Chapter 274: Face-Slap, Ophelia Warren is Ruined and Disgraced

Chapter 274: Chapter 274: Face-Slap, Ophelia Warren is Ruined and Disgraced

At the mention of checking the security footage, Ophelia Warren immediately panicked.

’If the footage shows that I’m the one who damaged the Ancient Painting...’

Ophelia Warren’s lips tightened into a thin line. While Sienna Everett had been restoring the Ancient Painting, she’d considered slipping away more than once. But saying she wanted to leave would only make her look guilty.

Besides, even if she wanted to leave, the others wouldn’t have let her.

Now, seeing Director Jarvis send a staff member to retrieve the footage,

Ophelia Warren’s hands twisted together in panic. She took a deep breath and forced a gentle, kind smile onto her face. "Director Jarvis, my stomach is suddenly bothering me. I need to use the restroom. I’ll be right back."

Hearing this, Miles Everett cut in before Director Jarvis could even speak. "No! You can’t leave!"

Ophelia Warren was stunned by his outburst, her eyes filled with innocence. "Mr. Everett, do you suspect I’m trying to take this opportunity to slip away? How could you think that? I’m not that kind of person. I’ve just been cooped up in this room from morning until now. After so long, my stomach is genuinely upset."

Miles Everett’s eyes were wary and cold. "Ophelia Warren, do you really think I’d still fall for your lies? They’re about to check the footage. You are not to leave this room!"

Keith Sterling sensed the tense atmosphere and immediately pulled Sienna Everett back. "Come on, let’s stand back and watch the show. A dog-eat-dog fight, how exciting! What’s the point of just arguing? They should fight! Fight, fight, fight!"

Sienna Everett: "..."

Fabian Vance, who had been standing next to Sienna Everett, sighed apologetically. "Sierra, I was the one who invited Ophelia Warren to The Azure Art Exhibition. I never imagined she would..."

’I only found out when Ophelia’s recording was leaked online that she’d been trying to harm Sierra this whole time!’

’If I had known, I never would have invited her!’

Sienna Everett quickly reassured him, "Grandpa Vance, I only found out about Ophelia Warren’s true colors back then, too. I didn’t know she was trying to harm me, so please don’t blame yourself!"

Fabian Vance’s eyes filled with affection, and tears welled up. ’This child is so considerate,’ he thought, ’and it just makes my heart ache for her.’

When he turned to look at Ophelia Warren, his expression instantly became one of disgust, as if he were looking at garbage. From now on, he would have nothing more to do with Ophelia Warren.

Meanwhile, Ophelia Warren was still arguing with Miles Everett.

Miles Everett absolutely refused to let her go to the restroom. "No. You’re not taking a single step out of this room!"

Ophelia Warren clutched her stomach with both hands, looking like she was in genuine pain. "Mr. Everett, I really don’t feel well. I’ll come right back after using the restroom."

Miles Everett no longer believed a word she said. "You weren’t sick earlier, and you weren’t sick later, but you just happen to feel sick *right now*? How convenient!"

The crowd of restorers looked on, their eyes widening in surprise.

"This is rare. Miles Everett is always so calm and composed. I’ve never seen him this angry before!"

"But Ophelia Warren doesn’t look like she’s faking it. She seems to be in a lot of pain. She probably really does need the restroom, what’s the harm in letting her go for a minute?"

"Watching the two of them, I can’t even tell who damaged the Ancient Painting anymore."

"Miles Everett is acting strangely today. He’s not himself at all. I’m guessing he’s probably the one who damaged it..."

Amidst the conflicting murmurs, Chief Ford finally stepped forward. His voice was harsh and his expression stern as he laid down the law: "Enough arguing! The security footage is on its way. No one is to leave this room!"

The meaning was obvious: checking the footage was now the most important matter. Ophelia Warren was forbidden from leaving, and everything else would have to wait until after the video was reviewed.

After hearing Chief Ford’s words, Ophelia Warren’s heart sank, and the panic she was trying to suppress flooded her eyes.

’It’s over...’

’What am I going to do...?’

Before long, Director Jarvis had a staff member pull up the security footage.

All eyes immediately turned to the computer screen.

The footage clearly showed the scene in the room, including Miles Everett and Ophelia Warren’s first attempt at restoring the Ancient Painting.

The two of them first washed the Ancient Painting with 60-degree hot water, then used tweezers to remove its backing paper.

Then, the camera lens clearly captured it: Ophelia Warren, holding a pair of tweezers, made an improper move and punctured the Ancient Painting!

Seeing this, Director Jarvis’s expression turned black as thunder. "Ophelia Warren, it was you! You’re the one who damaged the Ancient Painting!"

The color drained from Ophelia Warren’s face, leaving it deathly pale. Still, she tried desperately to argue her way out. "I... I... So it was me who damaged it? I didn’t know. I didn’t even notice... I’m not skilled in artifact restoration, so I didn’t realize I’d damaged the Ancient Painting... I really had no idea. It wasn’t on purpose..."

Miles Everett was so angry his lips trembled. "Ophelia Warren, you’re still lying and making excuses! It’s impossible you didn’t know you damaged the painting!"

"I didn’t! I really didn’t know... If I had known, I would never have shirked my responsibility..." Ophelia Warren delivered her lines with such genuine emotion she looked to be on the verge of tears.

However, the very next second...

The security footage showed that immediately after she punctured the Ancient Painting with the tweezers, Ophelia Warren’s expression changed drastically. She instantly reached out and covered the damaged spot!

"Holy shit! She knew! She knew the whole time! She knew she’d messed up, and she even deliberately covered it with her hand!" a young restorer shouted, his eyes wide with shock.

But that wasn’t all.

The video continued to play, showing that after Ophelia Warren covered the hole with her hand, Miles Everett noticed something was wrong and asked her about it. She chose to hide the truth, telling him it was nothing.

Then, when Chief Ford discovered the damage, Ophelia Warren had put on an innocent face, pretending to know nothing. She’d even asked Miles Everett, "Mr. Everett, do you know what happened here? Mr. Everett, was it you who accidentally pierced the core of the painting, this thin layer of paper, with your tweezers?"

Because of that, everyone had assumed that Miles Everett had damaged the Ancient Painting, and they had all blamed him for it.

Who could have ever imagined this was the truth!

"Holy crap! So it was Ophelia Warren who damaged it! And she pretended not to know, pinning the blame on Miles Everett! That’s just... My god, I’m speechless. This is completely blowing my mind!"

"Unbelievable. It really takes all kinds to make a world! How could she have the nerve to damage the Ancient Painting herself and then frame someone else for it?"

"And she acted so innocent, too! I was completely taken in!"

"The shameless are truly unstoppable! Ophelia Warren, your wanting to go to the restroom just now was just an act, wasn’t it! What an actress!"

"Just think about that recording that was leaked online—Ophelia Warren secretly hiring someone to harm Sienna Everett. We should have known she was bad news! People like her, who act all sweet and innocent on the outside while stabbing others in the back, are the absolute worst!"

"Heh, I was actually starting to feel sorry for Miles Everett for being framed. But now that I think about it, this is just karma! When that recording came out, he didn’t believe Sienna Everett. He believed Ophelia Warren instead and even said it was all a misunderstanding. Heh, now it’s his turn to get framed! Serves him right!"