Chapter 69
Patrick Powell continued, “Your sister-in-law called the police, so your father-in-law has already been taken away by the authorities p>
“As for your mother-in-law, she’s still undergoing emergency treatment in the ICU at the hospital p>
Vivian Sinclair was utterly shocked. “What p>
“Are you saying Theodore stabbed Lillian Rivers and sent her to the hospital p>
“Now Theodore’s been taken away by the police, and Lillian’s fate is still uncertain p>
For a moment, Vivian’s mind seemed to freeze.
Even if something happened to The Grant Family… how could it be something so outrageous?
Patrick: “Yes, absolutely true p>
“I just asked Jasmine, and she immediately called home to ask her friends for news, and it really did happen p>
Vivian: “Did Jasmine find out what really happened p>
Patrick: “Jasmine said all the staff at The Grant Family have been ordered strictly to say nothing—no one is allowed to let anything slip p>
“So Jasmine couldn’t get any inside information p>
Vivian’s curiosity was unbearable.
Originally, she’d sent Patrick to investigate whether Theodore had an illegitimate child outside.
Patrick hadn’t even come back with a result, and now Lillian had given her this ’surprise’ of setting fire in The Grant Family!
She’d heard that after the mother and daughter caused chaos at the Spencer Family, they’d disappeared, and she hadn’t expected news again so soon—and it was the headline that she’d been stabbed by her own husband!
This was just too absurd.
And the more absurd it sounded, the more there had to be some shady truth inside.
Vivian sensed that, if she could grab hold of the real inside story of this, maybe her chances of a successful divorce from Austin Grant would increase dramatically!
She’d always known she lacked leverage in her divorce from Austin Grant.
Wasn’t this another opportunity being delivered right now?
While she was still thinking, Patrick, who hadn’t hung up yet, suddenly said, “There’s something else—the old house of The Grant Family, someone seems to be trying to sell a painting p>
“Master Julian of The Thorne Group has already bought it p>
Someone’s selling a painting at The Grant Family at this moment?
Are they just opportunistic, or… is there another plot?
This was so suspicious!
Vivian felt instinctively that there was something wrong.
“Do you know who’s selling the painting p>
Patrick: “I haven’t found out yet p>
“They went through several intermediaries, hiding their identity thoroughly. All we know is the painting came out of the old Grant residence p>
Vivian felt too restless to stay seated.
She got up and paced the garden twice, making Stella completely dizzy.
“Sis, look, there are stars in the sky now p>
Vivian reached out to touch Stella’s head, her gaze landing on the picture Stella had just drawn, and she suddenly stopped in her tracks.
She remembered something.
“Patrick, I’d asked you before to keep an eye out for that particular painting moving around the market—any news p>
Patrick said, “Boss, that painting… still hasn’t surfaced p>
“But I can confirm one thing: the painting that leaked from The Grant Family… happens to be a Jordan Vance piece p>
“It’s just that the seller is so secretive, no one knows which Jordan Vance painting it is yet p>
“But President Thorne already got it p>
“You’re here at The Thorne Family now, maybe you could borrow a look p>
Vivian felt a jolt inside: the painting coming out of The Grant Family just so happened to be a Jordan Vance piece p>
No, wait!
The old Madam Grant truly loved paintings.
So not only were the main house’s walls hung with famous originals, the back-courtyard villa was covered top to bottom with them!
Vivian had seen every painting there at least once.
She could be sure—The Grant Family didn’t own a single painting by Jordan Vance!
Now that she thought about it, it was strange, a total coincidence.
Not a single one!
So if The Grant Family really had a Jordan Vance painting and it was sold, how could Vivian not know?
There was definitely something fishy about this!
Vivian felt all the blood in her body turn cold in an instant.
The phone slipped from her grasp and crashed to the ground, the screen shattering like fireworks.
Stella jumped in alarm.
She rushed over and crouched down, picking up the phone with both hands, only for Matron Turner to snatch it away quickly.
“Miss, careful not to hurt your hands p>
The maid nearby quickly brought over an embroidered silk cloth to wrap the shattered phone.
“Miss Sinclair, please wait—we’ll have the phone sent to you shortly p>
With that, the maid turned and hurried off.
Vivian finally realized how out of control she’d just been.
She nodded a little, embarrassed, toward Matron Turner.
Then gently asked Stella, “Did I scare you just now, Star? That was my fault p>
Star blinked her deer-like eyes at Vivian. “Sis, did something happen p>
“I want to call brother. No matter what happens, he can fix it for us p>
Vivian: “You’re right, Star p>
She looked at Matron Turner, a bit apologetic, “Can I use your phone for a bit? I really do need to contact Mr. Thorne p>
Matron Turner happily offered her own phone and helped dial the number. “Hello? Julian? Miss Sinclair needs to speak with you p>
With that, Matron Turner sensibly led Stella away, leaving this garden space to Vivian.
She was an old hand—she could instantly see that something was wrong with Vivian.
And obviously, it was something so big that Vivian herself couldn’t handle it.
Once the others had gone, Vivian lowered her voice and pressed ahead: “Is the person behind Jordan Vance—the one out to get me—from The Grant Family p>
Her emotions were running high.
Julian, who was currently on a business trip out of province, was just about to board a plane. Hearing this, he immediately stopped in his tracks.
