Chapter 61
The exit on the second floor seems to be locked.
Jordan Vance pushed it a few times but couldn’t open it.
Frustrated, he cursed loudly and kicked the door forcefully.
Soon, he gave up the idea of leaving through there.
However, he didn’t continue climbing to the third floor; instead, he leaned over the railing gap in the stairwell, looking down.
Vivian Sinclair and Julian Thorne immediately turned and pressed tightly against the wall, narrowly avoiding detection.
Fortunately, their footsteps had been light.
So, up to now, Jordan Vance hadn’t realized someone was following him.
Jordan quickly answered a phone call, his voice low and cold: “Are you saying someone is investigating that incident from back then p>
“Who is it? Did you find out p>
What was said on the other end of the call was inaudible to Vivian, of course.
But she soon heard Jordan’s wrath: “What use are you to me p>
“You can’t even handle this minor matter, just waiting for my downfall. How are you all planning to eat p>
“Fine, I just tweaked the competition a bit p>
“Do you think W was entirely clean from start to finish p>
Panting heavily, Jordan had paced back and forth countless times.
Vivian stared in disbelief, her eyes wide open.
The truth he wanted her to know was actually this?
Could it be she was indeed set up back then?
Suddenly, his voice sank with a subtle tremor: “In any case, they must never find out that the painting is actually my teacher’s work p>
“Even though the competition between her and me wasn’t fair, if the school wins, what’s the difference p>
“Don’t say I bullied her, W. Few have seen her true face; ghost knows if she painted those artworks herself p>
“Did she really win those awards back then with those paintings all created by this W herself p>
“I doubt Fiona Rhodes was entirely clean p>
Vivian was about to rush out but was tightly grasped by Julian Thorne.
“What’s the rush p>
“It’s not over yet p>
He whispered a reminder, and just as he finished, the previously locked second-floor exit suddenly burst open with a loud crash!
The door was forced open.
Several figures stepped in, and as Vivian was burning with curiosity to rush out, she heard an incredibly familiar voice: “I, Fiona Rhodes, am clean, innocent! My school, all my students, have always been conscientious and candid p>
“Unlike you, Jordan Vance p>
“You deceive, cheat, hoodwink the world p>
“Disguising your teacher’s artworks as your own, competing against my young disciple p>
“What do you call this? This is winning without merit p>
“Your treachery led a talented artist to fall; don’t you feel any guilt p>
“You gained fame and undeserved honors, and yet you claim it’s all for your school? You haven’t just disgraced your school, but sullied the entire art circle p>
“Do you realize, you’re over a decade older than W, using out-of-league works to deceive the world, fooling my honest student into believing you were competing fairly, making her stake her future to restore my honor, and ultimately lose to someone like you p>
“Why can’t you compete using your own paintings p>
“Isn’t it because you know deep down, with your actual talent, you can’t beat her p>
“Jordan Vance! You are truly a disgrace to the art world and your school p>
Hearing this voice and these successive words, Vivian was both excited and shocked, her eyes unknowingly filled with tears.
It’s the teacher!
It’s indeed the teacher!
Vivian was aware that Teacher Tris had returned, but she hadn’t expected even Fiona to return now!
Not only that, she returned to stand up for justice for her.
At this moment, knowing the deception and the truth of her competition loss didn’t thrill Vivian as much as hearing Fiona’s voice.
Wait, could this have been arranged by Julian?
Vivian turned her puzzled gaze to Julian.
Julian took her head and turned it once more: “It’s not the most exciting part yet. You can ask questions later p>
Vivian:?
The truth is already revealed; how could there be something more exciting?
Could there be other inner truths to this matter?
Originally feeling nothing much, at this moment, Vivian finally had a sense of anger at being manipulated, at being set up.
This was directed at Jordan and his faction that humiliated her to this extent.
Blame her naivety; the competition, though semi-closed, was orchestrated by Jordan’s side to conceal her true identity.
A day and night locked in separate rooms.
No visits allowed, nor any requests for external assistance.
Despite third-party monitoring, Jordan, with his premeditated intent, could easily swap things out.
She could only blame her faith in everything and her belief in justice!
She also blamed that after the teacher left, Vivian and her fellow apprentices drifted further apart, almost all venting their anger on her.
Resulting in Vivian being nearly alone in the art world p>
Not dwelling on it, Vivian listened carefully as the scene unfolded.
Jordan was overwhelmed with shock and a hint of fear over Fiona’s sudden appearance and accusations.
“F… Fiona p>
“How can it be you p>
“No, it’s impossible p>
“You went to Faeland, right? How did you suddenly appear here p>
After shouting, he realized that what he did had been exposed!
This door, coincidentally locked earlier, was now forced open by them.
What else could Jordan not understand?
“It was… it was you guys p>
“You were the ones who set me up p>
“Well, Fiona, you claim to be upright, but you’re the hypocritical one p>
“This is a setup by you all. I will never admit to it p>
However, Fiona Rhodes was not alone.
