Chapter 26:
“Ah, no. Miss, this way, please.”
Without further delay, Elena left the Spencer estate and got into Jeffry’s car.
“What kept you?” Jeffry asked. Had she taken just a few more minutes, he would have gone in to find her.
Elena placed the painting on the back seat, keeping her encounter with Wesley to herself. “Nothing important.”
She didn’t dwell on what had happened as they made their way back to Vince’s residence.
Once inside, Elena carefully unfolded the authentic landscape painting and set it beside the imitation. At a glance, they looked identical. If not for Elena’s familiarity with Peyton’s brushwork, she wouldn’t have noticed the subtle differences in technique that revealed the true painting.
Jeffry signaled for someone to inspect the Spencer family’s painting. Since the moment Elena retrieved it, Cecily had been restless. That wretch Elena actually managed to secure the real one.
As the flame drew closer to the canvas, Cecily’s palms grew damp. If the hidden mark appeared, they were finished.
Sylvia watched in silence, barely breathing.
Elyse’s smirk faded. Elena had actually managed to borrow the painting. That scheming vixen! Why did Wesley ask Elena to fetch it? Had he taken an interest in her? Ridiculous. Wesley would never fall for an uncultured nobody.
Elyse’s eyes darkened with hostility as she glared at Elena. If Elena dared to set her sights on him…
Three minutes later, the lotus insignia became fully visible, and Samira tore the counterfeit to shreds.
“Do you have anything left to say?” Samira demanded, turning to Cecily.
Cecily, utterly defeated, slumped to the floor.
Samira hissed, “You thought you could fool me with a forgery? Do you take me for an idiot? Get them out of my sight!”
Without hesitation, Cecily and Sylvia were thrown out of the estate.
Let your mind wander with gⱯlnσν𝒆𝓁s﹒𝓬𝓸𝗺
With the issue of the fraudulent painting settled, Elena’s siblings turned their attention to Javier, who had defended Elyse and belittled Elena just moments before.
Feeling the weight of their stares, Javier instinctively shrank back. Even though he knew he was in the wrong, the thought of apologizing to Elena irritated him. Ever since Elena had returned, she had made life difficult for Elyse, and he couldn’t stand it. He refused to lower himself before Elena.
Noticing the tension, Samira quickly smacked the back of Javier’s head and scolded, “Apologize. Now.”
Despite her personal dislike for Elena, Samira understood the importance of maintaining a good relationship. She wouldn’t let Javier ruin that. With clenched fists, Javier finally said, “Fine. I was wrong, okay?” His voice was laced with resentment as he muttered quietly, “She’s not even a Harper, yet everyone takes her side…” But the family heard his grumbling.
Alexander cast a sharp look at Javier before declaring, “In three days, I’ll hold a banquet to officially introduce Elena as a Harper.”