He stood before the airport’s giant windows, looking out over the tarmac. “What do you know p>
These past days, he’d kept himself too busy even for one phone call, just to give his mind space to stay clear.
Clear-headed enough to try and figure out this headache of a situation.
Julian Thorne was never one to hesitate.
This time around, it was a hesitation he’d never experienced in his life.
But just now, the moment Vivian’s voice rang out, his decision snapped into place and became irreversible.
Vivian, of course, knew nothing about any of this.
She was urgent only for the answer. “That painting—that Jordan Vance painting you just bought from The Grant Family—is it the evidence I’ve been looking for p>
Julian hadn’t expected her to get wind of it so fast.
His voice deepened. “I haven’t seen it with my own eyes yet p>
He’d long ago instructed Leo Linden to take care of this.
If there’s a Jordan Vance painting out there, no matter the cost, he must get it all.
So Julian really didn’t know which Jordan Vance painting it was this time, nor whether it was the evidence Vivian was after.
Besides, Leo Linden hadn’t accompanied him on this business trip, so all Julian knew was that Leo bought a Jordan Vance painting from The Grant Family.
Still, he was nearly certain inside.
Julian: “Vivian Sinclair, don’t panic. When I get back, I’ll bring the painting to Crestfall Villa myself for you to inspect p>
Vivian couldn’t wait—even missing that, for the first time, Julian had addressed her by her full name.
She had only one urgent request: “Could someone send me a photo? Just a photo would be enough p>
One photo, and she’d know if it was the painting she was looking for!
No need to check for authenticity.
Because if The Thorne Group is buying, it could never be a fake.
After hanging up, Julian texted Leo Linden.
Soon, he boarded his private jet.
“Fly as soon as cleared—don’t wait for the lane, get me back as fast as possible p>
“Yes, President Thorne p>
Vivian waited a while, then Matron Turner’s phone received a photo from Special Assistant Linden.
She immediately opened it without hesitation.
The moment she saw the picture, her mind went blank with a ’buzz p>
Again with a tiger theme, the painting depicted a tiger among the mountains.
Traditional technique, the artistry was extraordinary!
Skill and the tiger’s manner made the animal seem alive, ready to leap right off the paper.
When Vivian first saw Jordan Vance’s painting, she knew she’d lost.
Although her painting’s artistic conception was more sophisticated, more original,
Jordan Vance’s was tighter in theme.
The tiger itself.
And his technique was far more refined, flawless in every detail.
This was exactly why Vivian had lost that time—this was the painting!
This is it!
And yet, this painting unexpectedly turned up at The Grant Family?
How could this happen?
No wonder at the masked gala, Jordan Vance had bolted when Austin Grant called out her name.
Because The Grant Family was the mastermind behind the plot against her all along!
So he kept his distance.
So he didn’t dare get involved.
This was just ridiculous.
This was… just so stupid!
Vivian had always thought that the only thing Austin Grant schemed on was her pregnancy.
But now she realized that behind The Grant Family there was an even bigger trap and conspiracy against her.
Vivian put Matron Turner’s phone back on the table and spun around to hurry away.
When Matron Turner realized she’d gone, she immediately sent someone after her.
Vivian had already taken the shuttle to the front gate.
Lina Holloway caught up, gasping for breath, “Miss Sinclair, wait—wait a minute… why are you just leaving like that p>
Vivian looked at her apologetically. “I have something to take care of. I left a note on the table, did you not see p>
“If you need to dock my pay, I’ll accept it p>
Lina hurriedly waved her hands to explain, “That’s not it! You’re absolutely free to come and go—Mr. Thorne has never wanted to keep you trapped here p>
“It’s just that your phone screen is still broken and not fixed yet. Wouldn’t leaving now be inconvenient p>
“Also, if you’re going out, you should ask logistics for a ride! There’s no way to get a taxi in the mountains. Were you planning to walk all the way down p>
“That takes at least two hours p>
“Besides, you’re pregnant… Tell you what, I’ll drive you into town myself p>
“Just wait a bit, your phone will be sent out right away p>
Vivian was really anxious.
So she only grabbed some cash and left.
Now that Lina Holloway volunteered to drive, she had no reason to refuse.
“Thank you, Dr. Holloway p>
Vivian had Lina take her straight back to the old Grant residence.
Lina saw her heading back to the ’wolf’s den’ and couldn’t help being worried, “Miss Sinclair, shouldn’t I go in with you p>
“You just managed to get out of The Grant Family; what if you get stuck again p>
Vivian: “Don’t worry about me. They won’t really dare touch me p>
After all, she was still carrying what The Grant Family believed to be their bloodline, so Vivian felt she had some leverage.
And, she had to get to the truth—so she had to go back to the old Grant residence.
Now The Grant Family was in chaos and couldn’t even handle their affairs—it was the perfect time to dig for answers.
“Head back, I’ll return to Crestfall Villa in a couple days. If Mr. Thorne agrees, my contract there can be extended automatically. If not, you can dock my pay p>
With that, Vivian got out and walked straight into the Grant old house without looking back.
Lina Holloway, worried, whipped out her phone and texted Julian Thorne.
“Mr. Thorne, Miss Sinclair went back to the Grant residence again! Judging by her expression, something is definitely wrong p>
Still in the air, Julian Thorne saw the text and instantly frowned, his tone cold and tinged with anger: “Reckless p>