Artifact Reading Inspector

“Wow… so this is getting huge,” Haejin commented.

Eunhae then said, “Hwajin has never had its head office and the chairman’s house searched and seized. They must have panicked. Of course, they must have taken care of most files and documents, but people cannot be always perfect. Plus, they wouldn’t have imagined the court would issue that warrant. I think… the prosecutors will find something.”

“You look very excited.”

“Haha, really? But they really deserve it. Those chaebols, who think of artifacts as a means to get money, should be punished,” Eunhae replied.

“You are merciless on your relatives,” Haejin commented.

“So what? They are more like my enemies. If it hadn’t been my grandfather, I would have stopped seeing them long ago. Uh…”

She shook her head.

“Then, would it be a shock to them if they fail to get that city development business?” Haejin asked.

Eunhae explained, “Oh… but it would be just one of the corporation’s company losing a business. They wouldn’t lose much… it’s not like they have invested hundreds of billions on that desert. They will just have to give up a little bit of their future profit. Don’t underestimate Hwajin.”

“So, you’re saying there’s no need to go easy on them, right?” Haejin questioned.

“Haha, did it sound like that? Anyway, good luck. I must go to take care of the things you have started. Bye!”

Haejin thought Eunhae had been in a good mood lately, and it turned out there was a good reason.

“Are you going to keep questioning my decision?” Hyoyeon yelled sharply.

The three middle-aged men in front of her looked at each other worriedly.

They were the board members of Hwajin who were in charge of Hwajin-Nomura consortium, and they didn’t know what to do about the young girl in front of them.

Then, the man in the middle managed to speak.

“I am sorry, but you just said we should change the gift, and it is not easy for us to accept it.”

Hyoyeon sighed at executive director Oh Jeonggu of Hwajin Trading company, “Oh… how many times do I have to tell you? We cannot give them that van Gogh painting!”

The man replied, “Then you must tell us the reason why. But you are just insisting we cannot give it, are you saying we should give up on this project?”

“Of course not!” Hyoyeon replied then said, “Oh, enough. Anyway, we can give them something else.”

“Miss…”

The end of Hyoyeon’s eyebrows soared at this.

“Do you think I am just arguing without any reason?”

However, Oh Jeonggu didn’t back off and continued, “So, we have to know the reason. Do you know who we are dealing with? He is the Prince Abdula al Mohammed. He is the UAE’s minister of industry and one of the main members of the Abu Dhabi family. We have already sent him the photos. Don’t you know how ridiculous it is to change the gift?”

“Do you think I’m a fool? I know that, but…”

“I have to know. If you won’t tell me, I will ask the vice chairman.”

Hyoyeon glared at him, but then she gave up.

“Hu… actually, we are not sure about van Gogh’s painting.”

Jeonggu frowned, “What do you mean? You are not sure?”

“I got it about half a year ago. I bought it at a private auction. At the time, I thought it was real, but now, a few experts are saying it isn’t,” Hyoyeon replied.

“Are you saying it is fake?”

Hyoyeon answered, “We don’t know. It would be easy if it is concluded as fake, but no one knows if it’s real or not… that is why we are replacing it.”

“Hmm… then what is the other artifact you have in mind?”

Hyoyeon took out a photo from her bag.

“It’s Amedeo Modigliani’s. You all know him, right?”

“I’ve heard of him.”

Hyoyeon didn’t like Jeonggu’s answer. She frowned while explaining, “He was an Italian, but he worked in France. He was a painter and a sculptor. He is also one of the artists who made the most expensive paintings. Although van Gogh is famous, Modigliani is just as famous as him.”

Jeonggu was now confused, “I do not know about art as much as you. What matters is the painting’s value. Is this painting as valuable as van Gogh’s painting… no, is it valuable enough to appeal to the prince?”

Hyoyeon lifted her chin arrogantly and slightly nodded, “Yes, you can trust me with that.”

“Hmm… okay. Then we will take care of tomorrow’s meeting.”

“No, as I am involved in this now, I should finish it. I will give a presentation at Baekje Hotel tomorrow.”

Hyoyeon stood up, but then Jeonggu asked, “Did you… really not know when you bought the painting?”

It seemed like he didn’t believe what Hyoyeon had said.

“Are you doubting me? I cannot work with a person without trust, I hope that person is not you,” she snapped like that and left the room.

“Hu… do you think she did that on purpose?” Director Lee Hyeonu asked.

Jeonggu snorted, “Huh! Who knows? Do you believe that lying troublemaker?”

