Love or Die CEO’s Daily Dose of Swoon

Chapter 139

Ballaster wasn’t looking to make a scene, he was there on a mission. So he tucked himself away in the back corner, the last row where no one knew his face.

The auction items up till now had been a snore–fest. He and Naylor, both art aficionados, exchanged frowns. This kind of gathering was beneath them.

He was itching to leave, but he couldn’t–not until he’d seen the painting.

Finally, the painting from Mrs. Delaney appeared. But Ballaster was too far back to see it clearly. He caught at blurry glimpse and didn’t think much of it.

The chatter of the crowd was grating on his nerves.

Fanny, for all her lack of prowess in landscape painting, could still critique a piece with some level of expertise. And Cordelia’s mother, seemed out of her league. Cordelia used Lorn’s name to lure him here, just to boost her mom’s confidence?

Despite his fear of the group’s ringleader, he had his pride as a man of letters.

Ballaster whipped out his smartphone, unable to resist venting in the “Who’s exactly the girl” chat group.

1. Aster said, [I’m at a loss for words. Cordelia is out of her depth, it seems.]

After his brief rant, he set the phone aside.

Naylor, on the other hand, snapped a high–resolution photo of the painting and handed the phone to Ballaster. “Dad, take a look at this.”

Ballaster took the phone with a furrowed brow and was stunned. The style… was it not strikingly similar to Lorn’s?

He adjusted his glasses and gave the photo a closer look,

The digital image was a tad distorted, so he stood up and made his way to the front. It wasn’t long before he found himself in the first row with a clear view. And there it was–the painting in all its glory!

Just as the auctioneer was about to declare the painting unsold, Ballaster cut in, “Hold on a moment!”

The auctioneer paused, looking bewildered, as Mrs. Collins shot a knowing glance to silence him.

And now, Ballaster could truly appreciate the artwork up close.

was unmistakably Lorn’s work, and the Cordelia

had evolved. The painting exuded a sense of desolation and solitude, rich in emotion–a masterpiece!

could such a work go unsold?

the steps onto the stage, leaning in to examine the painting through his glasses….

full of mockery, was now frozen in disbelief. She turned

standing in the Watercolor Painting community was built on a keen eye. But why was B. Aster here? What brought

Everard sat amidst the assembly, not with the

rippled through their

the Delaney Group’s potential collaboration with the Miller family fell through

patriarch of the Millers, a passionate art lover, was appalled by Lorna’s actions, which he saw as a mockery of Watercolor Painting. He called off the deal with Sanderson, sneering, “A man whose wife is vain and fraudulent casts doubt on

was dead in the water.

He denied any impact when Lorna asked, not

“Mr. Delaney, this is quite embarrassing,

debacle unfold. Laurinda scoffed, “Such a disgrace! I told her not to

name.”

to show off their

with “Hold on a moment!” and he approached the stage, the

standing before Lorna’s painting, felt a sense of vindication wash over him. This was no sham, no act

snorted derisively, “Obviously, she’s broke and doesn’t know the first thing about making money. She’s been living off Sanderson’s dime, hasn’t she? But what’s this

painting. He stood tall and declared, “This piece is on par with the works

to ripple through the crowd below, “This has to be a publicity stunt, right? But even so, this is a bit much.”

heard of Mrs. Delaney’s work before, and suddenly this painting pops up as

Collins, undeterred, asked directly, “So, what do

a desolation and despair that isn’t easily replicated. It’s

that’d be a miracle! Where did you come from, spouting such nonsense?”

Aster

Chapter 139

a mockery of Watercolor Painting. He called off the deal with Sanderson, sneering, “A man whose wife is vain and fraudulent casts doubt on his own

was dead in

anger. He denied any impact when Lorna asked, not

jeered, “Mr. Delaney, this is quite embarrassing, isn’t