Chapter 27: The Gift
Lucy stared at Margaret with a hint of provocation.
'That country bumpkin probably didn't even prepare a gift or given her poor taste, prepared something lousy,' she thought. With this comparison, Bradley would see who was more deserving of being the real lady of the prestigious Fisher family and who was truly worthy of William.
Bradley had arranged William's engagement, and Lucy was determined to make him change his mind. She had been trying to please Daisy, but William remained indifferent and distant.
Daisy had told her that Margaret was just the fiancée Bradley had chosen for William, and he had agreed reluctantly.
So, if Lucy could impress Bradley and make Margaret lose face, her position as Mrs. Fisher would be within reach.
"I didn't prepare any gift," Margaret said calmly.
A look of disdain flashed in Lucy's eyes. She knew this country bumpkin wouldn't have prepared anything.
Being so rude and embarrassing in front of Bradley, she would eventually be kicked out of the house!
However, Margaret paused and took out a painting from her bag, her smile radiant. "Sir, this painting is an original by Picasso. My grandfather asked me to give it to you."
Bradley looked surprised and took the painting, examining it closely. "Thank your grandfather for me."
Lucy looked at the painting in disbelief, seeing the lifelike figures on the canvas.
In comparison, her expensive abalone seemed insignificant.
And since Bradley had always loved paintings, Margaret had hit the mark, making his day.
But how was this possible?
How could this country bumpkin have such a valuable painting?
Could it be a fake?
Yes, it must be a fake!
Thinking of this, Lucy blurted out, "Margaret, what do you mean by giving Mr. Fisher a counterfeit?"
Counterfeit?
Margaret frowned slightly. Xavier had asked her to give it to Bradley so it couldn't possibly be a counterfeit.
Lucy was just assuming her family was poor since she came from the countryside.
"Are you doubting Mr. Fisher's judgment and saying that he can't tell the difference between an original and a counterfeit?" Margaret's lips curled with a hint of sarcasm.
Lucy felt a bit embarrassed. "That's not what I meant, but an original Picasso is very valuable. Where did you get it?"
"Are you going to accuse me of stealing it?" Margaret's voice turned cold.
William, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up, "The painting is real."
He looked at Margaret with a probing gaze.
Wasn't she supposed to be from the countryside? How could Margaret have such a valuable painting?
In the past few days, William increasingly felt that his fiancée's background was more complex than it initially seemed.
Even William was siding with Margaret, which only fueled Lucy's resentment. "But..."
Before Lucy could finish, Margaret interrupted her. "This painting is indeed real, but as for your dress..."
She deliberately paused, a sarcastic smile playing on her lips. "It's definitely a counterfeit."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Lucy exclaimed. "This dress was designed by the international master Loe. You probably don't even know who Loe is, so stop talking nonsense!"
Margaret laughed. If she didn't know who Loe was, then no one in the world would.
The dress Lucy was wearing was indeed exquisitely made and very beautiful, but Margaret looked closely and saw that it was a high-quality imitation.
Her studio had only produced two of these dresses
One was bought by a Hollywood star named Ada, and the other by the Princess of Bellavita.
So, the one Lucy was wearing could only be a high-quality imitation.
Judging by her expression, she probably didn't even know she had bought a counterfeit.
"As far as I know, Loe's genuine products have a heart-shaped mark on the inner lining of the skirt. You can check if your dress has it," Margaret said with a slight smile.
That heart-shaped mark was her own design, and Juniper hand-sewn each one, making it impossible to replicate.
"What heart-shaped mark? I've never heard of it. Stop making things up," Lucy said dismissively. What could this country bumpkin know? She was just saying this to provoke her!
Margaret took out her phone and looked at it. "Lucy, you can check the trending topics."
"Trending topics?" Lucy was puzzled.
"Loe launched a new Elsa system today, featuring an introduction to the heart-shaped mark," Margaret said with a smile.
The timing was perfect.
Juniper's launch of the Sofia series had just topped the trending list. It showcased Loe's design philosophy, including the heart-shaped mark.
Lucy suspiciously opened her phone and saw the trending news about Loe.
Sure enough, Juniper had clearly explained that every piece produced by Loe's studio had a heart-shaped anti-counterfeit mark.
And the dress she was wearing didn't have it.
Lucy's face turned pale. She had spent a fortune on a counterfeit and embarrassed herself in front of William!
Even Daisy looked at Lucy with a questioning gaze.
How could the young lady of the Clark Family have such poor judgment?
Lucy glared at Margaret angrily, not knowing what to say for a moment.
How did Margaret know so much?
William suddenly leaned close to Margaret and asked in a low voice, "How did you know?"
If he remembered correctly, Loe's studio had never mentioned the heart-shaped mark before. How did Margaret know about it, and so clearly at that?
Margaret raised an eyebrow. "I heard it from a friend."
William was skeptical. Even he had never heard of the heart-shaped mark before. What kind of friend did Margaret have?
"Alright, James, let's eat," Daisy said, changing the subject to help Lucy out of her predicament.
James looked at Bradley for confirmation, and Bradley nodded, indicating that they could start the meal.
Margaret sat at the dining table and casually glanced at a nearby photo of Bradley holding a white dog. The dog looked familiar.
She turned to William and asked, "Is the dog in the photo Mr. Fisher's?"
William followed Margaret's gaze to the photo.
A hint of sadness appeared on his handsome face. "That was my grandmother's dog, Dolly. When she passed away two years ago, Dolly ran away."
At that time, William had searched for a long time but couldn't find Dolly. He knew this was a lingering regret for Bradley.
"I see," Margaret said thoughtfully.
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