embarrassed.
Someone even interjected forcefully, âWhen it comes to painting, itâs difficult to claim plagiarism.
Furthermore, Doris can replicate a painting after just one viewing. It demonstrates her remarkable skill.â
âWho said weâve only met once?â Olivia raised her head and spoke calmly, âThe circumstances surrounding the Fulham family starting the fire and whether the painting was truly destroyed remain uncertain. We must await the results of the investigation for a definitive conclusion.â
Doris suddenly raised her head, her eyes reflecting astonishment. She lightly touched her nose and asked, âAre you suspecting me?â
As she spoke, she wiped away her tears and continued, âWhat authority do you have to suspect me? I confess to the plagiarism of Bettanyâs painting, but that doesnât imply I set it on fire. Moreover=â
Before she could finish speaking, Oliviaâs tone had already grown impatient, and she furrowed her brow.
Ozymandias acted swiftly and promptly stepped forward to signal Doris. âCandidate, please head downstairs.â
As he uttered these words, he escorted her out.
Doris gazed back in a state of confusion. She hadnât had the chance to finish her statement.
Observing the situation, Winona couldnât help but chuckle and mockingly remarked, âMs. Taylor is quite overbearing, not even allowing a complete sentence.â
She deliberately made this for Mrs. Liebsig to hear, insinuating that Olivia was imperious and unyielding.
Surprisingly, after Mrs. Liebsig overheard this, she not only didnât view Olivia as domineering but even nodded in approval. âWe ought to escort her out. Sheâs a plagiarist, and itâs typical for her to argue.
Listening to her is merely a futile endeavor,â she asserted.
Winona seethed with anger, grinding her teeth in secret frustration.
âThis is excessive!
âBefore Olivia arrived, Mrs. Liebsig had always shown care and admiration for 11:44 Using Thing 5 we Hewer, since Oliviaâs arrival, Mrs. Liebsig seemed to focus solely on Olivia. We couldnât seem to notice anyone else anymore.â
Relecting on that time, it was Olivia who had prevented her from becoming Mrs. Liebegâs disciple. A sharp glint of resentment flickered in Winonaâs eyes.
The combination of past and present grievances intensified her aversion towards She was merely an individual who hadnât wielded a paintbrush in years. What justified Mrs. Liebsigâs high regard for her?
Winona Surrowed her brow slightly, contemplating a clever plan.
She turned her gaze to Mrs. Liebsig and proposed with a smile, âMrs. Liebsig, SÃNCE EMELJONEe is gathered here today, why donât we all create a painting and auction in The proceeds from the auction can be donated to charity in the name of the Pining Association.â
Thatâs a fantastic idenâ everyone concurred.
Winona cast a glance at Olivia, seemingly considering her interests. âMs. Taylor, boxing ceased painting for a while and not being particularly renowned in the art world may not garner a substantial bid if the painting is auctioned openly. To ensure firness, why donât we leave it unsigned?â she suggested.
What do you think? Winona turned to the gathered crowd for their input. All present nodded in agreement, finding the proposal to be a favorable one. Olatu gure a nonchalant nod.
She didnât care about this.
Observing Olvinâs nod. Winonaâs lips curled into a contented smile.
Rolling her eyes playfully, she remarked, âPainting can be quite timeâconsuming. Crafting a quality piece may require ten days to half a month. To ensure charity isnât hindered why donât we auction our existing artworks?â
Winonaâs proposal did indeed make sense. Once more, everyone nodded in agreement Every individual in the gathering was either a member of the Painting Association or held significant recognition in the art community. As a result, there were a plethora of exceptional artworks available for auction.
Ofta on the other hand arrived alone and without any artwork in tow.
Around noon everyone took a break and went out for lunch.
inona reclined in a lounge chair, closing her eyes to relax.