“Khmm…”

Director Hyeonu couldn’t openly agree with that and just cleared his throat.

“Anyway, have you found out why Mat Vellin came to Korea so quickly?” Jeonggu asked.

Hyeonu looked troubled and couldn’t look at Jeonggu. Then he answered, “I’m sorry. I did my best to find out, and although I checked that he came to Seoul after arriving at Incheon Airport, I can’t find out where he has been after checking into the hotel.”

“How can that happen? Doesn’t he get around in a taxi? If he has rented a car, there must be a record about it?”

Hyeonu replied, “There’s nothing. I think Mat is not here only because of our business…”

“And what are Yuseong and SG doing? What if tomorrow’s appraisal isn’t the end?”

Hyeonu was startled at this sharp question and answered, “Well, I will try to find out, but I’ve never heard anything like that until now…”

Jeonggu then questioned, “Are you going to continue to be so careless? We just ruined our own chance. You think Yuseong will let that opportunity go? If they know we have not won the prince over with the artifact, they would not stay still during Mat Vellin’s visit!”

“I will do my best…”

“No, it’s tomorrow anyway. Finding out will not make any difference. Hu… it was my fault, too. I didn’t think much about the matter, I just trusted that van Gogh painting,” Jeonggu replied.

“At least it is better than finding out that is fake later,” Hyeonu commented.

“Of course… let’s go now.”

Haejin arrived at Baekje Hotel at around 10:30 and waited at the lobby. Then, someone lightly hit his shoulder.

“You’re already here. You could have gone up first.”

It was Mat Vellin. He probably had been to the hairdresser as his hair had been styled with pomade.

“I thought it would be embarrassing to go up alone. But are you going on a date or something after this?” Haejin asked.

“Haha! Yes, I do have a date,” Mat replied.

“What?”

Haejin was surprised. Mat then playfully explained, “I have a date with the person you are thinking of. However, I am meeting her as her priest, not as a guy.”

“Oh, then I must ask Silvia later. About what she talked with you,” Haejin replied.

“You might get jealous if you find out.”

“Khmm… you keep forcing me to be on guard,” Haejin commented.

“Hahaha! Let’s go up first,” Mat replied.

After some foolish jokes, they went up.

In front of a suite room, there were a few men in suits already waiting for them.

“Are you Mr. Mat Vellin? But this gentleman is…”

Mat replied, “This is appraiser Mr. Park Haejin. He is also the chief appraiser of the Abu Dhabi royal family. I have brought him for today’s appraisal.”

The man looked puzzled at this. He bowed and apologized, “Could you wait here? As I haven’t received any instruction about Mr. Park, I will check as fast I can.”

“Your bosses will not know, either, as I didn’t tell them in advance. Please just tell them,” Mat then told him.

“Oh… okay. Could you wait for a moment?”

He talked to someone on the phone. Then, he opened the door.

“I’m sorry. Please go in.”

When Haejin went in with Mat, five people and one painting were waiting for them.

However, he knew one of the people very well.

“Oh! Mr. Park Haejin?”

Haejin then replied, “It’s been some time. I thought I might get to see you today…”

“Why? Did you miss me?” Hyoyeon’s asked with her eyes sparkling.

Haejin quickly waved his hand in denial and said, “No. I heard it was Hwajin-Nomura consortium… so I thought Saeyeon Gallery’s director must be involved in this. However, I didn’t know you would really be here. But… is this the painting?”

Haejin was confused at seeing it. And when he turned to Mat Vellin, he was also demanding an explanation with a puzzled gaze.

“Nice to meet you, I am executive director Oh Jeonggu of Hwajin Trading Company. I am in charge of Hwajin-Nomura consortium.”

Jeonggu stretched out his hand, but Mat ignored it and asked, “As far as I know, this isn’t the painting me and my friend here should examine today, am I wrong?”

Jeonggu bowed down deeply while looking genuinely sorry.

“I’m sorry, but we had to change the painting. We…”

He made excuses for a long time, but Mat’s face stayed grim.

Even though they had found out the painting had problems, as it had been what convinced Prince Mohammed, there couldn’t be any mistake.

“I’m sorry, we were also shocked. That is why… we have brought another painting.”

Hyoyeon took it from there, “This is Modigliani’s painting. Even though he is not as good as van Gogh, his painting Reclining Nude was sold at over 170 million dollars. I’m sure His Highness will like it.”

Hyoyeon confidently showed the painting.

So, Mat turned to Haejin… but since Mat started talking he didn’t pay attention to their conversation.

Haejin had just been staring hard at the painting.