My Amnesic Ex Married My Sister, So I Married His Uncle-Chapter 150: What Does the Rhodes Family See in Her?

Chapter 150: Chapter 150: What Does the Rhodes Family See in Her?

Ethan Rhodes frowned.

Kiana Sterling’s accusation was baseless.

The painting had been sold to Sean Shaw at auction over two months ago. Afterward, the artwork underwent multiple inspections and countless appraisals before it was finally handed over to his people.

Besides, it was obvious to everyone how much Sean Shaw valued today’s ceremony.

’The Shaw family’s people must have been handling the painting the entire time before the ceremony started.’

’How could Stella have tampered with it right under so many people’s noses?’

When Ethan Rhodes didn’t respond, Kiana’s composure finally broke.

She shot up from the sofa. "Ethan Rhodes, you don’t believe me!"

Ethan Rhodes could tell something was off about Kiana’s emotional state.

He still wanted an explanation from her about today’s events.

But seeing the state she was in, he took her hand and tried to soothe her in a gentle voice.

"Kiana, it’s not that I don’t believe you. It’s just that there are many suspicious details. We can’t just pin the blame on Stella like this. Calm down, I..."

"Ethan Rhodes, you just don’t believe me!"

Kiana slapped Ethan’s hand away. "Ever since you recovered your memory, you’ve been hung up on Stella! You don’t trust me at all. You want to go back to her, don’t you?"

Ethan hadn’t expected Kiana to suddenly fly into such a rage.

And it was all directed at Stella.

He tried to reason with her.

"Kiana, you have to be responsible for your accusations. It’s not that I don’t believe you, but you claim it was Stella. Do you have any proof?"

"Proof? Hah! What more proof do I need? I saw her! I saw the smug, gloating look in her eyes. Isn’t that enough? Ethan Rhodes, you’re my fiancé, yet you’re taking Stella’s side!"

Kiana had been suppressing her true nature around Ethan for so long, she had almost forgotten her own temper.

Today, she truly couldn’t hold back anymore.

But the way she was acting terrified Ethan Rhodes.

In his memory, although Kiana’s health was poor, she was always understanding, gentle, and lovely.

But now...

He even felt she was more hysterical than Stella had been during the period right after he’d woken up from the hospital.

"Kiana, you’re too agitated right now. Calm down. President Shaw isn’t going to just sit back and do nothing. He’ll definitely get to the bottom of this."

Kiana froze at his words.

She suddenly calmed down.

’That’s right, there’s still Sean Shaw.’

She knew perfectly well what the truth was about this painting.

For something like this to happen at such an important event, one that Sean Shaw valued so highly... 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

One word suddenly surfaced in Kiana’s mind: ’Doomed...’

Like a balloon suddenly letting out all its air, she went completely limp and collapsed back onto the sofa.

Seeing her reaction, Ethan had a gut feeling that there was something he didn’t know—something Kiana was concealing.

He wanted to ask, but Kiana’s expression was just too awful.

"Kiana?" he called out.

But Kiana only felt a deathly chill spread through her body. Her vision suddenly went black, and then she knew nothing more.

...

Meanwhile, in the resort’s main hall, people stood around in small groups.

Sean Shaw had already left, so Jandor’s local bigwigs gathered in their usual small circles to discuss the day’s major event.

Kiana Sterling’s reputation as a prominent socialite and a lady of grace was famous throughout Jandor’s high society circles.

For years, the children of Jandor’s elite families had all heard her name whenever they were out and about.

Kiana herself might have been genuinely outstanding, but the Sterling Family’s machinations were an undeniable part of her success.

"Maybe she’s been playing the part for so long she started to believe it herself. Never thought she’d stumble so badly, and at such a crucial moment, have all her secrets dragged into the light..."

It doesn’t matter what circle you’re in; at their core, people just love to watch a good drama unfold.

Although no one said it openly, everyone knew deep down how those reputations and honors were manufactured and how the families operated. They were all perfectly clear on the matter.

"I just wonder who she pissed off this time to get taken down like this... I have to say, the person behind this is a real piece of work."

The hall was filled with such whispers.

The incident had just unfolded. Aside from the people directly involved and the Shaw family, who were swamped, and the media representatives, who had been led away for "a talk," most of the guests who had attended the luncheon were just enjoying the show.

It had been a long time since Jandor had seen such an interesting spectacle.

Silas Jacobs spotted Owen Rhodes and Stella Sterling and went to stand with them.

He glanced at Stella, noting her rosy, glowing complexion. She seemed to be in a good mood.

"What does our beautiful painter make of all this?"

Stella smiled at him. "What is there for me to make of it? Or is President Jacobs implying this was his handiwork and has come to claim a reward?"

’Heh, nice way to turn that around...’

Silas slung an arm around Owen’s shoulder. "Rhodes, your lady is not very kind, is she?"

Owen shook his arm off. "You talk too much."

"..."

’Fine, fine. I’m the fool here, alright?’

Silas was genuinely curious, so he asked Stella, "You really didn’t know anything about this?"

Stella shook her head.

She had originally come intending to cause some trouble for Kiana; after all, she knew perfectly well what was really going on with that painting.

She had only intended to watch, but she never expected to get such a good show.

Silas remarked, "Well, your reaction is a bit too calm for that. So, was the message real?"

Stella raised an eyebrow. "President Jacobs has a discerning eye; I’m sure you can tell at a glance."

’Right. So that’s a non-answer.’

Still, who on earth was behind this?

Stella had a faint suspicion, but she felt it was too unlikely.

As she thought this, she scanned the room but didn’t find the person she was looking for.

Owen Rhodes saw this but said nothing.

While everyone was still buzzing about the drama, the wail of an ambulance siren cut through the resort.

A moment later, everyone saw Kiana Sterling being loaded into an ambulance.

This set the crowd abuzz all over again.

"What’s going on? Did she faint from the shock?"

"Isn’t it pretty normal for Kiana to faint? I heard her health has always been poor. They said she was studying abroad, but actually, she was recuperating overseas the whole time."

"Recuperating for that many years?"

"It’s true. I heard she even fainted when Ethan Rhodes proposed to her in Lumina."

"Then what do the Rhodes Family see in her?"

"True love?"

The idea of something as quaint as true love was so ridiculous that the group broke into quiet laughter.

「Elsewhere.」

Without even waiting for an order from Sean Shaw, Jasper Jennings immediately began investigating the day’s events.

After it was received from the auction house, the painting had been kept in the Shaw family’s vault in Veridia. Everyone who had handled it in the interim was one of their own.

Three days ago, after the painting was transported here, it was temporarily stored in a bank.

That place was as secure as a fortress.

To say that someone tampered with it during that time was highly improbable.

While Jasper Jennings was off to the side, arranging the investigation, Sean Shaw sat calmly nearby, brewing and sipping tea, his mood perfectly stable.

Only after Jasper Jennings had arranged everything did he approach Sean Shaw to report.

Sean Shaw listened quietly, not saying a word.

A long while after Jasper finished speaking, Sean Shaw finally asked, "When does Ryan Shaw’s mission end?"