When news spread that Lily’s father was a cultural relic appraiser, everyone turned their eyes on Charlie with a mix of disdain and sympathy.

They were all thinking the same thing—Charlie was incredibly unfortunate!

His moment of pride was abruptly shattered by the presence of an expert! It felt like a slap to his face!

It would be utterly humiliating if Lawson Lewis, Lily’s father, came downstairs!

Claire blushed, feeling shy. She leaned in closer to Charlie and whispered, “So many people are watching you. You really should reconsider; it would be so embarrassing otherwise!”

Earlier, Charlie had mentioned the painting he purchased, downplaying its cost. Now, however, he was claiming it was worth a fortune. This sudden shift made Claire feel doubtful and suspicious, thinking that Charlie might have exaggerated for the sake of his image.

In contrast, Charlie remained unfazed and replied, “If you don’t believe me, let the expert do his job.”

He then added, “Oh, and everyone, remember what Clinton said, okay? He’s so stubborn that he wants to challenge me again, and this time, he’ll eat the table.”

Clinton clenched his teeth in frustration as the memory of his burned car flashed in his mind. He growled, “Charlie, you arrogant jerk! The racing incident was a setup, and I paid the price for it! I’ll take the same bet this time! If your painting is truly worth that much, I’ll eat this table right here! But if it’s just worthless junk, will you eat it?”

Charlie nodded casually. “Sure, if it’s worthless, I’ll eat it.”

Although the painting wasn’t a renowned masterpiece, it was indeed from the Dutch Golden Age painter Rachel Ruysch. The antique store where he bought it was well-known nationwide and offered genuine guarantees, so he was confident in its authenticity.

Claire wanted to intervene, but Charlie had already agreed to the bet before she could say anything, leaving her to sigh in resignation.

Loreen, on the other hand, felt a strange sense of curiosity. Why was Charlie so self-assured?

As she thought back to the recent events surrounding him, she realized that he was quite the enigma. She still felt shocked recalling how Don Albert, the infamous figure, had bowed to Charlie like a subordinate! Why had that happened? She couldn’t figure it out.

One thing was clear to her—it had to be linked to his true identity!

Seizing the moment, Clinton exclaimed, “Alright, everyone be our witnesses! Let’s bring Lily’s father down and ask him to appraise the painting!”

With everyone’s attention on Lily, she quickly pulled out her phone and called, “Dad, can you come downstairs for a moment? Douglas’s friend gave us a painting, and we’d like you to appraise it.”

Just a minute later, an elderly man made his way down the stairs from the second floor.

He was Lawson Lewis, the esteemed cultural relic appraiser of Aurous Hill.

Today marked the opening ceremony of his daughter and future son-in-law’s restaurant, and he had invited an old friend for a small gathering in a private room upstairs. Upon hearing about an ancient painting that needed appraisal, he quickly came down, driven by his professional instincts.

He stepped onto the stage with purpose, and Lily handed him the gift box containing the painting. “Dad, could you appraise this painting? Someone claims it’s worth tens of thousands of dollars!”

As she spoke, she shot a disdainful look at Charlie.

Who would expect a down-and-out loser, who relied on his wife, to afford such an expensive painting?

It had to be a fake!

Truthfully, the rest of the attendees shared the same sentiment.

No one believed that Charlie could actually buy such an expensive painting as a gift.

Amidst the curious gazes, Lawson took the gift box, carefully unwrapped the scroll, and opened it.

The old painting appeared a bit yellowed and lacked any extravagant flair. Many, eager to judge appearances, quickly piped up, “Duh, it doesn’t look that valuable!”

“Yeah! I bet it’s only worth fifty bucks.”

“I think the box is worth more than the painting!”

Lawson examined the painting carefully for a few minutes before looking up with a smile, “Did you say this painting was a gift from Douglas’s friend?”