“It makes sense though, Mr. Kaur did have a crush on your mother back in college. It’s probably my aunt feeling jealous and not letting him come to pay his respects,” Scarlet said thoughtfully.
Flynn nodded in agreement. When his mother came to Niarak, Paulina never gave her a warm welcome. This was one of the reasons why Matteo rarely contacted her. Besides being afraid of bringing trouble to the Kaur family, he also didn’t want Paulina to misunderstand.
But who was Matteo secretly calling on the balcony? There shouldn’t be anything taboo about it since the person was already dead.
Flynn had many questions but couldn’t quite put his finger on what was wrong with this situation.
“Mom, who is trying to kill you?” he asked with a furrowed brow.
“What is Mr. Kaur hiding?”
Scarlet quickly changed the subject when she saw Flynn looking sad and troubled.
“Flynn, we still have three hours before the art exhibit starts. How about we go for a walk and clear our minds?”
Flynn said, “Well, didn’t you obsess over the wine in my cellar last time?”
“Today, we’ll open it up. You can take some with you if you want.”
“Sounds good! Anyway, keeping you here is a waste. Drinking wine is like drinking mineral water. If it doesn’t taste good, just toss it in the trash. It’s not living at all!” Scarlet rolled her eyes and said.
The Koenigsegg circled around the Shipmeda State Highway, then returned to Thodell Mansion.
After having a few drinks, Scarlet lounged on the sofa, leisurely playing with her phone. Flynn noticed that the time for the art exhibition was approaching. He took a refreshing cold shower, changed into casual attire, and asked Scarlet, “Are you going back, or are you staying here?”
Scarlet thought for a moment and said, “Aren’t you planning to set up a company for the land in Ponocord Bay? There’s a small company for sale. How about going to check it out early tomorrow morning?”
She handed Flynn a flyer she found online. Hearing Scarlet’s unspoken desire to stay overnight, Flynn nodded and asked, “What kind of late-night snack do you want?”
Scarlet replied, “No need, I’ll cook and wait for you!”
Upon hearing her words, Flynn felt a warm sensation in his heart. This was the first woman, aside from his mother, who cooked for him at home, creating a cozy and comforting atmosphere.
Unsure of the location of Pacific Tide Hotel and with over half an hour left, Flynn strolled down the mountain to find a taxi.
When he arrived at the Pacific Tide Hotel, many people were already preparing to enter, including several well-known collectors of Niarak.
After he waited for more than ten minutes, Rose finally arrived.
She was wearing a mid-length slim-fit windbreaker with a double-breasted and POLO collar design.
With bright eyes and white teeth, her slender figure shone brightly in the sun. Her demeanor was still as cold as frost.
“The formula for the Bone-Cleansing Pill you gave me has been made into pills. Katrina and her team are conducting the first clinical trial.”
“I waited for a while and came late.”
Rose looked relaxed and had a smile on her face.
“Oh! Do you like Timothy Houghton’s paintings?”
Flynn knew that the clinical effect should be good, nodded his head, and asked why she came over here.
“Well, his works have great tension and power. They start off repressed but become unrestrained later on. I can resonate with them.”
“Also, I really like that painting ‘Phoenix Emerges from Cangming’. I heard it will be exhibited today so I wanted to come see it in person.”
Rose said so.
“Oh? Actually when I painted it I didn’t think too much about it,” Flynn whispered softly.
He always painted according to his own preferences without any restrictions or rules. He didn’t feel that his paintings were particularly special either.
“What did you say?” Rose didn’t hear him whispering clearly so she asked again.
Flynn was taken aback by her question but smiled, “Nothing much really. Just felt that the painting is ordinary. Not as exaggerated as what you said. Maybe just hyped up by its fame.”
“Nope, an artist whose work goes viral has gone through market validation. Hype alone cannot achieve such widespread popularity.”
“Just like what we talked about earlier regarding ‘Phoenix Emerges from Cangming’, every line exudes an aura of royalty. This painting’s author is no ordinary person.”
Rose explained with a touch of respect.
Flynn raised his eyebrows sharply. He hadn’t expected Rose, this ice-cold person, not only shared his interests but also liked his work, and her praise was quite high.
As they queued up to enter the exhibition hall together, a red Aston Martin DBS pulled up at Pacific Tide Hotel’s entrance.
A woman wearing a black fashion coat with one-button closure paired with deep V-neck long dress stepped out of the car.
Her legs under the long dress were smooth and delicate.
Her face exuded strong confidence along with an intense sense of superiority.
“Miss Hussain! Oh my god! Wasn’t she supposed to be at Dragon Gate headquarters in Pelens? Why did she come over here in Niarak?”
“Miss Hussain is the daughter of Dragon Gate Group’s leader. A few years ago, she joined forces with the Swanson and Woods families to acquire the Sharp’s Group Pharmaceuticals. She will inherit billions of dollars in assets from the Hussain family and become their leader.
“If Layla is an unattainable golden dragon, then Lilia is a phoenix, with her own unique aura! Both are renowned women in Ostrad, shining like stars in the sky!”
Everyone couldn’t help but exclaim when they saw Lilia. There was no doubt that if Lilia and Layla appeared together, even the brightest stars would pale in comparison.
As everyone marveled at her beauty, Kimber stepped out of her car as well. She wore a fitted professional outfit with a short skirt that showed off her shapely legs covered by nude stockings.
“Damn it! I’m so unlucky to run into them again!” Flynn muttered under his breath feeling very unhappy about running into them everywhere he went.
“However, the legs of these two women are indeed attractive. It’s a pity not to use them to pedal a tricycle!”
Rose also furrowed her brows sharply, a cold gleam passing through her eyes.
“Miss Hussain, wherever you go, the spotlight stops there. You were born for grand occasions!”
Listening to the discussions, Kimber couldn’t help but feel emotional.
Lilia smiled faintly and replied modestly, “I am still inferior compared to Layla. Anyone standing next to her would lose their radiance, including me.”
“You’re too kind. My young miss is in Ipholn, accompanying the Spears family’s head for a medical checkup. Today, I’m here with you. The art exhibition is about to begin. Shall we… hmm? Flynn!”
As Kimber was speaking, she caught sight of Flynn on the steps, and her expression darkened.
Lilia, upon hearing Flynn’s name, also showed a cold expression. She came to Niarak to investigate Luca’s death and suspected a connection with Flynn.
Her gaze continued, and when she saw Rose standing next to Flynn, her expression became even more unpleasant.
Approaching Rose, Lilia sneered, “Ms. Sharp, you have expanded your factory and team recently, attracting a billion-dollar investment. Riding high on success, are you here to see the exhibition with your newfound wealth?”
Rose replied calmly, “You’re joking. I don’t think attending an art exhibition has much to do with money. A ticket is only a few hundred dollars, affordable for the average person.”
Their exchange sounded casual but carried an underlying tension.
But as soon as those around them realized the relationship between the two, they immediately sensed tension in the air.
The Sharp’s Group’s bankruptcy had a lot to do with Lilia. When two powerful businesswomen met, it was bound to cause waves.
“A few hundred dollars? Then you can only sit in the back,” Lilia laughed and said.
“Ms. Sharp, you’re now a person of status. How can you sit with ordinary people?”
“How about this? I’ll pay for you to get a seat in the middle.”
“Otherwise, I’ll just keep pressing down on your head until it becomes awkward!”
Kimber looked at Flynn and also sneered, “You should consider yourself lucky that you’re able to come to such a classy place.”
“If it’s all thanks to yourself, you wouldn’t be able to get into this place even if you had eight lifetimes!”
“I hope you learn from people who have more class than you and don’t always think about getting rich quick!”