Can't Win Me Back

Chapter 180

Chapter 180

“That’s ridiculous!” Liana struggled to keep the smile on her face. “I bought this from the Harpers‘ auction house. It can’t be a counterfeit?

After she dragged the Harpers into the mess, Landon snickered. “Ms. Gardner, you are probably unfamiliar with the industry because you haven’t been involved with auctions. Parry’s Auction of the Harper Group Is the biggest auction house in the nation,

“The items we take in have undergone stringent inspection and verification. It Is Impossible to buy counterfeits from us. It’s one thing to be ignorant; it’s another thing to ruin my family’s reputation.”

The look in Jasper’s eyes deepened. He recalled Alice’s smirk when she indirectly led Liana to buy the replica at ten times the starting price at the charity auction. Could she have foreseen that Llana would buy the painting for Newton?

Was it all a coincidence or a trap from the start?

“Ms. Gardner, a counterfeit item is different from a replica,” an expert voiced out his opinion to clear the name of the Harpers. “Some works of paintings are replicas but considered antique. It is hard for a replica to look the same as the original. A top–grade replica can fetch a high price.”

The expert continued, “However, the replica you bought is a little inferior. If not, I wouldn’t have been able to tell it apart right away.”

“It can’t be a replica! I bought it for a million from Parry’s Auction!” Liana blurted out in the heat of the moment.

How could she have bought a counterfeit with one million? She must have been wrong in the head. The people around chuckled at her confession, including Betty, who had to cover her mouth to stop

herself from laughing loudly.

Oh, how the tables had turned!

“A million? Gosh, this painting is worth at most 100 thousand. I could only say that you have contributed a lot to charity with that winning bid price!”

Liana’s mind went blank. Even Sophia suffered from second–hand embarrassment and looked away, refusing to stand up for her loser

niece.

“Let the matter rest. Regardless of the price, Ms. Gardner bought it with good intentions.” Newton might not have approved of Liana, but he would not fuss over the authenticity of a painting. He said coolly, “Ben, please take the painting.” NôvelDrama.Org copyrighted © content.

“Alice White, what do you have against me? Why would you do this to me?” Ashamed, Liana directed a pointed question at Alice. She finally broke down from the humiliation she had received since the beginning of the event.

Startled, everyone turned to Alice. She merely blinked innocently. “Ms. Gardner, what makes you say that? I have no clue what you’re talking about.”

Jonah and Landon were astonished by the interaction between the two ladies. Did Alice outplay Liana by being a bigger bitch?

“It’s you who tricked me! I wouldn’t have bought a counterfeit item with a million! It’s all because of you!” Liana pointed at Alice’s face, her voice hoarse from the anger.

Liana continued, “I might not be able to tell the art apart, but you must have known it was a counterfeit! You even started a bidding war with me and made me buy the painting. How could you do this to me?”

Jasper looked glum as he shot icy glares at Alyssa.

“I made you buy it? When did I do that?” Alyssa’s eyes glimmered, looking as though she was in shock.

Jonah was the first to stand up for Alyssa. He snickered. “Ms. Gardner, the auction is open to the public. It was a fair game. Alice could not have forced you to buy the painting against your will. Don’t you think it was your personal decision?”

“She knew I wanted the painting. That’s why she started the bidding war with me. Whenever I raised my paddle, she’d follow suit. This continued until the price was 900 thousand from the starting price of 100 thousand