Chapter 214: Julian Forrester in a Scandal?

Chapter 214: Chapter 214: Julian Forrester in a Scandal?

Keith Sterling stood up from the sofa. "Zane, what painting did you get this time?"

Manager Jennings quickly gestured for the assistant behind him to come forward.

The assistant carefully held a rectangular box with both hands. He opened the lid to reveal a rolled-up ancient painting.

"Miss Everett, my sincerest apologies for the sudden interruption!" Manager Jennings took the painting from his assistant and walked over to Sienna Everett. "All eight of our auction house’s appraisers are unable to determine if this painting is authentic. That’s why we’ve brought it here to ask for your opinion."

Sienna Everett’s grandfather had been a top-tier master of traditional painting and had amassed a large collection of famous works. Having grown up surrounded by calligraphy and art, she developed a deep understanding and love for traditional painting under her grandfather’s tutelage.

Seeing the ancient painting in Manager Jennings’s hands, Sienna Everett rose and walked over.

Once the scroll was unrolled, it revealed *Mountain Moon*, a piece by the famed ancient scholar, Sebastian Sheffield.

You could tell the painting was very old. It was slightly yellowed, and the paper had small holes in it, a little larger than a pinprick.

Keith Sterling tsked. "This really does look like an Ancient Painting. It’s so old. If this is a genuine Sebastian Sheffield, it has to be worth at least a hundred million."

Manager Jennings looked troubled. "That should be the case, yes, but our auction house’s appraisers can’t be sure if it’s real or fake. Miss Everett, what do you think?"

Sienna Everett stared at it for a moment, then quickly shook her head. "It’s a fake."

"Whoa, Sierra, how could you tell it’s a fake?" Keith Sterling was stunned. ’That was way too fast, wasn’t it?’

A slight smile touched Sienna Everett’s rosy lips as she chuckled. "Although the painting is old, you can tell from the paper that it was artificially aged."

"Artificially aged?" Keith Sterling was completely lost.

Sienna Everett nodded, her slender finger pointing to the middle of the painting. "The brushstrokes for the mountain peaks here are different from Sebastian Sheffield’s usual style. And the paper... when Sebastian Sheffield painted *Mountain Moon*, he used The Last King Lennon’s Hall Paper. This is clearly not Hall Paper."

Although The Last King Lennon’s Hall Paper wasn’t typically used for painting, Sebastian Sheffield used it for *Mountain Moon*, which made the piece exceptionally unique.

Sienna Everett explained her analysis, "This painting was likely copied by a modern artist, who then placed it in an insect-infested rice container to age it. These small holes in the paper were made by insects, which makes it look like an old painting. The forger is highly skilled; the copy is very convincing."

Keith Sterling was dumbfounded, his face full of admiration. "Holy crap, Sierra, you’re incredible! You could even tell all that! So there’s that much to it!"

Manager Jennings now had his answer. "Miss Everett, thank you! Your explanation has cleared everything up for me!"

Sienna Everett’s eyes crinkled into a soft smile. "You’re welcome."

Manager Jennings offered a few more polite words before finally leaving with his assistant.

After Manager Jennings left, Keith Sterling circled Sienna Everett like a curious three-year-old. "Sienna, how do you know so much about art appraisal? You’re an expert!"

"My grandfather used to paint. He taught me a lot."

’I see...’ Keith Sterling reflected inwardly. ’It’s a good thing Sienna Everett was adopted by her grandparents as a child. Otherwise, staying in an orphanage would have been truly miserable.’

"So, Sienna, can you paint?"

"A little," Sienna Everett answered frankly, not trying to hide it.

Keith Sterling’s eyebrows shot up instantly. "Sienna, I don’t buy your ’a little,’ hmph~~"

As Keith Sterling was speaking, his phone suddenly chimed with a news alert.

He took it out and glanced at it casually, intending to put it right back, but his eyes froze when he saw the headline.

’This...’

Seeing his expression, Sienna Everett couldn’t help but ask, "What’s wrong?"

Keith Sterling spat in disgust, utterly speechless. "Why the hell are they writing all this fake news now! How could my bro possibly be in a scandal with another woman!!"

Sienna Everett: "?"

’A scandal?’

’Julian Forrester?’

’With another woman?’

"Sierra, you can’t believe it! My bro is a saint! He’s been saving himself for you! There’s no way he’s involved with another woman!"

"...Saving himself for me?" Sienna Everett’s lips twitched. "What kind of ridiculous phrasing is that?"

"Hey, the wording isn’t the point! It’s the meaning I’m trying to get across, you know!"

"Of course I know." The corners of Sienna Everett’s bright eyes lifted slightly. "And of course I trust your bro."

Hearing Sienna Everett say that, Keith Sterling finally relaxed, though he was still a little curious. "Sierra, you trust my bro that much?"

"Duh. If I don’t trust him, who would I trust?" Sienna Everett said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Keith Sterling: "..."

He had been worried this stupid scandal would affect Sierra and his bro’s relationship. But now, not only was it not affecting them, he was even getting a face full of their PDA.

"Let me see. What exactly is this scandal?" Sienna Everett couldn’t help but be curious about what the article actually said.