Chapter 20:
Fury surged within Samira. “So, it was you! Now that you mention it, tell me—where did that artwork come from? Were you trying to deceive me with a forgery?”
Cecily’s face went pale. How had the truth come to light? The seller had assured her it was impossible to detect. The authentic piece had been acquired long ago by an anonymous collector, making a comparison impossible.
Cecily’s mind raced. “That’s impossible! I would never dare give you anything fraudulent! Who told you such a thing? The painting is unquestionably real!”
Samira gestured toward Elena. “She did.”
Before Cecily could react, Sylvia quickly jumped in. “Mrs. Harper, you mustn’t take her words at face value. She has a personal grudge against us! You might not be aware, but she once lived under our roof. Her biological parents are from a destitute village, but she resents them and refused to leave the Reed family. Out of kindness, my mother encouraged her to reconnect with them, but instead of gratitude, she harbored resentment toward us. She’s nothing but an unappreciative liar. Don’t let her manipulate you.”
Sylvia was confident in her explanation, but instead of agreement, she was met with a room full of strange looks.
Even Samira regarded her oddly. “Who exactly are you calling ungrateful?”
“Elena,” Sylvia said without hesitation, pointing at Elena.
Samira could hardly believe what she had just heard—it was utterly ridiculous. Sylvia had just claimed Elena showed no gratitude and stubbornly refused to reconnect with her own family. How lacking in sense did a person have to be to say something so mindless? Who in their right mind would pick a rundown hut over a grand estate? Samira was beginning to think Sylvia and Cecily had completely lost touch with reality.
Samira realized that the Reed family had raised Elena, unaware that her real father was actually the CEO of the Harper Group.
Dealing with someone a little dim-witted was irritating. But encountering such an extraordinary level of foolishness? Samira found that strangely entertaining.
Samira pointed at Elena and asked Sylvia, “Do you even know who she is?”
Sylvia’s gaze landed on three refined men, who were likely the Harper sons. She shifted her posture slightly, tossed her hair over one shoulder, and presented what she considered her most stunning angle. “Mrs. Harper, she grew up in our household but was poorly educated and had a terrible personality, constantly fabricating lies. She resented her birth parents and envied me for being the true Reed daughter. Over time, she has repeatedly schemed against me, forcing my parents to let her go.”
Sylvia anticipated praise, yet the room fell into an eerie silence. She frowned. Were these people deaf or something? She had spoken so eloquently, selecting each word and gesture with precision. By all logic, these men should be sympathizing with her and condemning Elena, just as Darren had.
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Not receiving the expected reaction, Sylvia refused to back down and pressed on. “Mrs. Harper, she’s nothing but a thief. You ought to keep an eye on her before she walks off with something valuable. Back home, we managed to keep her in check, but outside? Who knows what trouble she’ll stir up?”
Bertha, already frail, turned even paler with fury at those words. She struck her cane against the floor with force. “Someone, remove her from my sight!”
Sylvia assumed Bertha’s anger was directed at Elena and smirked to herself. A lowly servant dared to challenge her authority! She was eager to watch Elena get thrown out. If that happened, Elena wouldn’t dare speak recklessly in front of Alexander again.
