The Triplets My Ex Never Knew About

Chapter 113: Chapter 113: Noelle Lockwood, Apologize

When Noelle Lockwood saw Mr. Morgan’s confusion, she simply assumed he didn’t know the full story.

"Mr. Morgan, there’s something you don’t know. My sister Yara bought her Purple Sun Mountain Residence Painting from some shady dealer on the cheap. Mine, on the other hand, was purchased from the Jade Pavilion. Mr. Carter even had many renowned appraisers authenticate it."

"When we first discovered there was a forgery, we told Yara right away..."

Noelle Lockwood sighed, her expression a mask of gentle tolerance.

"But Yara refused to believe it. She insisted on making a scene, bringing you in to appraise it and delaying the banquet, so..."

Mr. Morgan may have been dedicated to the art of appraisal, but being from the Morgan Family and having lived into his forties, he was no fool.

This Noelle Lockwood woman appeared amicable and gentle, but in reality, every word she spoke was a veiled suggestion—that everything today was Yara’s fault, and that Mr. Morgan should, by all means, despise her.

Mr. Morgan gave a cryptic chuckle. "If that’s the case, then the owner of the forgery should indeed apologize."

Iris Sloan’s lips tightened as she glanced at Nathaniel Sloan again.

Nathaniel Sloan remained calm. He knew Estelle Lockwood could handle this.

Iris Sloan frowned, cursing inwardly. ’Does this nephew of mine even know how to woo someone?’

But the most important thing right now was to resolve the current situation.

’If an apology is really necessary...’

Before Iris Sloan could speak, Laura Jennings cut in. "Mr. Morgan is right! Our Noelle isn’t doing this for herself, but for everyone! I ask you, who wants to have their time wasted just because one person wants to throw a tantrum?"

A flicker of triumph flashed in Noelle Lockwood’s eyes.

She said, as if unable to bear it, "Yara, just apologize. No one will hold it against you."

Estelle Lockwood gave a half-smile.

Noelle Lockwood feigned helplessness. "Yara, you... Mr. Morgan, what do you think we should do now?"

Mr. Morgan’s gaze was cool. He suddenly smiled. "Who said the one who needs to apologize is Yara?"

...

Everyone’s eyes widened in unison.

’Wait, what does Mr. Morgan mean? If Yara isn’t the one who needs to apologize, don’t tell me it’s Noelle Lockwood!’

Laura Jennings was the first to shout, "Mr. Morgan, you must be mistaken! Yara’s painting is the fake one!"

Noelle Lockwood’s face paled, and she put on a helpless expression. "Mr. Morgan... Forget it. I only wanted Yara to apologize for her own good..."

"When did I ever say Yara’s *Purple Sun Mountain Residence Painting* was a forgery?" Mr. Morgan interjected sharply.

Cold sweat suddenly beaded on Noelle Lockwood’s forehead, and she could barely maintain her smile.

’What does he mean...? What on earth is this Mr. Morgan saying?!’

Laura Jennings’s smile froze. She tried to curry favor, stammering, "Mr. Morgan, this... if Yara’s isn’t the fake, you can’t be saying Noelle’s is, can you? Impossible! You shouldn’t joke like that!"

Mr. Morgan asked coolly, "I never joke."

Laura Jennings was stunned, a bad feeling creeping into her heart. "But... but just now you said you wanted to get to know Noelle. Doesn’t that mean you admire her?!"

’If what Noelle Lockwood had was a fake, how could Mr. Morgan possibly admire her!’

"Admire..." Mr. Morgan mulled over the word and gave a strange smile. "I’m afraid Miss Noelle Lockwood has misunderstood. I remembered your name, but not out of admiration."

Noelle Lockwood had a sinking feeling. ’If Mr. Morgan keeps talking, something terrible is going to happen!’

But Laura Jennings had already lost her temper. Devoid of the elegance befitting the matriarch of a prestigious family, she was like a common shrew. Without considering whether she could afford to offend the man before her, she planted her hands on her hips and roared furiously at Mr. Morgan:

"Then why did you remember Noelle’s name?! The appraisal is done, and now you’re changing your story! Are you afraid people won’t know you and that bitch Yara have something going on—"

"Laura Jennings!"

"Mother!"

"Laura!" freewebnovel.cσ๓

Iris Sloan’s expression turned cold as Nathaniel Sloan and Ethan Sloan interrupted her at the same time.

Laura Jennings was instantly humiliated. ’Why are Nathaniel and Ethan stopping me? I’m just trying to help Noelle!’

Mr. Morgan’s sharp gaze shot over. "So this is the caliber of the Sloan family’s matriarch. Truly an eye-opener."

"I had originally intended to leave Miss Noelle Lockwood some dignity, but since Mrs. Sloan insists on getting to the bottom of this, I have no choice but to answer—"

Mr. Morgan suddenly smiled. He turned to Noelle Lockwood and said, word by word:

"Miss Noelle Lockwood, I remembered you because I need to post your name on the official antiques website."

Noelle Lockwood’s face was ashen. She shook her head frantically. She knew what Mr. Morgan was about to say. ’No, it’s impossible! It can’t be—’

"Miss Noelle Lockwood, the painting *you* presented... is the forgery."

BOOM—

The entire banquet hall erupted in a roar of discussion!

Mr. Morgan said Noelle Lockwood’s is the fake!

But wasn’t her Purple Sun Mountain Residence Painting bought from the Jade Pavilion?

Mr. Carter was drenched in cold sweat. "Mr. Morgan, you can’t just say things like that—"

"While the two paintings look identical, using the same silk and pigments, not to mention that the forgery technique is masterful, there is still one detail—"

"On the true Purple Sun Mountain Residence Painting, after a thousand years, the pigment here has faded."

Everyone looked over. The spot Mr. Morgan was pointing to was a patch of black ink.

"The Purple Sun Mountain Residence Painting was created almost entirely with mineral pigments, which do not fade over a millennium. However, this one ink spot was an accident by the artist. Yet it blended so perfectly with the whole that the artist considered it a stroke of genius and left it as is."

"This was just ordinary ink, which naturally fades slightly after a thousand years. The forger only copied the form of the painting, but did not understand the creator’s state of mind or the events that occurred during its creation."

After Mr. Morgan’s explanation, everyone understood.

Mr. Morgan said flatly, "I could detect this, and so could the twenty senior appraisers at the Jade Pavilion. Yet this painting was still put up for sale. Mr. Carter, you can explain yourself to the Kendrick Family."

With a THUD, Mr. Carter fell to his knees.

"As for Miss Lockwood..." Mr. Morgan turned his head with a half-smile.

"Regardless of whether you were aware of this or not, you were the one who made a scene, you were the one who demanded the appraisal, and you were the one who spoke of wasting everyone’s time. Apologize."

Instantly, the entire hall fell silent.

Mr. Morgan didn’t need any flowery language. With just a few simple sentences, he had completely cornered Noelle Lockwood.

And wasn’t it true? She was the one who had confidently declared Yara’s painting a fake. She and Laura Jennings had played good cop, bad cop, trying to force Yara to admit guilt.

Noelle Lockwood’s face flushed red, then deathly pale. Her body swayed, and she found it hard to breathe.

’A forgery... my painting is actually a forgery...’

’No, I won’t apologize. I won’t apologize...’

"But... Noelle was tricked, too!" Laura Jennings was at a loss. "Nathaniel, you... you have to say something! You know how devoted Noelle is. She heard Lucy Sloan liked this painting, so she went and bought it. This isn’t her fault!"

Instantly, everyone’s gaze fell upon Nathaniel Sloan.