Love or Die CEO’s Daily Dose of Swoon

Chapter 140

1. Aster?

The name sent a ripple of shock through the crowd gathered in the gallery. Eyes wide with disbelief, they turned to look, wondering if it was the same renowned artist they’d heard of.

Laurinda, however, was oblivious to the prestige. She hollered, “I don’t give a hoot of who he is. Fanny here is the president of the local art club, and she’s declared this painting worthless. So what are you rambling on about, eh?”

Fanny, the mentioned art club president, wished for nothing more than to vanish into thin air at that moment. But the more she wanted to escape the limelight, the more Laurinda sought her out, “Where’s Fanny?”

Pointing at Fanny, she demanded, “Well, Fanny, what do you have to say for yourself?”

Fanny’s lips quivered; she couldn’t muster a word and looked desperately towards Mrs. Collins for help.

Mrs. Collins felt a surge of vindication. She’d always thought Fanny spreading rumors about Mrs. Delaney was shady, and Fanny’s recent comment at the auction had pushed someone into an embarrassing spotlight, which

irked her.

This was her auction, a place where everyone showed respect. How dare anyone stir up trouble here, especially against the family of Joy’s beloved Cordelia?

So, the usually diplomatic and capable Mrs. Collins, who never embarrassed her guests, instead of smoothing things over for Fanny, slowly pronounced, “Laurinda, Fanny might be the head of the Greenmeadow Art Association, but B. Aster is the chair of the National Fine Art Association!”

That little piece of information was a revelation for everyone present.

Silence fell upon the gathering. Sanderson, too, was stunned by the turn of events and was momentarily speechless.

Everard, on the other hand, turned around, his cool gaze sweeping across the Miller family who had just scoffed at them, and casually remarked, “Yes, he was a pawn we arranged.”

Ballaster was called in by Cordelia, so he was indeed a pawn, wasn’t he?

To the Millers, the implication was mortifying! Who in their right mind could get B. Aster to act as a pawn? The remark from the Delaney family’s son–in–law was pure mockery!

but laugh, feeling even more

Laurinda continued to twist the knife into Fanny, “But why on earth would Fanny say that?

to Fanny, saying, “Indeed, I’m curious too. Why is your opinion

Aster’s?”

Aster has been searching for the artist Lorn, you told him that

the painting “Lone Bluff,‘ finally caught up and frowned, “Fanny, you said you were Lorn’s roommate and that she had died, yet here she is,

against me ever since college. It’s been eighteen years; why

the crowd began to gossip

see, Mrs. Delaney is actually

painting being pulled from the exhibition because of bribery–that was spread

Chapter 140

that Mrs. Delaney’s painting was too amateurish, but B. Aster recognized it as a masterpiece, looks like deliberate sabotage to me.”

“Poor Mrs. Delaney.”

painted for eighteen years; could it be because of

hurtful power of rumors was fully understood only by those

while others do not care for his work. To me, this painting is indeed subpar, not my cup of tea. Is there a problem with that?” Lourinda, who had resented Lorna for years, eager to see her downfall, hastily added,

the echo of her words faded, a cool, deep

everyone else, she turned

painting by an obscure

Everard as if he were mad.

It must be Sanderson’s doing–just throwing money at Lorna to save face. Do they think we’re

Then-

million!” another voice

astonishment to see

Laurinda was stunned.

in, “Actually, this price isn’t high at all. The artistic conception of this painting is rare. It will undoubtedly become Lorn’s most classic

painting that almost went unsold

into perspective, the highest bid of the day for any item had