Olivia was captivating in her red dress and high heels. Her dark hair was gently flowing, adding to the aura of mystery and charm that surrounded her, and her enchanting face was surrounded by a light glow of make-up, highlighting her warm amber eyes.
Although she looked beautiful tonight, her face said she was uncomfortable with her current appearance.
"You should have picked a better dress," Olivia grumbled as she adjusted her long gown.
Klaus let out a sigh. "You say whatever fits your big knocker. So, I grabbed whatever I could. Besides, I wasn't the one who chose it. It's your mom's doinh."
Hearing her mother being mentioned, Olivia couldn't help but tightly press her lips together.????????????????????????????????.????????????
As Richard Dickson had sprung this information on them at the last moment, Klaus hadn't had much time to prepare for the event. Not many women in Klaus's circle were knowledgeable about art. Sheila was intelligent, but she once said that a can of milk was better packaged than Mona Lisa painting. Taking her to an art gallery would be the worst option. Sylvia was still unconscious in the hospital. Even if she woke up, her expertise was limited to boxing and fighting. Anna would have been an ideal companion, with her refined taste for branded items and art, but involving a mother in personal matters wasn't a good idea.
Joanna? Klaus would rather go alone.
The only suitable woman that crossed his mind was Olivia Winston. Klaus had seen her profile before. She had a multitude of skills, despite never attending formal education. Named it; kendo, boxing, piano, ballet, and many more. She acquired all of these through private tutors hired by her mother. Interestingly, Julia never once forced Olivia into these classes. It was Olivia who requested them. In other words, she possessed above-average intelligence.
Out of the many classes Olivia had taken, one of them was painting. That's why Klaus chose Olivia. Plus, Olivia was the daughter of the gallery owner. Klaus was confident he could easily win her over.
"Are you ready?" Klaus asked, extending his hand to Olivia.
However, she ignored him and strode forward after blowing a frustrated puff of air.
"Whatever," Klaus muttered irritably, then quickly caught up with Olivia.
They walked toward the entrance of the building, leaving footsteps on the red carpet that led them into the elegant and luxurious world within. Inside, the crystal lights cast colorful reflections, creating a magical ambiance typical of such evenings. The walls were adorned with unique artworks—canvases depicting natural landscapes or splashed with abstract colors.
Looking at the displayed paintings, Klaus couldn't help but furrow his brow. Some paintings caught his attention, like the landscapes or portraits, but the rest were a bit perplexing to him. On the other hand, Olivia's eyes widened as she looked at them, as though the objects hanging on the walls held significant value.
In an atmosphere of awe and appreciation, Klaus and Olivia strolled slowly among the invited guests. Soft whispers and warm smiles accompanied their steps. Their presence among the guests drew everyone's attention, especially Olivia. People couldn't help but be captivated as they witnessed her captivating natural charm.
Unbeknownst to Olivia, Klaus was observing her. Just like at his birthday party, she appeared composed, facing dozens of watchful eyes. Whether it was because she was accustomed to being the center of attention or simply ignoring them, it showcased her calm demeanor.
"She'd usually give them a piece of her mind in situations like this. Has she changed?" Klaus wondered silently.
As they both walked down a long corridor, Klaus noticed a group of men surrounding a woman in a purple gown. They seemed to be vying for her attention, while she laughed and nodded in response. Then, she inadvertently rolled her eyes in the direction of Klaus and Sylvia.
"Ah, honeys!" Julia exclaimed, waving her hand in the air. "Sorry, gentlemen. I have a brief matter to attend to."
The men looked disappointed as Julia left them for the young couple.
"Oh my goodness! My sweet daughter!" Julia gushed, pinching her daughter's cheek affectionately. Olivia remained silent, wearing a sour expression.
"This gallery is absolutely amazing, Julia. I envy your beautiful paintings," Klaus chatted, trying to make small talk. However, his words unexpectedly wiped the smile off her face.
"Really, Klaus? The last time I gave you 'The Starry Night,' you treated it like it was beer for your maid," Julia narrowed her eyes as she said it.
Frowning, Klaus was taken aback that his praise seemed to have irked this forty-year-old woman. Then, he remembered that Anna had once been angry with him for giving a painting to his former maid.
That moment had happened on his eighth birthday. Klaus didn't have many friends, so Anna invited the children of her employees and her own friends. Since there were so many presents, they were all stacked in the living room. Klaus and Anna began unwrapping the gifts one by one. Among them, he got a peculiar painting, but Anna was ecstatic about it.
