Chapter 189
Lionel examined the painting several times, and the joy and admiration in his eyes were quite evident.
“Bella, you good girl. After looking at the painting, Lionel couldn’t help but look up at Bella again, his face brimming with a benevolent smile. “You really put your heart into this?
“Grandpa, Bella has always been a great painter. You just don’t know her well enough,” Claude said, unable to conceal the pride swelling in his heart as he grinned.
Lionel, upon hearing this, laughed heartily. “It seems I haven’t paid Bella enough attention”
Bella pursed her lips, smiling gently.
Her gaze drifted towards Jackson.
She wanted to see his reaction.
Would her painting astonish Jackson?
However, Bella was disappointed.
Because she saw that Jackson was looking at Oneida.
Jackson utterly didn’t care about the gift Bella presented to Lionel.
Nor did he care about how good her painting really was.
Jackson was looking at his wife.
At that moment, Bella’s heart sank as if it had been dropped into an ice cave.
It was freezing cold.
Bella quietly withdrew her gaze, her fingers tightening in secretly.
Jackson indeed was looking at Oneida. He turned to her and whispered softly, “Did you bring a gift?”
Caught off guard, Oneida lowered her voice slightly, a trace of discontent in her response, “Didn’t I tell you I would handle the gift myself?”
Did Jackson not trust her?
Seeing her reaction, Jackson couldn’t help but smile slightly, his handsome face softening. “I’m just worried you might be a bit forgetful. If you forgot it, I brought an extra one just for you, so you could give it to Grandpa.”
Hearing this, Oneida looked straight into Jackson’s eyes.
At that moment, he seemed so calm and unbelievably gentle.
Her heart inexplicably felt a touch of sweetness.
Jackson actually brought an extra gift, just for her!
Oneida smiled, whispering, “Thanks, but I really did prepare a gift.
Just then, Bella was about to humiliate Oneida.
Bella said in a gentle voice, “Oneida, what gift have you prepared for Grandpa?”
At these words, all eyes turned to Oneida.
Now Oneida was the only one who hadn’t yet presented her birthday gift to Lionel.
“Didn’t you prepare anything?” Claude squinted his eyes, his gaze showing clear disapproval as he stared at Oneida.
Upon hearing this, the onlookers‘ gazes toward Oneida were infused with a subtle sense of curiosity.
“Ida definitely brought something. Don’t just start rumors.” Immediately, Karen defended Oneida.
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Claude scoffed, disdainfully saying, “If she did bring something, she’d better show it quick. Why is she delaying? What kind of treasure could it be? Perhaps seeing Bella’s excellent gift made you feel inferior. So do you think you can’t match up?”
Upon hearing this, a dark glint flashed across Oneida’s eyes, and for a moment, she said nothing.
But Bella immediately spoke up, pretending to be displeased, “Don’t say that…”
Although Bella voiced her discontent, inwardly she felt that Claude’s words were exactly what she intended.
He said exactly what she had wanted to say.
Bella instinctively glanced at Oneida, cager to see her reaction.
Unexpectedly, Oneida just smiled.
She looked up, her deep, icy gaze piercing through Bella and Claude. Then she glanced at the painting.
“This painting is indeed quite remarkable.”
That was what Oneida said.
Hearing this, Claude sneered, “Anyone with eyes can see that. You don’t really need to point it out.”
“Claude.” Lionel, seeing Claude picking on Oneida, furrowed his brows in displeasure and warned him.
Claude pursed his lips with a displeased expression.
“But there are some things you guys just can’t see,” Oneida continued, her smile slowly fading, replaced by a hint of coldness in her eyes.
“Stop acting! Just speak plainly!” Claude frowned and said bluntly to Oneida.
“Be more polite to her.”
Suddenly, the usually silent Jackson spoke up indifferently. He looked straight at Claude, his gaze deep and piercing.
Feeling Jackson’s stare, Claude inexplicably shuddered.
This guy, despite being confined to a wheelchair, was actually so commanding and domineering just now.
Claude frowned, feeling nervous.
Meanwhile, Bella looked at Oneida, with a smirk that wasn’t quite a smile, “Really? Then do tell us, what did you see in this painting that others didn’t see?”
Bella seemed to be smiling, but her heart was filled with disdain.
Could Oneida even paint?
An outsider who knew nothing about painting dared to arrogantly critique Bella’s painting!
However, Oneida didn’t look at Bella again. Her gaze shifted to Lionel as she said, “Grandpa, this painting indeed imitates the style of Spencer, but it wasn’t drawn by Bella herself.”
Wasn’t the painting drawn by Bella herself?
At this, most of the people present were astounded.
“What are you babbling about? If Bella didn’t paint this, then who did?” Claude was the first to blow his top, glaring at Oneida with a hostile tone, “I watched Bella stay in the studio for a long time, just to create this perfect piece of art.
“Aren’t you just slandering her because you’re jealous of her?”
Oneida didn’t take Claude’s words seriously.
She couldn’t care less about his words.
Lionel was also slightly stunned.
“Isn’t this painting drawn by Bella?” asked Lionel.
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He squinted his eyes, his gaze deep as he looked at Oneida and asked, “Why did you say that?”
However, Bella stood there still
Her fingers clenched even tighter.
Her knuckles turned pale.
Bella still kept composed on the surface, but her palms were already full of cold sweat.
“Actually, this painting was done by another foreign artist, Oneida spoke in a cold tone, her voice sounding in everyone’s ears, “Perhaps Grandpa has heard of Leonardo Palmer?
Lionel perked up, his eyes lighting up slightly. “I know him. Leonardo and Spencer’s works share the same style, a style that I admire.”
Oneida smiled and nodded, saying, “Exactly. Leonardo became famous because he imitated Spencer’s style. He’s the artist whose work closest resembles Spencer’s in the world.
“Who would’ve thought, Bella actually outright used Leonardo’s work and presented it as her own? What a shock!” Oneida turned to look at Bella, her eyes filled with disdain.
