Chapter64 Shoved into the Fountain
The day of the Radiant Vision art exhibition.
Brock arrived in formal attire with Carla on his arm.
Before, Carla had been the second wife who tarnished his reputation slightly. But now, she was Mrs. Carla, carefully cultivated by the Knight family and praised by the media as "a genius artist of exceptional talent and spirit." Nominally, she was hosting this Radiant Vision art exhibition.
So Brock believed she was worthy of standing beside him now.
People around him struck up conversations, proactively mentioning what the entire Knight family currently valued most.
"Mr. Brock, I heard the Knight family is about to sell this estate's land to Liberty Timber? And Liberty Timber has always been very generous with funding. With that money, won't your two children's companies be able to go public?"
Brock laughed heartily. "The collaboration with Liberty Timber was entirely negotiated by my daughter Vivienne. I don't know the specifics, but being able to work with Liberty Timber is the Knight family's good fortune!"
"So this news..."
"We'll be announcing it to the media and public at the ceremony shortly!"
Everyone quickly praised her. "Vivienne is truly accomplished for someone so young!"
Carla stood to the side, her eyes crinkling into crescents from smiling. And while Vivienne appeared shy on the surface, she was thrilled inside.
But then, a trembling voice spoke up.
"Excuse me, Mr. Brock, if you sell the estate to Liberty Timber to build a new processing plant, does that mean the entire estate will be demolished?"
"Won't that waste the exquisite architecture and carefully maintained gardens and plants?"
At these words, everyone's expressions stiffened.
They all turned around to see a young-looking girl with an intern reporter badge hanging from her chest.
Brock also glanced at her credential. Contemptuous amusement flashed in his eyes.
"What are you yelling about, little girl?"
"Liberty Timber is currently the most famous timber company. The economic benefits it brings are substantial. Besides, Liberty Timber is very charitable. Just the other day I went with their CEO to visit a newly built school in the slums. Sacrificing some Knight family buildings is nothing."
The female reporter's chest heaved violently. "But everything in the estate is Mrs. Laurel's life's work! And you're handing it over to Liberty Timber, a resource-wasting company criticized by environmentalists everywhere. This completely contradicts the charitable work Mrs. Laurel devoted her entire life to!"
"How is this any different from insulting Mrs. Laurel!"
As soon as Laurel's name came up, Vivienne's face fell.
She made a gesture. A security guard immediately rushed to the reporter, yanked the badge from her chest, and glanced at it before tossing it aside. "Just an intern from some tabloid. We're throwing her out right now!"
"Oh no, I was only telling the truth!"
The female reporter protested. She struggled with the guard but was still dragged away.
And Linnea arrived late at that moment.
Vivienne's chest still burned with anger. Seeing Linnea made her head throb even more. She hadn't forgotten how Linnea had played innocent last time and made their entire family offend Caius!
What a shame that poisoning hadn't killed her!
However... logically speaking, someone as protective as Caius, if he truly considered Linnea important, would surely torture the Knight family severely.
But after that incident, Caius did nothing except have the Knight family symbolically fire a few male servants.
He'd even directly handed over the highly prestigious Radiant Vision art exhibition hosting rights to the Knight family!
What did this mean?
It meant Linnea had definitely been played with and dumped by Caius!
Vivienne looked at Linnea with a cold smile.
Linnea looked at Vivienne with a pale face. "Hello, Vivienne, I..."
"Linnea, what are you doing here getting in the way?" Vivienne interrupted loudly. "This time, the list shows the secretaries and assistants Caius brought, and not one of them is named Linnea!"
Linnea's expression became even more stiff. "I'm Miss Selah's personal assistant this time. I came to ask about the location of Miss Selah's booth..."
"Oh, that powerless little designer?"
Vivienne covered her lips dramatically. She pointed to a corner booth near the restrooms that even emitted foul odors.
"Go ahead, Linnea. This is the booth we prepared for Miss Selah."
Selah's face turned ugly.
"...That garbage dump?!" And Linnea seemed to have reached her limit. She shrieked hysterically. "You're using such lowly tactics to humiliate me? Have you forgotten that my backer is... is Caius!"
By the end, she seemed to lack confidence.
This made Vivienne even more certain that Linnea had definitely been abandoned by Caius!
"What about it? The hosting rights for this Radiant Vision art exhibition were personally given to our Knight family by Caius! My mother believes that Selah's work lacks luxury and elegance, doesn't match the tone of the distinguished guests participating in the exhibition, so she removed her from the lead artist position. Is there a problem?"
Selah sneered. She pointed at Vivienne's nose and cursed.
"Vivienne, are you tired of living? You dare criticize my creative standards? Just this once, the Radiant Vision art exhibition has been ruined into chaos because of your family's vulgar and pretentious taste?"
"...What are you saying?!"
Having been cursed at like this, Vivienne also abandoned her pretense of propriety. She pointed at the pile of works beside Selah about to be exhibited and ordered the guards.
"Fine! Since you look down on our art exhibition, then you've lost your participation rights! 'Escort' you and your pile of work out!"
Selah paused, somewhat panicked. "You won't let me participate? Do you believe I'll have..."
But she was stopped by the tense-faced Linnea, who said in a low voice. "Miss Selah, haven't you always wanted to participate in the Radiant Vision art exhibition? Right now, the Knight family decides whether we stay or go. We must endure!"
Selah fell silent.
And when Linnea looked up again, she wore a submissive, pleasing expression.
"I'm sorry, Miss Vivienne. We were too impulsive, which made things unpleasant just now. Please don't make us leave..."
After seeing the clear pleading in her eyes, Vivienne laughed arrogantly.
"Hahaha... Linnea, even you have to beg people sometimes?"
She crooked her finger at Linnea. "You want to beg my forgiveness? Then come here and say some nice things. Maybe if I'm happy... I'll agree?"
Water misted in Linnea's eyes, but she still walked toward Vivienne on trembling legs.
Vivienne waited for her humble plea.
But the instant Linnea got close, Linnea's hand pressed on the back of her head and shoved her straight into the fountain beside them!
"Splash!"
This loud noise drew everyone's attention. Everyone looked over in shock.
Vivienne had completely fallen into the fountain. Her carefully styled hair and makeup were drenched dirty by the fountain's downward spray. And her diamond-studded dress that she'd gritted her teeth to buy was completely soaked through, vaguely revealing the fabric underneath...
"Hahaha... Vivienne, how does it feel to bathe in front of everyone? You didn't really think I was that weak, did you?"
Vivienne struggled. "Linnea, how dare you... ah!"
Linnea dunked her head underwater again.
Brock also saw this scene. His face looked terrible. "Linnea, you..."
His voice cut off abruptly.
Because he saw Caius getting out of a car.
"Mr. Caius, you're here!" Brock quickly said ingratiatingly.