Chapter 670 I Will Keep Your Secret for You
Tiana froze.
Elise must be kidding. She had seen those paintings in person before stuffing them into the safe. There wasn’t an ‘Ink Peonies’.
Could it be that Elise didn’t hand over all of SQ’s paintings that day but kept a few to herself?
Oh, Elise is cunning. She reckoned Elise was betting on the fact that SQ was old and had a bad memory, so they wouldn’t find out even if one or two paintings were missing, so she deliberately kept some to enrich herself.
However, Tiana pretended to be SQ to take the paintings away since she didn’t know how many genuine artworks there were. After everything she had done, it had backfired and Elise was now taking advantage of it.
Tiana found such actions a little distasteful at the thought of it. She had also taken SQ’s painting, but she was always worried and did not dare to show the artwork to other people, but Elise was openly using it to win favors.
How shameless. No one rivals her when it comes to this.
However, it had gotten to this point, so she couldn’t expose Elise. All she could do was explain with a smile, “SQ has been repeatedly creating the same painting in the past few years, sometimes even painting five to six of the same ones within a year. So, it’s really difficult to tell the specific time they created the artwork.”
“Oh, it seems like SQ quite values perfection.” Elise chuckled mockingly.
She hadn’t touched a brush for several years, but such a colossal lie was being told. It was indeed hard for Tiana to make up a new lie now.
Jonas was a clever person too. He sensed that something wasn’t right at once, so he quickly stepped forward to mediate the situation.
“Hahaha… If that’s the case, then this is the end of the matter today. Thank you, Miss Sinclair and Miss Hill, for solving my predicament today. I’m ecstatic to be able to get a new piece done by SQ. As for the details, there’s no need to pursue it anymore.
“Everyone, please continue to drink and enjoy yourselves in the garden. I will immediately frame this ‘Ink Peonies’ and put it back in place for exhibition. Please look forward to it.”
Since the commotion had ended and the host had spoken up, there was no reason for everyone to stay gathered, so they dispersed.
When everyone was almost gone, Jonas took the initiative to walk toward Alexander and apologize.
“Mr. Griffith, if I’ve offended you today, please don’t take it to heart. I will definitely pay you a visit in person some other day.”
“It’s okay.” Alexander gave him a concise answer.
Jonas knew that he was in the wrong and figured that it was only right for Alexander’s attitude to be cold, so he just smiled lightly and didn’t continue the conversation.
After a while, Jonas tried to win over Elise again. “Miss Sinclair, judging from the conversation between you and Miss Hill earlier, it seems like you and SQ have quite a friendship. Is that true?”
Elise snorted lightly as she stared at Jonas’ shrewd face with an ambiguous expression. When she saw that Tiana hadn’t gone far, she simply admitted, “I’ve indeed been friends with SQ for many years. Mr. Hymer, I wonder why you are asking about this, though.”
Beside them, Tiana stopped silently and tried to eavesdrop.
He smiled and went straight to the point. “To be honest, I’ve long admired SQ and very much hope to meet the figure in person. So, Miss Sinclair, I wonder whether it’s inconvenient for you to introduce me.”
Elise crossed her arms over her chest, steering clear of his main question. “Tiana is a student of SQ. Wouldn’t it be easier for you to ask her about this?”
“Don’t mind me saying this, Miss Sinclair, but I’ve already tried this. However, she’ll refuse every time. I’ve been unable to fulfill this wish, so I’m a little unsatisfied.” Jonas sighed in regret.
She squinted her eyes. Did this guy admire her or merely wanted to obtain more of her artworks to earn a profit? Since his purpose was unknown, she certainly wouldn’t reveal her identity so easily.
However, in order to create some excitement for Tiana, Elise agreed. “Okay. It just so happens that SQ and I made a pact a few years ago. We’ll meet in Tissote in half a year’s time. I’ll bring it up to her. As for whether or not she wants to meet, it’s not up to me.”
“Yes, of course!” Jonas was extremely grateful, but he still clearly grasped the critical information. His expression became serious as he leaned over to Elise before asking cautiously, “So, Miss Sinclair, what you mean is that SQ would be visiting Tissote in half a year’s time. Is that what you mean?”
He’s pretty smart.
Elise smiled and looked up at Tiana’s nervous figure in the distance before deliberately raising her voice to say, “Yes, SQ will make a comeback by then and she will expose all the fakes.”
When Tiana heard this, her heart began to race and her mind buzzed. SQ is really still alive and will appear in the public eye in half a year’s time.
If that was the case, wouldn’t she, a fake student of SQ, be reduced entirely to a laughing stock?
No! That can’t happen! I’m an ‘It Girl’, a genius that all masters compete to learn from. I’m not a fake! I’m not! She murmured to herself in a daze while taking step after step as she slowly left the villa.
Elise shook her head when she saw this. If Tiana were willing to confess now, she would still have a chance to start over. However, if she refused to come to her senses, then it wouldn’t be Elise’s fault for coming forward to deal with the matter when the time came.
“That’s great!” Jonas excitedly grabbed Elise’s hand and expressed his determination. “Miss Sinclair, before SQ comes, you must give me a letter of approval. I will solely be responsible for all of her hospitality and ensure that her stay in Tissote will be smooth!”
“Let’s talk about this another time.” Elise withdrew her hand, neither agreeing nor rejecting his offer.
He, however, took it as a done deal and began to plot how to use SQ as a source of income.
…
After the banquet, Stephanie left the villa in Elise’s car.
Stephanie and Elise sat in the backseat while Alexander sat in the front passenger seat for what seemed like a silent journey back.
When they were nearing the city center, Stephanie spoke and broke the silence. “Elise.” She held Elise’s hand and gave her an earnest look. “I will keep your secret for you.”
Elise pretended to be confused and appeared naive. “What are you talking about? I don’t understand.”
Stephanie pursed her lips and smiled. “You don’t need to understand. All you have to know is that I won’t tell anyone what happened in the study today.”
“That would be great.” Elise added by way of a joke, “If you tell anyone, someone will probably sue me.”
Stephanie chuckled but didn’t continue with the topic. Instead, she turned to the driver and said, “Sir, pull over at the shopping mall in front.”
“You want to get off here?” Elise was puzzled. “We can send you home.”
“It’s okay.” Stephanie grinned. “I was so scared at the party that I dared not eat much. So, I have to go and eat some more food. Hehe.”
“All right, then.” Elise had never been keen on forcing others, so she asked the driver to stop at the mall entrance.
After the driver parked the car on the side of the road, there were many cars on Stephanie’s side, so Elise opened the car door and went down to make way for her.
