Trick Him Into Divorce, Then Flee With His Unknow Kid novel Chapter 295

Chapter 295: Chapter 295 The Fake Masterpiece Exposed

Rose glanced at the plump fishes swimming in the pond. They had already gathered around the waterlogged scroll, nibbling curiously at its edges. Even if it were retrieved now, the damage was done.

One of the attendants hurried into the pond and carefully recovered it.

Victoria rushed over, gently unrolling the soaked calligraphy. Although it had been stored in a protective case, the paint had bled through the paper, several sections had torn, and the entire piece was in terrible condition. Restoring it would be nearly impossible.

"What are we going to do?" Victoria murmured, her face filled with regret. "This was the piece Mrs. Taylor treasured most..."

Samantha’s expression darkened.

She stepped forward, intending to inspect the damage herself.

Just then—

"What happened here?"

Grace Taylor had arrived.

She hadn’t made a sound, and no one had noticed her approach. Derick and Ryan were among the group walking behind her.

The moment Samantha saw Grace, her face went pale.

She was about to explain.

But Grace had already noticed the ruined painting.

Her expression changed immediately as she hurried over.

Victoria suddenly stood.

"This has nothing to do with Ms. Hill," she said quickly. "I was the one trying to recover this piece to surprise you. Unfortunately, there was an accident, and it ended up being damaged..."

She was clearly trying to protect Samantha.

Having witnessed everything from the beginning, Rose knew that wasn’t what had happened.

Grace’s hands trembled as she lifted the soaked artwork.

It was beyond repair.

Samantha’s heart sank.

She could tell how much Grace valued the painting.

She hadn’t expected to make such a serious mistake before even officially becoming part of the Taylor family.

If she denied responsibility now, Grace could simply ask the staff later and discover the truth.

After weighing her options, she took a breath.

"I’m sorry," Samantha said, her face pale. "I truly didn’t mean for this to happen. I had no idea this piece meant so much to you."

Grace’s anger was unmistakable.

Years ago, one of her late husband’s treasured works had been secretly stolen by a dishonest servant and sold for money, believing no one would notice. Since then, it had disappeared into private collections, changing hands countless times.

She had spent nearly ten years searching for it.

And now...

Her eyes flashed with fury as she looked at Samantha.

Just as she was about to speak—

Daisy hurried over.

"This isn’t Sam’s fault," she said quickly. "It was all a misunderstanding. Sam and Victoria had a disagreement because of what happened to Sam’s mother, and things got a little heated."

Victoria lowered her eyes, saying nothing.

Derick frowned at Daisy.

"What exactly have you been telling the child?"

Daisy froze.

She hadn’t expected Derick to defend Victoria.

He had once loved Sophia so deeply.

Had he really become this protective of Victoria?

His words felt like a direct rebuke.

An awkward silence settled over the courtyard.

Samantha felt increasingly uneasy.

She hadn’t even completed the DNA test yet, and she’d already managed to offend Grace.

How was she supposed to earn Grace’s affection after this?

Rose watched the entire scene unfold like a family drama she had accidentally wandered into.

She wondered how it would end.

Then—

Ryan, who had remained silent the entire time, finally spoke.

"Is this one of Mr. Taylor’s original paintings?"

The moment he opened his mouth, Rose felt a strange sense of foreboding.

She instinctively looked at him.

Grace nodded. "Yes. I’ve been searching for it for almost ten years."

Hope immediately returned to Samantha’s eyes.

She assumed Ryan was stepping in to help smooth things over.

At the very least, perhaps he could lessen Grace’s anger toward her.

Ryan walked forward at an unhurried pace.

After giving the damaged artwork a brief glance, his cold gaze shifted toward Rose, who had been quietly staying out of the conflict.

"I’m curious," he said evenly. "Where was this piece recovered?"

Victoria answered hesitantly.

"A private collector in L.A."

"Really?"

A faint smile appeared on Ryan’s lips.

It never reached his eyes.

He continued looking at Rose.

"That’s quite a coincidence."

"I believe I’ve seen this exact calligraphy hanging in Ms, Bennett’s grandfather’s antique gallery."

He paused. "So now I’m wondering..."

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