So, the socialites turned their attention to Bryden Jones again.
If anyone else had bid 40 million, they would have been ridiculed as crazy.
But this was the esteemed Jones family’s young master, and someone quickly and tactfully reminded him, “Mr. Jones, don’t you see the painting? How could it possibly be worth 40 million?”
Bryden Jones replied calmly, “This painting is a long-lost masterpiece by the 19th-century European genius Vincent van Gogh. It’s an early work from his time in the Netherlands, and it has been lost to the world for many years. Forty million is already the lowest estimate.”
The entire room was in an uproar. No one expected that this child-like doodle was actually a divine work by Vincent van Gogh.
Many of Van Gogh's early works, especially from his time in the Netherlands, have been lost
Isabella inwardly mocked her father. His mood changed faster than flipping pages in a book.At first, she too had doubts about the painting, finding it hard to appreciate. However, she had always held an unspoken trust in Lucius’s words. Therefore, when the painting sold for 51 million, she wasn’t overly surprised.Isabella gave Lucius a knowing smile, which he returned with a similar expression.Lucius walked over to Carlos to explain. Although Carlos was still astonished and had a few reservations, the genuine painting before him overwhelmed his doubts, and he chose not to question further.On the other hand, Cynthia, still somewhat naive, couldn’t hide her burning jealousy. She was itching to rush forward and tear off Isabella’s façade, to make her a laughingstock in front of their father and the guests.Cynthia was deeply convinced that everything about Isabella was fake, a desperate attempt to cover up her deceit. How could someone as poor as
Isabella popped a cherry into her mouth, puzzled as she stared at the empty space where Samuel’s garden painting had been. Resting her chin on her hand, she muttered to herself, “It’s strange. Why did Dad have the painting removed? And why did everyone leave quietly?”Lucius glanced at the side room’s door and already had a clear understanding.He smiled meaningfully, clinking glasses with Isabella and playfully winking, “Looks like Samuel is in for a tough time.”Isabella’s curiosity was instantly piqued, and she pressed, “Why? Cynthia went to great lengths to get him from me, and my dad and stepmother are so pleased with him.”Lucius, with a touch of disdain, curled his lip and said, “He’s just a show-off. Your taste must be unparalleled if you think such a worthless man was your ex. Ugh!”He made a face of utter contempt, puffed out his chest, and proudly tapped it, subtly indicating to Isabella: ‘A handsome, refined gentleman like me is rig
When Carlos just entered the banquet hall, a few foreign guests approached, looking anxious.The butler politely greeted them and reported to Carlos, “Sir, these guests have come specifically for the art auction. Their interpreter is stuck in traffic and won’t make it to the banquet hall for a while. They heard that Young Master Cade has returned from abroad and knows many languages, so they would like him to temporarily act as their interpreter, allowing them to participate in the auction.”Carlos was very willing. His birthday parties always included such art auctions, which had gained a certain reputation in the industry. Foreign art enthusiasts often attended to find pieces they liked.Since they were his guests and it could help the auction, he was more than happy to oblige.Carlos quickly introduced the foreign guests to Cade and nudged him.Cade, who had been ent
Isabella had done nothing, yet she was suddenly cast as the villain—a sharp-tongued, petty woman with no trace of ladylike grace.Just as she was about to explain, the servant, emboldened, clung to her leg, crying, "Miss, I swear I didn’t mean to dirty your dress! How could I afford to replace such an expensive gown? Even if I sold my house, it wouldn’t be enough! If you dock my pay, what will my family live on?"Isabella nearly cursed aloud—she hadn’t said a single word this whole time! Yet, with the servant’s pitiful display, it seemed as if she had ruined her life.Moved by the servant’s tearful performance, the onlookers began to criticize Isabella:"Does she really think she’s some high-and-mighty young lady? Is it necessary to bully a servant like this?""How heartless. Can’t she just let it go? There’s no trace of dignity in her.""Such a p
The servant’s tears flowed like a river, her wails making it seem as though the sky was falling, evoking sympathy from the crowd. Isabella became the target of even more criticism, as Regina secretly rejoiced, thinking that this man’s interference only pushed Isabella further into the spotlight of disgrace.But Lucius remained calm and composed, as cold as ice. He patiently waited for the servant to finish her tearful accusations before responding in a frigid tone, "Go apologize to the Rivera family’s mistress and accept your punishment."The servant’s tear-streaked face stiffened, then twisted into a sly smile as she retorted, "The master ordered the young lady to apologize to the madam. I wouldn’t dare steal that honor."A dark cloud settled over Lucius’s expression, his eyes sharp as blades. "You deliberately pretended to slip, spilling wine on the young lady, which led to the mistress being scolded. Shouldn’t you apo
