Chapter 257

Chapter 257:

Damari’s voice carried a hint of uncertainty as he spoke. If this painting truly was one of Curtis’s works, then its value could easily reach into the hundreds of millions of dollars. Madisyn simply smiled, choosing not to respond right away, leaving the room in suspense.

Hearing Damari’s analysis, Courtney secretly sneered. She didn’t hesitate to break Madisyn’s pretense, saying, “Oh Madisyn, your eye for art is impressive. Obtaining such a beautiful painting from a street stall must’ve been a real bargain.”

“A street stall?” Bruno was taken aback. “You bought this painting from a stall?” His shock wasn’t due to the fact that such a beautiful painting was bought from a street stall, but that someone would actually choose a gift for Damari from a street stall. She must be out of her mind.

Rowan and the others hadn’t anticipated this. They all stared at Madisyn in disbelief. Glenn frowned and was about to step in and explain on behalf of his daughter, but Madisyn calmly said, “That’s right. I bought it at a stall.”

Glenn was stunned, his thoughts racing. “Madisyn, my dear daughter, what was she thinking?” Bruno and his wife immediately displayed their disapproval. They were well aware that Madisyn had only recently been found. Predictably, she hadn’t grown up in wealth and lacked proper education and manners. Since she would stoop to buying a gift from a stall, she wasn’t on the same level as Courtney.

However, Bruno and his wife saw this as good news. A woman like Madisyn wouldn’t pose much of a threat once she married Andrew. “Madisyn, you certainly are unique,” Bruno remarked with a hint of irony.

Courtney’s voice chimed with a mocking sweetness. “Of course. Madisyn is truly clever. It’s not every day that ordinary people can find such a beautiful painting at a stall.”

“A painting is either genuine or fake. Where it’s purchased doesn’t change that,” Madisyn replied evenly. “You could buy a painting from a store, but that doesn’t guarantee it’s authentic. And just because a painting comes from a stall, it doesn’t mean it’s fake. The key is the buyer’s knowledge. Without careful consideration, someone could end up spending a fortune on a forgery.”

Courtney easily picked up on Madisyn’s mockery. She found Madisyn utterly absurd. “Are you seriously suggesting that my eight-million-dollar painting is a fake while the one you got for a few bucks is genuine?”

“Exactly,” Madisyn replied with confidence.

“Haha.” Sarai couldn’t stifle her laughter. Once she stopped laughing, she quickly explained, “It’s fine to say such things at home, Madisyn, but you shouldn’t tell others that.” She then turned to Damari, adding, “Mr. Klein, Madisyn has just recently come back home. She’s not well-versed in recognizing good art, so please don’t take her words too seriously.”

Sarai feigned kindness, but her real intent was to make everyone see Madisyn as naive and ignorant. Elaine was visibly displeased, but Madisyn gently took her hand and shook her head. Then she turned to Sarai and said, “Sarai, I understand that you’re the only one here who isn’t familiar with paintings, and I don’t hold that against you. But whether this painting is real or fake isn’t something you can determine with just a few words.”

“So, you’re convinced that the painting you got from a stall is real?” Sarai found this notion laughable.

“Yes,” Madisyn’s tone was unwavering.

Bruno and his wife were left speechless. “Well, Dad, since Madisyn is so sure, why don’t we call in Stan? He’s an expert in these matters. He’ll definitely know if it’s real or not,” Bruno suggested right away.

Madisyn glanced at him, and suddenly it made sense to her why Corbett enjoyed interfering with others’ matters so much—it clearly ran in the family. Damari’s tone turned cold. “Whether it’s authentic or not, the intention behind it is what matters.” He then looked at Madisyn and added, “I really like your gift, Madisyn.”

Madisyn felt touched. She hadn’t expected that Damari would stand up for her this way…

However, Bruno was upset. Did Damari say that because Madisyn was Andrew’s fiancée?

“Dad, I believe Madisyn is telling the truth. We need to prove her claim to clear her name,” Bruno pressed on. “If we don’t have Stan verify it, the others might be left assuming Madisyn bought a fake. Isn’t that right, Sarai?”

Suddenly brought into the conversation, Sarai nodded in agreement and said, “Yes, that’s true.” She gave a slight smile, realizing that it wasn’t just her and Courtney who disliked Madisyn and her parents—Bruno wasn’t pleased with them either.

Damari’s expression darkened with displeasure. Having gone through so much in life, he had developed the ability to read people with just a glance. How vicious these people were to hold such intense malice toward a young woman!

Just as Damari was about to reprimand them, Madisyn interjected, “Since they want to have the painting verified so badly, let’s do it. What do you think, Mr. Klein?”

Madisyn looked at Damari with confidence and seriousness. He blinked, considering her words, and then gave a nod of approval. Since Madisyn agreed, he decided not to object.

“Alright, go ahead and summon Stan,” Klein instructed a servant.

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