Chapter 87 No Such Good Fortune
"Grandpa knows how long I spent on that painting. Even if Catherine took over the gallery, she can't just throw it away like that. I know Catherine has never considered me family. It's all my fault."
Seeing Esme crying so hard she could barely breathe, Bethany softened a bit.
"Alright Esme, let's wait until Catherine gets back and ask her about it."
Inside, Esme's heart was twisted with resentment.
Just wait and see what Catherine has to say!
Once the Windsor family finds out she deliberately targeted me, they'll definitely kick her out!
An hour later.
Alexander parked the car at the Martinez Mansion entrance. "I still have some work at the company. Please give my regards to your grandparents."
Catherine stood by the car door and nodded.
"Okay. Next time if you're really busy, you don't need to come find me for dinner. We can talk about things over the phone."
She actually knew Alexander had been so busy lately entirely because he wanted to make time to go with her to meet Ethan.
To meet Ethan, having people from Galactic Aurora Collective and Faceless Ones would be enough. She would make complete preparations.
Alexander sat in the luxurious car. Hearing this, he suddenly looked up, his eyes flickering as he gazed at Catherine.
"I want to be with you."
He worked overtime like crazy, processing company financial reports while waiting for her, all just because he wanted to be with her.
After spending so much time together, Alexander had come to understand Catherine's temperament.
"I'll have someone send in the gifts for your grandparents. You go ahead."
Catherine felt her face heat up under his intense gaze, then turned and entered the Martinez Mansion.
Only after her figure disappeared at the entrance did Alexander's car engine start, leaving the Martinez Mansion.
Aurora immediately came up when she saw Catherine walk in.
"Catherine, did you eat enough tonight? Alexander called to say you were having dinner together, so we didn't save you any food. Do you want to eat more? I can make you something."
Catherine hadn't expected Alexander to call Aurora ahead of time, and felt a warmth in her heart.
"I'm full, no need to cook."
Aurora looked behind Catherine several times but didn't see Alexander.
"Catherine, did Alexander leave already? Why didn't you ask him to come in for some water before going?"
"He still has some things to do, went back to the company."
Aurora had thought Catherine and Alexander had some disagreement during dinner. Hearing that Alexander went back to work, she felt relieved.
Even with such a busy company, he still made time to have dinner with Catherine. Clearly Alexander took his marriage to Catherine very seriously!
Samuel was also very satisfied with Alexander.
From when he met Alexander on the yacht, he could tell Alexander cared deeply for Catherine. That look in his eyes couldn't be faked.
Samuel coughed twice and glanced at Esme still sitting on the sofa.
"Catherine, Esme says you threw away one of her paintings. What happened?"
Catherine realized Esme had come to complain to Samuel.
"That painting was a copy. It shouldn't have been hung in the original works area. I had the gallery manager dispose of it. The creator insisted it was original, but I don't think it's suitable for our gallery."
So that painting was a copy?
Samuel nodded. Although he also thought the painting's composition and lighting were handled perfectly, Esme really didn't have that level of aesthetic sense and compositional skill.
Esme bit her lower lip, looking pitiful.
"What right do you have to say that painting is a copy? It was clearly my own original work. If you don't like my stuff hanging in your gallery, just tell me. There's no need to humiliate me like this."
Catherine frowned slightly.
Was she implying Catherine was deliberately targeting her?
It was just a painting, and the real one was actually hanging in her study. Using such a reason to smear her reputation was really a low-class tactic.
Catherine said coolly, "Because the real one is in my study. The original painting 'Maiden Before the Mountains' is Dominic's work. Your painting just happens to be exactly the same as Dominic's work?"
Aurora also remembered there were indeed several oil paintings hanging in Catherine's study. She had thought Catherine liked oil paintings and had specially ordered several of Dominic's works, planning to secretly hang them up for Catherine!
Esme's eyes widened!
She said the original was in her study?!
Catherine could even accurately name the painting. Esme had only seen that painting once at a private exhibition and remembered it.
It must have been bought by Bethany and Aurora as a gift for Catherine. Otherwise, how could Catherine possibly get one of Dominic's works with her abilities?
Thinking of Bethany and Aurora's unlimited indulgence of Catherine, Esme's face twisted with emotion.
"That painting was my original work. I don't understand what you're talking about."
Samuel looked at Catherine, who remained calm and composed, then at Esme, whose eyes were darting around, and understood.
"Alright, Esme, go back for now. Your father said he'd give you his small gallery. If you like painting, manage it well."
Esme didn't understand why Samuel refused to believe her!
Just because she wasn't blood-related to them?
All of this should have belonged to her.
Seeing the matter resolved, Bethany also felt relieved.
As long as Catherine wasn't wronged, everything else was just minor squabbling.
"Go to the hospital to take care of your grandmother. I'll have someone send your painting to you."
"Okay, I understand."
Esme bit her lip, unwilling but afraid Catherine would cause her trouble. She grabbed her bag from the sofa and left the Martinez Mansion.
As soon as she walked out, Esme took a cab to Bright Heal Hospital and collapsed crying at Lila's bedside.
"Grandma! How could they treat me like this? Catherine threw away the painting I worked so hard on for two months! And she said I plagiarized."
"What did your father say?"
"Dad told me to let it go, that we're all family, told me not to worry about it so much. Even if we're not blood-related, Dad can't be this biased!"
Not blood-related?
Lila lay back down, squinting and thinking for a long time.
"Get me my phone. I need to call Bethany."
"Grandma, please don't fight with Dad because of me. I'm fine."
Esme said this while handing over Lila's phone, afraid if she was too slow, Lila wouldn't make the call.
Bethany was still with Aurora looking at new clothes when she answered the phone, planning to add another batch of clothes for Catherine.
"What is it?"
Hearing the laughter and joy on the other end, and thinking about how she was still lying in this cold hospital room with no one visiting her, Lila's anger flared up!
"You have the nerve to ask me? I've been sick for so long, and you won't come see me?"
Hearing Lila's voice, Bethany's cheerful mood deflated. "I arranged over twenty caregivers for you. Isn't that enough?"
"What good are caregivers? They can't compare to care from your own son. The old person in the bed next to me has their son personally taking care of them. I don't have such good fortune."