Chapter 103
“As far as I know, the manager of Quantum Core Technologies’ Investment Department is someone named Ailie. And as luck would have it, she’s a friend of our boss, Ms. Victoria Langford. This Ms. Marchand? At best, she’s an assistant manager,” Yasmine interjected quickly, hoping to spare Victoria from dirtying her tongue with insults.
A moment ago, Yulia had praised Violet as if she were some rare creature who only existed in the exclusive world of Golden Era Enterprises, never to be seen among ordinary mortals. At that, Violet’s expression flickered ever so slightly.
But Violet didn’t argue with Yasmine. She knew Victoria better than anyone- when it came to important occasions, Victoria always saw the bigger picture. There was no way she’d let McNeil lose face in public. And right now, Violet’s role was to be McNeil’s girlfriend.
As for Victoria, without McNeil’s explicit permission, she would never dare reveal her true identity as Mrs. Langford.
“Violet’s just recovered from a serious illness. Taking on a high-pressure executive role would be too much for her right now,” McNeil said smoothly, stepping in. “Frankly, with her talent, even an assistant manager position is beneath her.”
He’d actually spotted Victoria before even entering the room. Now that their divorce was finalized, they were no longer husband and wife. If she could move in with another man, he could just as well attend another woman’s family gathering.
The only thing McNeil hadn’t expected was that Simms-his former almost-father- in-law was actually Violet’s uncle.
If he’d known about that connection, he wouldn’t have come at all.
By shielding Violet, McNeil was inadvertently raising her standing in everyone’s eyes. While she might be well-known among racing enthusiasts, in Starfall City’s business and political circles, she was practically a stranger.
But tonight, with half the city’s elite gathered for Simms’s wife Janice’s birthday, Violet’s status rose dramatically simply by being on McNeil’s arm. Suddenly, everyone wanted to know who she was.
“Our Ms. Turner-” Yasmine started to argue, but Victoria quickly leaned in and whispered something in her ear. Whatever she said made Yasmine’s eyes crinkle and a barely concealed smile tug at her lips.
“Alright,” Yasmine said, her expression perfectly composed. “Excuse me, I need to use the restroom.”
She stood and left, and nobody paid her any mind.
Victoria, meanwhile, was asked by Yulia-never one to shy away from stirring the pot-“Victoria, you studied art abroad, didn’t you? Why don’t you help Mrs. Simms take a look at the landscape painting Violet’s boyfriend brought as a gift?”
Janice, always critical of the Turners, picked at her food with a fork and scoffed, “As if she’d understand any of it. Even if her mother were here, she’d just be a pretty face-nothing more.”
Janice absolutely despised the Turners. She never forgave Simms for spending years with their family and never once returning to visit her in their less affluent neighborhood. In Janice’s eyes, Edith had seduced her son away like a cunning
vixen.
“Of course,” Victoria replied, expecting to see an oil landscape. But when she unwrapped the artwork, she found a watercolor instead.
Violet’s face blanched. This wasn’t the landscape painting McNeil had bought at the auction.
“Wow, is this the famous piece that went for twenty million?” Janice exclaimed, unable to hide her excitement. “Violet, it looks like McNeil really treasures you. Even your aunt gets to bask in the glow.”
Janice considered herself cultured and had a fondness for rare and expensive art. But as Victoria studied the painting, she couldn’t help but let a faint smile slip.
“I doubt this one will be to your taste, Mrs. Simms,” Victoria murmured.
Edith, having overheard that the painting was worth twenty million, snatched it from Victoria’s hands. “If you don’t understand art, you shouldn’t pretend you do,” she chided. “Besides, I’d hate for you to stain it-it’s worth more than you could ever repay.”
With that, she presented the painting to Janice with a saccharine smile.
Victoria’s lips curled with amusement, almost involuntarily.
Simms and his daughter joined the cluster of onlookers.
Victoria sipped her wine, her smile cool and distant. “This is actually one of my mother’s pieces-not the twenty-million-dollar painting everyone’s talking about. Still, I imagine Mr. Langford paid at least five million for it at auction.”
Violet’s complexion grew paler by the second. She remembered now-on the day of the auction, McNeil had purchased two paintings: one oil landscape, and one watercolor.