Chapter 35 - 35: Slap In The Face
Benson's face clouded over, "It's broken?"
The lot that Benson had prepared for Juliana was an ancient painting worth ten million dollars. How could it suddenly be damaged?
The auctioneer was introducing Juliana's lot downstairs already, talking about a painting that would soon be taken to the stage for display.
It was too late to take another painting now.
Juliana looked at Selene on the first floor when she heard this and their eyes met.
This time, Selene smiled at her gently.
Although it was a gentle smile, Juliana still keenly sensed Selene's provocation.
Benson took off his watch, "Change the lot now and just say..."
Juliana interrupted him and said to Channing, "Tell the auctioneer to stall for five minutes; now get me a piece of drawing paper and a pencil."
Channing was amazed by Juliana's appearance when he saw her turn around, then turned his eyes to Benson inquiringly.
Benson put his watch back on, "Do as Jill says."
Channing nodded, turned around, and went out.
In just a minute, Channing came back in with a piece of drawing paper and a pencil.
Juliana took it, laid it out on the table, and began to draw...
The auctioneer downstairs was cleverly stalling for time, "The lot this time is a painting donated by Mrs. Leach, which is the work of Mrs. Leach herself..."
The auctioneer downstairs was cleverly stalling for time, "The lot this time is a painting donated by Mrs. Leach, which is the work of Mrs. Leach herself..."
Hearing this, some bidders got excited and couldn't help but discuss it.
"Mrs. Leach is Juliana Lewis, right? She can paint?"
"Juliana can't do anything, except for dating her toyboy. Since when does she paint?"
The woman sitting next to Selene turned her head and asked Selene, "Has Juliana studied painting?"
Selene looked up at the second floor and Juliana was no longer at the window. She looked down and said softly, "Of course she has studied, but she went home after half a class and never gone there again."
Selene raised her head and said, "But Juliana donated her artwork, which means she must be very good at painting. I will take my sister's debut work and you guys are not allowed to bid for it."
The others were embarrassed: Since Juliana was good for nothing, and she had only taken half a drawing class, her paintings must be terrible and unappealing to the eyes.
Someone said, "Her painting is probably not even as good as those of kindergarten children. Who will pay a high price for it? No one's stupid."
Several people said, "I'll take it. Mrs. Leach's painting is art."
It was not just a painting. It was a chance to befriend the Leach family. They would compete for it, even if it was a blank piece of paper, not to mention a terrible picture.
Selene was in a good mood just now, but she looked upset when she heard everyone's admiration for Juliana.
Soon, the lot appeared on the stage for display. Looking at a painting like that, the crowd was stunned.
It was a pencil drawing, but it looked like an ink painting from the lines and the entire picture. The picture was of a plum tree, but the fruits it bore were peaches.
There was a person in front of the tree, watering it with a watering can in one hand, and digging a heart-shaped hole in the tree with a knife in the other.
The painting was abstract, leaving the meaning of the painting unreadable, and the crowd looked at it in silence.
The auctioneer came back from his amazement and said, "This is Mrs. Leach's painting "The Peach and the Plum", we start with no starting price.
As soon as he said that, someone bid 10 million dollars for it. Eventually, someone bid 99.9 million dollars for the painting.
Selene had been waiting for a joke, but now she looked up at the second floor with a grimace on her face.
Juliana stood at the window, looked at Selene with a smile on her face, then gave her a thumbs up and then turned it down.
It was contempt and ridicule for Selene, as well as a hard slap in her face.