Chapter 250

Chapter 250

Because Thea had no manners, Isabella had a very poor impression of her and naturally didn't want to accept her gift.

So she said, "No need for gifts. I don't need anything."

Thea's expression shifted slightly, but she pushed on. "I spent a fortune and went through a lot of trouble to get this for you. It's my way of showing I care. If you don't accept it, I'll be really hurt."

As she said this, Thea put on a pitiful look, though there was an edge of forcefulness behind it — like Isabella had no choice but to take the gift.

Left with no other option, Lawrence stepped in and took it on Isabella's behalf to avoid any open conflict.

"Go ahead and open it, Isabella. It's still the child's good intentions."

Isabella had no choice but to open it. She pulled out a scroll painting and unrolled it to find a landscape.

"Isabella, this is an original Albert Bierstadt. It's priceless — I paid five hundred million for it." Thea said this with a face full of pride, her eyes carrying a hint of challenge as she looked my way.

I gave the painting a quick glance and could already tell it was a fake.

Though there was a flicker of surprise in Isabella's eyes, she still said, "Where did you buy this? As I recall, this painting was auctioned off ten years ago and purchased by an elderly woman named Kenna for three hundred million. How did it end up in your hands?"

"I bought it from Ms. Kenna's grandson. We're very close, and... he even pursued me at one point." As she said this, Thea's expression turned coy.

Watching her, I just found it funny.

Chris also wore a proud smile and said in a tone of mock reproach, "This girl, sharing something like that — don't mind her. It's just young people's business."

"Does Kenna even have a grandson?" Lawrence asked, looking puzzled.

I calmly added, "No. Kenna never believed in marriage. She's seventy-six years old and has never been married."

At that, Thea turned on me. "Charlotte! What's that supposed to mean? Are you saying I lied to everyone?"

"I never said you lied to anyone. But it looks more like you were the one who got fooled."

Thea's face darkened again. "That's nonsense! I was not fooled!"

"You sure about that?" I narrowed my eyes slightly.

"Of course! I was even pursued by Kenna's grandson — obsessively pursued! That's exactly why I was able to buy this painting from him for five hundred million!"

I raised an eyebrow, a faint smile playing at the corner of my lips, watching her with quiet amusement.

"Setting aside the fact that Kenna has no grandson — even if he were really her grandson, if he was chasing after you, why would you still need to pay five hundred million to get the painting from him? Three hundred million was already a record price at auction. How do you explain that?"

Thea's face flushed red all the way to her ears. She forced a stiff smile and said, "That... that's because I didn't want to take advantage of anyone. And... and Kenna loved this painting very much. I didn't want to just take something she treasured, so I paid full price."

"Does that even sound reasonable to you?"

"What is your problem! I was kind enough to give Isabella a painting! What does it have to do with you?" Thea dropped all pretense and let her true colors show.

I noticed the expressions on the older guests had all gone sour.

Isabella in particular looked like she was ready to throw them out any second.

"Thea! Watch yourself!" Chris couldn't hold back any longer.

But Thea had clearly been spoiled her whole life and had no sense of reading the room.

She kept coming at me. "You'd better explain yourself! I spent five hundred million! I'm not letting you get away with this!"

I tilted my head slightly and watched her lose it.

"Done throwing your fit? Then I'll do you the favor of explaining."

That only made Thea angrier. She slammed her hand on the table. "Just say it already! You're the crazy one! Stop acting!"

That instantly wiped the expression off Edward's face. Isabella, who clearly had a heart condition, was visibly startled and instinctively pressed her hand to her chest.

"Keep this up and get out." Edward's voice was ice cold.

Chris panicked and immediately scolded Thea. "Xiaolin, calm down! Keep your voice down — don't you know Isabella has a heart condition?"

Thea pressed her lips together and said, "I'm sorry, Mrs. Isabella. I just got too upset. I chose this gift especially for you, and I didn't expect it to be questioned the moment I gave it. I lost my temper."

Isabella's face stayed blank, but it was clear she was not happy.

Lawrence reached over and gently patted her hand to comfort her.

"First, Kenna never married and has no grandson — not a biological one, not an adopted one. Second, this painting is obviously a fake, and a machine-made copy at that. Can't you tell? Well, I suppose not — you didn't study art, so of course you wouldn't know. And another thing: this painting is from the 19th century, so the scroll should be genuinely aged and worn. But the wear on your painting is clearly artificial, and the yellowing is just paint." I laid it all out clearly.

Thea's face went through several shades of red and white. Chris, still choosing to side with his daughter, smiled and said, "Let's not get hung up on whether the painting is real or not. Let's say Charlotte is right. Either way, Thea gave it to Isabella out of kindness, and at the end of the day, it's the thought that counts, isn't it?"

I smiled faintly and said nothing.

But Edward wasn't having it. "First, my fiancée is right, and I trust her completely. Second, since it's a fake, we don't want it — and we're not short five hundred million. And third, Thea, you were disrespectful to my fiancée just now. You owe her an apology."

Thea's face went livid. "Edward! How could you do this! I've known you far longer than she has!"

"Only my grandmother and my fiancée call me Edward. Please address me as Mr. Fairfax." Edward's face was expressionless.

A flash of embarrassment crossed Thea's eyes. She tried to hold herself together, but the awkwardness was impossible to hide.

Chris felt the sting of it too.

Isabella's expression hardened. "If there's no apology, then please leave — and take the painting with you. Nobody gets to bully Charlotte. Not on my watch."

That sent both of them into a panic. Thea froze, clearly not expecting Isabella to value me this much.

Chris turned on her sharply. "Apologize right now! Ask everyone for forgiveness! Or I'll tell your parents when we get home and they'll make you regret it!"