The maid covered her ears and burst into tears. It was all over for her now.She glanced at Regina’s face, dark as a storm cloud, and her fierce eyes, like a beast ready to devour. Terrified, the maid could only sob, “No one instructed me. I just can’t stand Isabella. I wanted to humiliate her. She’s just a country bumpkin pretending to be a refined lady, lording over us servants. I deliberately wanted to make her look bad.”The guests in the hall gasped in disbelief. It was indeed a strange world they lived in.From now on, people would need to be more careful when hiring servants. It would be a misfortune to bring in a housemaid who would plot to disgrace her master and tarnish the family’s reputation.However, it seemed there was more to this incident. The maid was clearly too frightened to speak the whole truth, afraid of offending someone.Carlos was both angry and humiliated. On such an important day, with so many distinguished guests p
Lucius gave her a gentle look, as soothing as a spring breeze, instantly helping her escape her anxiety.Ignoring Regina's hidden resentment, Isabella smiled and made eye contact with Lucius.Regina, almost driven to fury by Isabella's disregard, saw an opportunity when she noticed the wine stains on Isabella’s dress. A cunning idea crossed her mind.Regina quickly took Isabella’s arm and said with a concerned tone, “Isabella, your dress is so stained. How can you attend the party like this? Come with me, and we’ll get you changed into the dress I’ve prepared for you.”Regina inwardly sneered: ‘Hmph, now you have no excuse to refuse. If you wear that dirty dress to the party, it will look like you're intentionally tarnishing Carlos’ reputation. This trick is meant to trap you. Let’s see how you escape this one.’Carlos nodded in agreement and urged, “Go ahead a
Cynthia’s heart raced, her emotions stirred. Damn, how could this man be so incredibly handsome?Standing to the side, Samuel noticed the wine in Lucius’s hand.Whether by sheer luck or intentional choice, Lucius had picked a 1988 Lafite.If Lucius wasn’t being deliberate, then he must be an expert with a refined palate. Tasting wine is often a way for high society to flaunt their status.Could this pauper actually know about this? Whether by intention or accident, he had selected the most expensive wine.Seeing Isabella holding the wine, Cynthia felt a pang of disappointment and tried to dissuade her, “Sister, you know you can’t drink alcohol, right? It’s bad for your health. You should stick to juice.”Isabella was initially displeased with Lucius’s choice of red wine, but Cynthia’s comment made her more confident in Lucius’s decision. She shot
Hearing Hailey’s words, Cynthia felt a secret thrill and repeatedly agreed, “Yes, Hailey, Isabella is our common enemy. We must never let her off the hook.”Thus, the two envious and scheming women united in their animosity.As for Cynthia’s plan to have the posts deleted, that was a story for another day. The Riveras tried every means to remove them, but none succeeded, as the behind-the-scenes boss who posted them was someone no one dared to cross.The next scene being filmed involved a dance.As the lead actress, Cynthia naturally took the central position in the dance.Isabella, playing the supporting role of the gentle concubine, had to dance behind the lead actress.Cynthia was once known as the ‘Dancing Goddess’ due to her passion for clubbing; in the glamorous nightlife, she was the most dazzling and seductive queen.However, the current production was a historical palace drama requiring ethnic dance skills.This partic
Lysander, a bit taken aback, asked, "Why not? Cynthia has set traps on set and secretly slandered Isabella. If you don’t replace her, are you just going to let Cynthia continue to make things difficult for your Isabella?"Lucius’s voice suddenly grew deep and frosty. "If we remove Cynthia from the role, the Riveras will pull their investment. That money is essentially owed to Bella by the Riveras, and it should be paid to her. Why should we let them take it back?"Lucius’s voice carried a barely perceptible cold smirk as he looked at the bathroom door, touching the wound Isabella had bandaged for him. Although the scab had fallen off, the psychological terror Isabella had endured that night from the Rivera family—those helpless, frightened eyes like a young deer—still pained him deeply.His voice, now subtly heavy, grew louder. “If the Riveras withdraws their funding, it won’t affect them much. I want Cynthia to stay in the production and continue playing the le
Faced with overwhelming evidence, Cynthia had no way to defend herself. Every trick she wanted to pull unraveled before she could even speak.Someone shouted, “Cynthia, you brought us all here to the assistant director’s office to slander Isabella, didn’t you?”The onlookers, who had been dragged into this mess by Cynthia, were now desperate to distance themselves from her. That shout was clearly directed at the assistant director, pleading for forgiveness and hoping he wouldn’t hold a grudge.The director and Producer Aileen remained silent, as the truth was already crystal clear. There was no need for them to say more. Cynthia was caught, with no escape.Panicked, Cynthia tried to bluff her way out. "That love letter was just a prank between my sister and me. Nothing actually happened, you're all overreacting—”“Slap!”Before she could finish her sentence, Isabella delivered a hard slap across her face, causing Cynthia to see stars and nea
