Unmasking Mrs. Newton's Secret Identities novel Chapter 1477

Before Bentley could respond, Ashley confidently took the stage.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us for Ms. Seraphina Quarto's personal art exhibition. Your generous support has played a crucial role in her journey, and this exhibition is her way of expressing heartfelt gratitude to each of you.

"From this moment on, all exhibited artworks are priced at 500,000 dollars each. Guests are welcome to make purchases or place reservations; Ms. Quarto will complete and deliver the paintings within the next year."

As soon as Ashley finished speaking, the venue erupted in a buzz of excitement and disbelief.

"500,000 dollars? Isn't Ms. Quarto practically giving her paintings away?"

"Wow! It seems we've hit the jackpot today!"

"In the past, it was nearly impossible to see Ms. Quarto's paintings. I've heard about her exhibitions, but they were always held overseas. Finally, we have the chance to enjoy her work right here at Grand Cathay!"

"Only a fool would let this opportunity pass. After today, these paintings will be worth a fortune, and finding one will be a challenge! Plus, there's no need to worry about it being a bad investment; you can easily sell it to foreigners and make a quick profit!"

Amidst the excitement, Bentley and a few others remained notably calm.

After a moment of contemplation, Bentley murmured to himself, "If there are more exhibitions like this, won't Ms. Quarto's paintings lose their value?"

Taylor and Abigail exchanged knowing glances, realizing they were on the same wavelength.

It was clear that Ashley's objective went beyond mere profit. Like those peddling counterfeit art abroad, she wanted to damage Seraphina's reputation.

She had clearly plotted this in advance. With Helen out of the country, there was no one to contest her, which was why she felt empowered to host the exhibition right in Glendale.

This was a direct affront to Dragon's Den.

"I'll take them all!" Taylor declared, determination shining in his eyes. It was a hefty sum in the millions, but it was a justifiable expense to protect Helen's reputation.

"Should we buy a few pieces for the office?" he asked. "We could wait for their value to appreciate."

"How can counterfeit art possibly appreciate in value?" Germaine asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Counterfeit art? No way! With such a major exhibition, there must be appraisers verifying the pieces. Would they really dare to showcase forgeries?" Jenson countered, sounding unconvinced.

"Art can be forged, and appraisers can be deceived," Germaine replied, locking eyes with him. "Ms. Quarto's reputation serves as an ideal cover for these fraudsters.

"People think just like you—assuming that if it's on display, it must be genuine. No one bothers to verify in the moment, and that's precisely how they trap their victims."

"That's a valid point," Jenson admitted, scratching his head. "The art market can be highly inflated; it's best not to take unnecessary risks. Since we've just launched our business, we need to be prudent with our finances."

"Exactly! If I hadn't stepped in last time, you would have probably wasted 500,000 dollars already," Germaine said bluntly.