A week passed. One of the elderly maids who had taken care of him since childhood retired. At the time, Anna wasn't home, and Steve instructed Klaus to give her a gift as a token of appreciation for her service. Klaus knew his father wanted to teach him about gratitude. With many useless items from his birthday presents, Klaus randomly picked something to give to the maid.
The next day, Anna raged at everyone in the mansion upon discovering that Klaus had given away 'The Starry Night' to the former maid. But the one who bore the brunt was Steve. Anna blamed him for everything, as he had been right beside Klaus and yet hadn't done anything.
They managed to contact the former maid, but the painting had been sold for $500. Klaus, Steve, and the former maid were all alike. They knew nothing about art.
"Luckily, I could buy back that painting after spending $150 million. I should have given you a dictionary instead of a Van Gogh masterpiece," Julia clicked her tongue repeatedly.
"What the heck? You gave away 'The Starry Night' to a random person. You're truly clueless," Olivia giggled, teasing Klaus.
Klaus snorted. "I might not know anything about paintings, but at least I've never thrown a tantrum and ended up blacklisted by the entire New York guild."I think you should take a look at
Offended, Olivia fumed. She pointed at Klaus. "You—"
"What? You want to call me perverted? Go ahead, tell your mother you accidentally walked into the changing room and damaged public property."
"Hey! I'm not airing anyone's dirty laundry!" Olivia's face turned red with anger.
"Why? Angry? Go for it, and destroy your mother's gallery!" Klaus smirked.
While Klaus and Olivia argued, Julia giggled at them.
"Oh my, you're fighting like a married couple. How about you two get married?" Julia teased.
"No way!" Klaus and Olivia replied in unison.
Julia burst into laughter at their synchronized response.
Klaus cleared his throat, trying to defuse the situation. "By the way, Julia. Are they here?" He changed the subject back to the main reason he had come here tonight.
"Ah, right. I saw them earlier. Do you want to meet them now?"
"Sure."
Julia then led Klaus and Olivia to another location. Wandering through corridors filled with unique paintings, they attracted attention with every step. Some guests greeted Julia but many of them recognized Klaus. One or two approached them for a chat, but Klaus declined, as he had an important mission at hand.
In a hall the size of a basketball court, a group of elegantly dressed men and women were engaged in serious conversation beside a small painting with a golden frame. They stopped talking as Julia drew close to them.
"Darling! This is truly amazing! I never expected you to have 'Impression, Sunrise'! Will you be auctioning it later?" A woman in a white gown hugged Julia and exchanged kisses.
"Unfortunately, it's not for sale," Julia replied.
"Huh, what a shame. I had prepared $500 million for it."
"I'm sorry, dear." Julia patted the woman's shoulder.
Klaus observed the woman in the white gown. The dress clung to her body, accentuating her lovely figure. Her black hair fell naturally around her shoulders, adding a graceful touch. Her face, with light-filled hazel eyes and a friendly smile, seemed to radiate warmth amidst the art pieces surrounding her.
Sensing his gaze, the woman rolled her eyes at Klaus. Julia quickly introduced her to him before any misunderstandings occurred.
"Darling, do you remember what we discussed on the phone last night? This is Klaus Lee."
"Ah, I do," the woman in the white gown nodded.
Extending his hand, Klaus took the initiative to introduce himself. "I'm Klaus Lee. You might know me as Robert Lee's grandson."
The woman raised an eyebrow and laughed. "Oh, not quite. I know who you are. You're the one who invented the Elemental Gun, right? And also the person who exposed the Oathkeeper cheating two months ago. I'm familiar with you, Klaus Lee." The woman shook Klaus's hand. "Isabella Wilson."
After shaking hands with Klaus, she greeted Olivia as well. It turned out that the woman knew her too.
Finally, Klaus met the strongest candidate who would accompany Richard in the gubernatorial election, Isabella Wilson. Klaus needed to secure her quickly.
Just as Klaus was about to start a conversation with her, another woman approached out of the blue.
"Klaus, is that you? I didn't expect to see you here."
The voice sounded familiar to him. Klaus turned around, finding a stylishly dressed woman approaching him. Her long black hair cascaded down to her waist, and there was a mole beneath her eye. Recognizing who she was, Klaus quickly put on a fake smile.
"Liliana. How have you been?"
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