Behind her was Greenshire and four or five students.
They all approached Jordan Vance step by step.
Greenshire angrily said, “Do you think we can’t do anything about you p>
“As long as we report your work from that competition to the national association for comparison, whether it’s your original or your teacher’s, the truth will come to light p>
The other students chimed in, “Exactly! Jordan Vance, you shameless person, making our junior sister suffer for so long and letting her lose to someone as despicable as you p>
“From now on, your vile and shameless acts will be completely exposed in the industry p>
“You’re finished p>
“Still want to paint? Go eat shit from now on p>
Jordan Vance was thus cornered against the wall, and his expression began to show panic.
“What, what do you want to do p>
“Force a confession p>
“If you think you can make W look good again, you’re dreaming p>
“Because the original piece I won the competition with, you will never find p>
“If you have the ability, come back with the evidence and then talk p>
Upon hearing this, Fiona Rhodes was infuriated, “Jordan Vance! Do you think we don’t know that there’s someone else behind you p>
“You relied on that person’s power to pull off this deception back then p>
“And now, that missing piece of your teacher’s artwork is with that person, isn’t it p>
Hearing this, Jordan Vance was completely panicked.
“I, I don’t understand what madness you all are spouting here p>
“You want to force me to admit to something I haven’t done, but justice will prevail, and everything will have its fair judgment p>
“If you have the ability, go ahead and sue me p>
With that said, Jordan Vance shoved everyone away with great force and then dashed downstairs.
Vivian Sinclair and Julian Thorne were already hiding behind the door.
The two of them pressed tightly together to avoid being spotted.
Vivian’s graceful figure was so close that Julian immediately noticed the softness in his embrace.
Not only that, but her slightly protruding belly also pressed against him.
Julian felt a very peculiar sensation p>
Finally, Vivian waited for Jordan Vance to disappear.
She immediately realized her too-close-for-comfort behavior with Julian Thorne.
She raised her hand and gave him a firm push away.
Julian Thorne: p>
“Miss Sinclair, your skill at burning bridges is admirable p>
“But we weren’t strangers to holding close, weren’t you the one who got close under the bridge p>
The dead memories suddenly attacked Vivian Sinclair.
She quickly grabbed Julian Thorne’s arm and left the stairwell.
At that moment, Fiona Rhodes and the others on the staircase didn’t know there had been others downstairs just moments ago.
They were all just indignant at Jordan Vance’s shamelessness and despicability.
Fiona Rhodes: “This matter cannot be left unresolved p>
“By the way, don’t reveal my return to Vivian p>
Greenshire: “I know, if it wasn’t for someone pressuring you to return, throwing out some evidence, you wouldn’t have rushed back to stand up for Vivian so urgently p>
“But since you’ve returned, why not even meet the child once p>
“Vivian hasn’t had an easy time these past two years p>
Fiona’s heart felt as if it was pricked by a needle, but she steeled herself to say, “Not seeing her is what’s best for her p>
Meanwhile, after returning to the banquet hall with Julian Thorne, Vivian Sinclair immediately pulled him to an empty corner.
“Mr. Thorne, I appreciate what you did tonight, but for those unintended interactions, please don’t bring them up again p>
Julian Thorne actually asked, “Why p>
Vivian Sinclair gritted her teeth and replied, “One of us is a married woman, and the other is Ardis’s most prominent and respected tycoon p>
“You wouldn’t want to be caught in a scandal full of moral lapses, right p>
“Mr. Thorne’s reputation shouldn’t be tarnished because of me p>
This was Vivian’s warning, and also a reminder to herself.
She intended to stay away from Julian Thorne, not just saying it.
But for now, it seemed impossible to achieve completely.
Julian Thorne ’hummed p>
“Miss Sinclair, you’re overthinking it p>
“I wanted to uncover the truth to help you pick up the brush again, to aid my sister p>
Vivian Sinclair’s face turned red.
She apologized in embarrassment, “I got carried away p>
However, Julian Thorne’s demeanor suddenly became markedly colder.
Vivian Sinclair didn’t know what she had misspoken.
She had no choice but to change the topic, “Was it also you who arranged for my teacher to return p>
Julian Thorne moved to the side to get some food.
He didn’t answer Vivian Sinclair’s question.
But even without his answer, Vivian Sinclair knew it was him.
Who would have thought he would go through so much trouble for his sister?
She really couldn’t refuse to help Stella any longer.
“But I still need to thank you for helping me with this matter p>
Seeing her politeness, Julian Thorne finally turned and looked at her again.
“Miss Sinclair, don’t you have any other questions p>
After a moment of contemplating, Vivian Sinclair replied seriously, “Yes p>
“Mr. Thorne, do you already know who’s really behind Jordan Vance, the one who harmed me p>