Chapter 107
O’Brien Master was still in a state of panic. “Stop! This is my painting! You’re ruining my work!”
Having heard from Elder Xeños that his son, Felix, was a police officer, he called out from the stage. “Martin! Felix! Hurry up and arrest this crazy woman!”
Felix stood up and said, “Sorry, this type of case isn’t under my jurisdiction.”
His meaning was clear: Caitlin could do whatever she wanted, and he wouldn’t interfere. He was also curious as to why she was acting this way.
“Shut up!” Caitlin snapped, her cold eyes glaring at him. “Now that I’ve signed the agreement, this painting belongs to me. I can do whatever I want with it.”
Everyone immediately realized that Caitlin was intentionally causing a scene.
Louis, relieved that no reporters had been invited and that the situation hadn’t escalated publicly, quickly stepped in to mediate. “Mrs. Vanderbilt, there must be some misunderstanding. How about we discuss this privately downstairs?”
“Louis, there’s no need for discussion!” Caitlin’s tone was calm yet filled with unyielding authority.
“Besides, I’ve already called the police. They should be here soon to handle the situation.”
Sure enough, moments after she spoke, four police officers entered the room. The leading officer displayed his badge.
“We received a report claiming that someone was impersonating O’Brien Master, engaging in fraudulent activities, and suspected of committing a large- scale scam. You need to come with us for questioning.”
The officer waved his hand, and two colleagues quickly moved to apprehend O’Brien.
“No! I didn’t commit fraud, let me go! Let me go!” O’Brien Master struggled.
“Stop yelling! Whatever you have to say, do it at the station!” one of the officers responded as they escorted him out of the venue.
The entire room was left in stunned silence. The sudden turn of events caught everyone off guard.
Louis could only apologize to the guests.
“Apologies for what happened. This was a lapse in oversight on the part of Lisson Gallery. We will fully cooperate with the police to investigate the matter. If it turns out to be a fraud case, we will void the auction agreement.”
Caitlin, however, interjected, “Louis, even though the painting is ruined and the agreement can be voided, the donation will not change. The 50 million will still be donated to the Red Cross, along with another 50 million, in the same manner,”
Louis was deeply impressed. “Thank you so much, Mrs. Vanderbilt, for your generosity and selflessness.”
A round of applause broke out from the guests, many of whom, despite their initial discomfort, couldn’t help but admire Caitlin’s actions. Martin and Felix, too, saw her actions as a noble gesture.
A woman who didn’t take a backseat to any man!
The event shifted to a cocktail party, with Louis inviting everyone to the reception. “Once again, we thank all our guests for your support. We’ve arranged this cocktail reception to express our gratitude.“/
After Caitlin’s earlier actions, she was the center of attention at the event. Louis, accompanied by several veteran artists, all sought to speak with her.
At this moment, Caitlin became the focal point of the evening.
Martin walked over and joined the conversation, “Mrs. Vanderbilt, I must admit, I had the chance to interact with O’Brien Master, but I never noticed
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Chapter 107
anything unusual. How did you figure out he wasn’t the real O’Brien?”
Felix, standing by looked at Caitlin with admiration.
“Yes, Mrs. Vanderbilt, how did you realize?” Everyone was curious about her method of uncovering the fake artist.
Caitlin smiled faintly and explained, “It’s actually quite simple. I’ve studied O’Brien’s works, and her techniques and style are not that difficult to identify The painting today was completely different from her usual work.
“Moreover, O’Brien is known for her secrecy and rarely makes public appearances, which allows people to exploit the situation.
“I’ve attended many art exhibitions in S country and have seen O’Brien’s work. I know her pieces are typically melancholy yet strikingly profound, carrying deep meaning.
“This painting, however, is all flash and no substance. It’s a far cry from O’Brien’s true style and intention.”
Her analysis was met with nods of agreement from the surrounding people, all of whom felt that her explanation made perfect sense.
Tonight, Caitlin had become the center of attention, eclipsing all the women present. The jealousy in the eyes of women like Jasmine and Yasmin was palpable as they looked at her with disdain.
Sebastian looked at him, confused. “What did she do?”
“She spent 50 million to buy O’Brien Master’s painting in your name, then donated another 50 million to the Red Cross in your name! In total, a billion! Isn’t that impressive?”
“Yes, exactly!”
Sebastian didn’t know how to respond. First, his reckless son had spent money on random things, now Caitlin was splurging a billion in a single move, without even blinking.
Why did he feel like he was being scammed?
Sebastian didn’t care about the money–it was just a thing to him–but he was curious. What could Caitlin possibly want with that painting? Did she think it was some kind of good luck charm?
Sat 31 May
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