Chapter 421

“That’s right,” Yannick said with a firm nod.

Melody sighed. “You really are….”

Seeing Yannick’s eager anticipation for praise, she decided to soften her response. Melody smiled and said, “You’re very thoughtful.”

Yannick’s face lit up like a kid with a new toy, as if he almost jumped up. “I couldn’t show up empty-handed! It’s the least can do for you, Master!”

Melody waved her hand, drawing everyone’s curious stares. “I actually called you here because I need your help with something.”

Yannick was quick to respond, “Of course! Whatever it is, I’m happy to help. Just say the word, and I’ll get it done, no matter how big or small!”

Melody nodded. “Someone here claims to have bought one of your paintings. I need you to check if it’s genuine or not.”

Yannick was a bit let down but still eager to help. “That’s it? Well, no problem at all! Where’s the painting?”

Melody glanced at Ken, who immediately got the painting he had prepared earlier.

Even though the painting had dried, there was still a

noticeable patch in the middle. But that wouldn’t stop Yannick from assessing its authenticity.

Nana’s heart skipped a beat. She stepped forward, saying, “Mr. Frost, I am a big fan of yours. I bought this painting from a collector with a lot of effort. It has to be the real deal, right?”

She was trying to set the stage, hoping to influence Yannick’s opinion.

Melody responded calmly, “Mr. Frost, I remember you painting this in front of me. This painting was kept in the countryside. If it’s the same one, it would have appeared out of nowhere. Please take a close look.”

Nana shot Melody an irritated look and said, “Miss Fox, I don’t know what kind of master you are, but isn’t it a bit much to ask him to lie for you so blatantly?”

Melody raised an eyebrow, amused. “What? Am I wrong for telling the truth here?”

Janet chimed in, trying to smooth things over. “Nana, don’t worry. Mr. Frost’s integrity is well-known in Halcyon. No matter how close he is to Melody, he won’t show any bias.”

Nana was about to retort when Yannick cut in. “Bias? I don’t get what you two are talking about.”

Realizing Yannick was unaware of her bet with Melody, Nana quickly added, “Mr. Frost, please inspect it carefully. I spent millions on this painting. I really hope that it’s real.”

Yannick nodded. “Don’t worry. I’ve already given it a good look.”

Then, he turned to Melody and said, “Master, I did paint this in front of you. But when I got back, I was still not happy with the result, so I painted another one. This one ended up in an art exhibition where someone bought it.”

When Nana heard this, she was visibly relieved. “So, Mr. Frost, that means there are two real paintings-one with Miss Fox and another one somewhere else?”

“Yeah, that’s right,” Yannick confirmed with a nod.

Nana’s tension melted away, and she flashed a triumphant smile. She turned to Melody, saying, “See, Miss Fox? There’s no surprise that there are two real paintings. Yours is the genuine one from Mr. Frost, but you didn’t expect there to be another, did you?”

Janet watched with a subtle smirk. The painting situation had more twists than she anticipated, but the outcome seemed still favorable for her.

But then, she glanced at Ken, who was frowning slightly, clearly concerned for Melody.

Janet’s smile faded, and she clenched her fists in frustration.

Meanwhile, Melody remained unfazed as she slowly said, “I didn’t see that coming, but… Yannick didn’t confirm that your painting is the real one.”

“There are two paintings-one for you and one for me. What’s the problem with that? Or are you trying to back out of our agreement?” Nana asked.

Yannick, noticing the tension, asked, “Master, what’s going on?”

Melody shook her head. “It’s fine. Just let us know whether her painting is the real deal or not.”

Nana sneered inwardly, thinking, ‘You are really not going to let this go, huh? Well, if that’s what you want, I will make sure you get what you deserve.’

Nana, raising her chin, said, “Mr. Frost, you mentioned there were two similar paintings. So, mine must be the real one, right?”

Yannick shook his head. “Sorry, young lady, I’m afraid not. Even though you paid a lot of money for it, this painting isn’t the original.”

“What?!” Nana’s face went pale as she struggled to process the shock. “That’s impossible! My collector wouldn’t lie to me! You must be mistaken.”

Janet, sensing Nana’s distress, suggested, “Mr. Frost, could it be that the painting’s water damage affected your judgment? Maybe you should check it again?”

Yannick waved his hand dismissively. “I understand this is hard to accept, especially given the price. But this painting is definitely a fake, regardless of the water damage.”

“No way!” Nana refused to believe it, gripping Yannick’s sleeve. “Mr. Frost, please look again! The painting I bought can’t be fake!”

A flicker of irritation crossed Yannick’s face. He, out of anyone, knew his own work too well to mistake it for a fake.

Still, since these people seemed to be closely connected with Melody, he kept his frustration in check and explained calmly, “I’m sure of it. I did paint two similar pieces, but after the first one, I added a white spot on the treetop and signed it with the date in pale paint. This one doesn’t have that, so it is definitely a fake.”

Melody raised an eyebrow, noting the absence of a date on the painting. It was clear it was a forgery.

Then, Yannick added after looking at the painting. “The person who forged this actually did a decent job, but the lack of the date is a clear giveaway.”

Turning to Nana, who was visibly shaken, Melody said flatly, “Miss Nana, please give me your contact number. I will let you know when I need you to do some odd jobs for me, okay?”