The assistant director remained composed, standing firm as he gave Hailey a calm, steady look. “So, what you’re suggesting is that I’m having an affair with Ms. Isabella?”Hailey raised an eyebrow, her lips curling in a sneer. She stared at Isabella with contempt. “Exactly. I like to call things as they are. You two were alone in your office—what else could it be but an affair?”“Who said they were alone?” A cold, sharp voice suddenly interrupted from behind the assistant director.Everyone turned toward the source of the voice, and a woman stepped out of the office.It was none other than the assistant director’s wife, Producer Aileen, who also worked on the project.The onlookers were stunned.What was going on? Why was the assistant director’s wife here too?Producer Aileen looked calmly at Hailey, her expression unreadable. She asked coolly, “Isabella was in the office for less than a minute, and you’re claiming she and the assist
If Isabella tries to clear her name now, it'll only make things worse—who would believe her anyway?Cynthia is probably stirring up more trouble behind the scenes, and it seems like most of the crew has already bought into her lies.The only way to stop the rumors is to force Cynthia to confess, to make everyone see her ugly true nature.With that in mind, Isabella started thinking about how to expose Cynthia.Despite everything, she acted as if nothing was wrong, carrying on as usual, completely unfazed by the stares and mockery around her.But Cynthia was running out of patience. She wanted to deliver a fatal blow to Isabella, to get her kicked out of the production—and maybe even out of the entire industry. It was time to make a bigger move.That evening, just as the crew was wrapping up, Amy approached Isabella with a file and said, "Isabella, the director wants to discuss the script for Lady Lucia. He needs to go over the lines with you.”Isabel
Isabella almost thought she’d misheard. She stared at the director in disbelief and asked again, “I can play the second female lead?”The assistant director, with a smile in his eyes, confirmed, “Yes, you’re cast as the second female lead.”Then he shifted his tone, “Although the second female lead plays a villain, it’s a highly challenging role and one of the key pillars of this drama. If performed well, it will shine brightly and win the audience's sympathy, gaining you countless fans. But if performed poorly, it will become a one-dimensional, uninteresting character, leading to criticism and affecting your reputation, which could hinder your future prospects. So, are you up for the challenge?”The assistant director’s gaze was intense and full of anticipation.Isabella nodded vigorously, confidently replying, “Director, trust me.”“Good. I’ll announce the final casting list soon. The role of the second female lead is yours.” The assistant direct
In the heavy armor, Isabella felt as if her legs were filled with lead, making each step laborious.She took a deep breath, using her core strength to try and maintain a valiant appearance.After numerous adjustments and attempts, her steps began to look more confident and graceful. The armor, instead of seeming cumbersome, added a substantial and authentic feel to her portrayal.Unlike many productions that use lightweight, superficial props, this armor, crafted from real iron, was heavy and lent a genuine sense of the historical battlefield.The weight of the armor, though exhausting, contributed to the realism of her performance, making the historical context feel palpable.Every step she took was a struggle, but she carried herself with unwavering determination, her feet steady and resolute.The armored general she portrayed wasn’t grandiose like a mythical hero but had a commendable presence, showcasing the strength and dignity of a wom
Isabella’s eyes lit up with excitement. “Of course, I’d love to. If the director gives me the opportunity, I’ll definitely perform well.”The assistant director was charmed by her enthusiasm and laughed heartily, “So confident! I like your drive. Alright, come on over and we’ll do the audition.”Isabella eagerly followed the assistant director.Her excited demeanor immediately caught Cynthia’s attention.When Cynthia learned that Isabella was auditioning for a special role, she was relieved.Although a special role was a step up from a temporary background actor, it was still quite demanding and tough, often involving dirty and strenuous work.Special roles, especially those requiring dangerous stunts, were usually assigned to tough individuals, so it seemed odd for a delicate girl like Isabella to be called for a special role.Curious about what role Isabella might play, Cynthia decided to follow along.Isabella followed the a
When Isabella appeared on set again, the most surprised were Cynthia and Director Martez.Seeing Isabella’s serene expression, Cynthia felt a bit uneasy and quickly forced a smile. “Sister, you finished the shoot so soon?”Isabella remained composed. “Yes, it’s done. Unlike you, who always seems to be acting.”The remark was sharp, and Cynthia immediately sensed the underlying tone.Cynthia pondered over Isabella’s reaction.Logically, she should have been upset after being scammed. But her calm and neutral demeanor made it hard to guess what had really happened.Director Martez watched as Isabella returned and felt a wave of anxiety. He knew that the announcement was definitely a fake scam ad. Perhaps this young lady had already been scammed, was in tears with nowhere to turn, and was coming back to blame him?Thinking this