Chapter 180

"What are you implying?!" Victoria's face twisted in fury, her once-charming smile freezing into a grimace. "I purchased this painting from Montgomery Auction House! How dare you call it a forgery?"

With that single accusation, she dragged the prestigious Montgomery name into the mud.

Julian couldn't suppress a derisive smirk. "Ms. Sterling, given how rarely you attend auctions, I suppose you're unaware of how they operate?" His tone dripped with condescension. "My family owns the largest auction house in the country. Every item we acquire undergoes rigorous authentication. We don't deal in counterfeits. If you lack expertise, kindly refrain from tarnishing my family's reputation."

Nathan's gaze darkened.

A memory surfaced—Evelyn's sly smirk at the charity auction, goading Victoria into paying ten times the market price for a mere replica.

Had Evelyn anticipated Victoria gifting this painting to Reginald? Was it mere coincidence, or had she orchestrated this humiliation from the start?

"Ms. Sterling, there's a distinction between a forgery and a replica," another appraiser interjected, siding with Julian. "Many Renaissance-era artists replicated masterpieces, and such works still hold historical value. A skilled reproduction can command a high price. However, the one you acquired is... subpar. Otherwise, the flaws wouldn't be so glaring."

"This can't be a replica! I spent ten million dollars at Montgomery Auction House!" Victoria blurted, panic lacing her voice.

Laughter rippled through the crowd.

Cassandra ducked her head, biting her lip to stifle a giggle.

The irony was too delicious.

"Ten million? This piece is worth one million at most," Julian remarked dryly. "Ms. Sterling, I suppose you made quite the generous donation at that charity auction."

Victoria's vision swam, her pulse pounding in her ears.

Even Penelope couldn't bear to watch. Humiliated, she turned away, refusing to defend her foolish niece.

"Enough," Reginald interjected calmly, though his patience was thinning. "A gift is a gesture of goodwill. Marcus, please take it."

"Evelyn!" Victoria whirled on her, venom in her tone. "What grudge do you hold against me? Was this your plan all along—to humiliate me?"

The room fell silent, all eyes shifting to Evelyn.

Evelyn blinked, her doe-like eyes wide with feigned innocence. "Humiliate you? Ms. Sterling, I'm afraid I don't understand."

Sebastian and Julian exchanged glances.

Was Evelyn turning the tables?

"You set me up!" Victoria jabbed a finger at her. "You knew this was a replica, yet you drove up the price! You tricked me into wasting ten million!"

Nathan's lips pressed into a thin line, his cold stare fixed on Evelyn.

"Tricked you?" Evelyn tilted her head, her voice soft with confusion. "How? The auction was transparent. No one forced you to bid."

Sebastian stepped forward, shielding his sister. "Ms. Sterling, auctions operate on free competition. If you lacked the means, why participate? Blaming Evelyn for your own recklessness is absurd."

"Absurd? She manipulated the entire bidding war!" Victoria seethed. "Every time I raised my paddle, she countered! She inflated the price from one million to nine, then abandoned the bid at ten! She deliberately trapped me into overspending on a worthless replica!"

Julian cleared his throat. "For the record, it's a replica, not worthless. There is a difference."