Her assistant. Clarissa, who was seated nearby, mumbled, âWinona, why donât you suggest having Olivia paint it live? Sheâs been away from painting for years, so sheâs probably out of practice. She might end up embarrassing herself.â
inona chuckled. Without opening her eyes, she spoke casually. âIt would be too 11:44 perest if we deliberately make things difficult for her. What one person desires, exy as well. Itâs better to be magnanimoux and allow her to select the finest As he brought up this topic. Wmonaâs eyes formed a sly crescent shape, her comedysing a chilly and disdainful expression. âSheâs been under Mrs. Zebsâs tage for countless Fears, yet none of her artworks have gained recognition. Itâs clear her skills are subpar. Even if I extend the offer for her to select the finest piece she likely wonât possess oneâ
Clarissa tally comprehended Winonaâs motive and couldnât help but chuckle, giving her a thumbs up âWinona, youâre truly considerate,â she praised. Following Auch, everyone reconvened and assembled in the thirdâfloor hall. A few individuals couldnât help but express their curiosity upon noticing Oliviaâs emptyâhanded arrival. âMs. Taylor, you didnât return to fetch your artwork?â Olivia responded nonchalantly. âThereâs no need to return for it. Here-â Before she could complete her sentence, Clarissa burst into laughter. âMs. Taylor, you donât have any artworks, do you?â
Winona interrupted firmly. âHush, what nonsense are you saying?â
Clarissa felt aggrieved. Tm not saying nonsense. Olivia didnât have any works to start with. Despite being Mrs. Liebsigâs disciple, sheâs virtually unknown, and she Jacks any artworks. Sheâs tarnishing Mrs. Liebsigâs reputation for no reason.â Despite the emotional tone in Clarissaâs words, they held a degree of validity. Among Mrs. Liebsigâs six disciples, the remaining five were wellâknown figures in the art world. It was solely Olivia who lacked this recognition, and it indeed seemed quite embarrassing.
A meddlesome individual even attempted to stir the pot. âMs. Taylor is only a few years younger than Ms. Manson. Ms. Manson has garnered fame for several years, whereas Ms. Taylor remains relatively unknown. The contrast is quite stark.â
I heard that in the past, Mrs. Liebsig had to decide between Ms. Manson and Ms. Taylor, and she ultimately picked Ms. Taylor. Well⦠even the wise can make mistakes, the busybody added, trying to fuel the fire.
The Painting Association was not a cohesive unit. While everyone held Mrs. Liebsig in high regard.
ViceâPresident Milton had been experiencing a remarkable upturn in his fortunes lately. His wealth had soared, and he had long aspired to secure a fullâtime position.
ViceâPresident Milton raised his hand to quieten the clamor. âLetâs not cause such a ruckus. Itâs not appropriate.â
He then directed his attention to Olivia, wearing a frown. âMs. Taylor, now that youâve consented to auction your artworks, you must produce quality paintings. Otherwise, if your pieces are included alongside the other works of the Painting Association, it might give the impression that a Painting Association member is merely here to fill the quota. Thereâs an assortment of mediocre pieces. This could needlessly dilute the reputation of the Painting Association.â
Ozymandias had been positioned behind Olivia all along. Hearing this, he couldnât hold back any longer and sneered, âHow intriguing. Since when did Olivia state that she wonât be providing any artworks?
Have you already seen her creations? It appears youâre underestimating her. Do you happen to possess clairvoyance or the ability to predict the future?â
âThen why donât you present your artwork?â Clarissa scoffed and approached The Girl Gracefully Performing Ballet. She bore a smug expression. âThis is Winonaâs masterpiece. It has received unanimous acclaim from everyone in the Painting Association, including President Luo, who has awarded it a perfect 6 out of 6 points. Thereâs no need for Ms. Taylorâs work to excel; it just needs to reach 2 points to match Winonaâs creation.â
âIsnât this standard quite reasonable?â she inquired, addressing ViceâPresident Milton.
ViceâPresident Milton nodded in agreement. âA score of 2 points is indeed not demanding. Anything lower than that would compromise the associationâs reputation.â