Alvin, who was worried, let out a slow sigh of relief, and a faint smile graced his lips.
Bowen’s eyes crinkled with delight as he thought, ‘Well done!”
Aubree smiled at Alice. Instinctively. Alice stumbled back two steps. To her, it was as if the Grim Reaper himself had smiled at her, scythe in hand, ready to claim her life.
Alice broke out in a cold sweat.
Carmen’s face turned deathly pale. No one had announced the results, but she knew beyond doubt that she had lost.
Stan’s words were truly an understatement. Aubree’s painting wasn’t just exhibition–worthy; it was more than qualified to be put up for auction.
Percival’s lips trembled as he thought, ‘Did she really paint this? An eighteen–year–old girl? If she can create such a masterpiece at her age, then what does my decades–long career amount to?‘
Aubree smiled as she held out the painting. “Ms. Diamonde, do you like this painting that I gave you?”
Alice thought, ‘D6 I like it?‘
Alice’s hands trembled as she took the painting, smearing wet paint across her fingers. Sharp–eyed onlookers gasped in dismay -this was sheer sacrilege of a masterpiece!
Meeting Aubree’s gleaming, confident gaze, Alice shuddered violently. With a sudden, forceful rip, she tore the painting to shreds. “You won’t get what you want!”
The onlookers winced in shared agony. She shouldn’t have torn it. If she didn’t want it, she could have given it to them. They’d treasure it.
Stan nearly cried out. If it weren’t for the setting, he would have physically intervened to stop such a masterpiece from being destroyed. Yet even in his dismay, his gaze toward Aubree burned with even greater admiration.
Bowen thought to himself, ‘If I didn’t know Stan’s admiration for Aubree is just about her talent, I’d be itching to hit him.’
Alice tore up the painting, but Aubree just shrugged, saying nonchalantly, “The facts speak for themselves. I’ve already won.”
And not just this round, she thought.
“Alice, remember what happened to Emery? He ended up in jail, his hands ruined for life. Just wait, I’ll make sure every one of you pays the price, especially that precious daughter you cherish above all.”
With each deepening of Aubree’s smile, Alice’s face grew a shade paler. Aubree leaned in and whispered the chilling words right in Alice’s ear, just for the two of them to hear.
“Care to guess who’s next? Daxton? Trevor? Bryan? Your precious daughter, Carmen? Or maybe even you?”
“No!” Alice’s eyes suddenly darkened with venom as she glared at Aubree, her hatred so intense it looked like she wanted to tear Aubree limb from limb. “Why did you have to come back? Why didn’t you just die in that orphanage?”
The crowd was shocked. They wondered, ‘Is Alice really Aubree’s mother and not an enemy? Didn’t the Wilson family supposedly go to great lengths to find this biological daughter?‘
Before Alice could say more, Ronald quickly stepped forward and pulled her away. “Bryan, your mother is having an episode. Take her to rest.”
Realization dawned on the crowd as they thought, ‘Oh, right, Alice has a mental illness. Looks like she still hasn’t fully recovered.
‘But judging by Alice’s final attitude toward Aubree, those so–called testimonies from the Wilson family earlier must have been full of lies.
‘How unbelievable! Carmen would stoop to anything to save herself. And the Wilson family members are like brainless fools, helping an adopted daughter instead of a biological one.”
4.28 PM
Chapter 341
0
Some company executives were already considering whether they should still maintain business ties with Wilson Group.
“About today’s incident…” Ronald tried to explain, but was at a loss for how to continue spinning the story.
Aubree said, “I believe today’s events have made everything crystal clear. I didn’t need to resort to any underhanded tactics, nor were Carmen and Percival’s accusations true. I think it’s only fair that I receive an apology, right?
“Mr. Xaver, as a respected senior, you lashed out at me without even hearing my side–and in front of everyone, no less. Don’t you think you owe me an apology?”
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