Chapter 96 A Counterfeit
Hugo was sitting at the head of the table in traditional attire, a trace of imperiousness on his face.
Even when he saw Connor and the others approaching, his expression remained forbidding.
“Dad, I know you like paintings, so I expressly prepared a painting by Eugene Delacroix for you!” As the eldest son, Miguel was naturally the first person to step forward.
He opened a black rectangular box, revealing a painting by Eugene Delacroix inside.
“Thank you, Miguel.” Hugo nodded impassionately after seeing the gift Miguel prepared.
That painting by Eugene Delacroix could sell for at least a couple hundred thousand on the market. Something more expensive could even reach a million.
After Miguel had stepped back, Ezra stepped forward with a box in his hands.
“Dad, I prepared a painting for you as well!”
When the box was opened, a painting by Artemisia Gentileschi lay within. Just the name, Artemisia Gentileschi, meant that it was likewise worth a couple hundred thousand at the very least.
“Not bad.”
Once again, Hugo nodded approvingly.
At his nod, a flash of triumph unwittingly flickered in Ezra’s eyes. Subsequently, he turned his gaze to Connor and urged, “Why are you still standing there blankly? It’s your turn now!”
“Oh, okay.”
Upon hearing his name, Connor hastily moved forward. Hugo merely glanced at him before a trace of impatience reflexively showed on his face.
It was clear as day that he looked down upon that son of his.
“Dad, the gift I prepared for you is—” Connor had just started speaking when Hugo interrupted him, “Okay, you don’t need to introduce your gift. Just go back to your seat.”
Hah! I’m not interested in hearing whatever gift he prepared! He’s always giving me some worthless trash every single year, so what use is it to introduce it other than to be scorned by others?
“Dad, I…” At having been rudely cut off, indignance abruptly surged within Connor.
“Dad, just let him say it.” Glimpsing his affronted expression, Ezra couldn’t help smirking as he added, “If you don’t allow him to do so, he might not be able to sleep tonight!”
“Exactly, Dad! We, too, want to see what gift he prepared for you!” Lula echoed beside him.
“Fine, fine. Go ahead and say it!” Hugo waved a hand with a grim expression, seemingly writing things off.
“The gift I prepared for you is a lavender jade figurine carved by Roscoe Channer himself,” Connor introduced at long last. But the second he did so, the entire room instantly plunged into silence.
At that moment, everyone’s gazes were fixated on him.
A glimmer of total incredulity shone in their eyes.
A lavender jade figurine carved by Roscoe Channer himself? How is that possible? Didn’t he retire ten years ago and vow to never carve any jade figurines again?
“What did you just say, Connor?” Hugo’s expression promptly changed when he heard the name “Roscoe Channer.” He stared at the man and questioned, “I didn’t mishear you, did I? You said your gift is a lavender jade figurine carved by Roscoe Channer himself?”
“Yeah!”
Bemusement was written all over Connor’s face.
Who is Roscoe Channer? Why did Dad have such a huge reaction?
“Q-Quick, open it!” Hugo was seized by the urge to grab the sandalwood box in his hands.
That’s a lavender jade figurine carved by Roscoe Channer himself! Who is he? He’s the top carver in Chanaea. Especially since he has retired ten years ago, a lavender jade figurine he carved is priceless!
“Oh, sure.”
Connor casually opened the sandalwood box. The moment the box was opened, everyone trained their eyes on it.
In the box, a lifelike and crystal clear jade figurine appeared in the line of sight of everyone there.
“It’s the imperial jade!”
Someone recognized the type of jade used for the lavender jade figurine at a single glance.
“That’s the imperial jade!”
“Besides, it’s even carved by Roscoe Channer himself! If it’s genuine, the price of this jade figurine is at least a hundred million!”
“A hundred million? I’m afraid you can’t buy it for a hundred million. Yesterday, I personally witnessed a mysterious buyer purchasing this lavender jade figurine for three hundred million at the auction hosted by the Hansley family!”
“Three hundred million?”
When the lavender jade figurine materialized before their eyes, the crowd went into an uproar.
They all discussed its price.
Hugo’s hands uncontrollably shook, yet his eyes remained fixated on Connor. There was a sliver of disbelief in his eyes. “Where did you get this lavender jade figurine, Connor?”
“Jonathan bought it.” Looking over his shoulder, he pointed at Jonathan and admitted, “He bought it for a hundred thousand!”
A hundred thousand?
When the crowd heard that figure, pandemonium ensued once more.
However, disappointment predominated.
“It just cost a hundred thousand? I thought that it was truly Roscoe Channer’s work, but unexpectedly, it’s merely a counterfeit!”
“It must be a counterfeit! The genuine lavender jade figurine costs three hundred million. How could the Smith family afford to buy it?”
“Hush! Keep it down!”
In a trice, the envy in their gazes turned into contempt.
Meanwhile, Hugo’s expression abruptly darkened after he heard that. The urge to slap that useless son of his across the face hit him hard.
I initially thought that he had finally made something of himself that he could actually procure a lavender jade figurine carved by Roscoe Channer himself! Never have I expected it to be a knock-off!
“W-What an utter disgrace!” He was in such high dudgeon that he trembled all over. “You’ve thoroughly humiliated the Smith family! Get out of here! Scram!”
He swung a hand and knocked the sandalwood box to the ground.
Right that moment, Miguel stepped out. Jabbing a finger in Connor’s face, he remonstrated, “What did I say to you earlier, Connor? Just don’t buy it if you can’t afford to buy something expensive! Even if you’d bought something worth a few hundred, it’d be far better than having bought a counterfeit! You’ve wholly embarrassed the Smith family!”
Ezra’s wife, Lula, piped in and mocked, “And you even spent a hundred grand on such a counterfeit? That was truly foolish! There are plenty on the internet you can buy at a little over a hundred!”
“Who said this really costs a hundred thousand? What if he only spent a few hundred to buy it yet claimed that it was a hundred thousand? After all, he even had the cheek to say that the knock-off was carved by Roscoe Channer himself! Is there anything he wouldn’t do?” Ezra scoffed, following suit.
In the blink of an eye, Connor became the target of public criticism.
At that moment, everyone regarded him with stark disdain.
In the face of their accusations and scorn, Connor’s face flushed bright red. He didn’t know what to say in defense of himself, so he could only turn to Jonathan in a pleading manner and murmured, “Jonathan…”
