Chapter 1274
Belinda couldn’t make excuses for her uncle anymore. “Collin, you don’t need to cover up for Theo anymore. Your explanations sound more like you’re trying to cover up the truth! I don’t know what Theo has been up to recently either. He hasn’t even visited Ellinor, and I’m done making excuses for him!”
Collin had no comeback. He knew Mr. Blanchet had his reasons.
Without acknowledging the men any further, Belinda stood up and walked to Ellinor’s room, where Ida was keeping her company.
Ellinor, have you made up your mind yet? Are you going or not?” Belinda asked as she sat down next to them.
Ellinor gave Belinda a lazy glance. “Go where?”
Belinda got what Ellinor meant immediately but was a bit peeved. “But Sophia has already sent the invitation; don’t you plan on going?”
Ellinor shrugged. “Which law states that you have to go just because you received an invitation?”
Belinda turned to Ida. “What about you? Would you go?”
Ida adjusted her gold-framed glasses with elegance. “If I have the time, I would probably go.”
Belinda asked curiously, “Why?”
“I could go when I’m bored. Who knows? I might meet some handsome men.”
“Err… well…”
Now that was a reason!
“What?” Byran frowned and walked in, looking unhappy.
After seeing Byran coming in, Ida felt a headache brewing and rubbed her forehead. “This is a girl’s room. Who let you in?”
Byran only cared about what he wanted to know. “Ida, what did you just say? I’m right here, and you still want to meet handsome men?”
Ida rolled her eyes at him. “I was just saying.”
Byran’s eyes widened, looking both innocent and dominant. “You can’t just say things like that!”
Ida felt a headache coming on. “Wait for me in my room; I’ll explain it to you there.”
Byran was a bit taken aback after hearing that he was to wait for her in her room. His face softened a bit, and he raised his head arrogantly. “Then you better hurry!” After watching Byran smugly walk out of the room, Ida sighed and then turned to Ellinor. “Oh, Boss, I almost forgot to tell you something.”
Ellinor raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“The owner of SummitView Hotel is actually an art collector. He’s collected many famous paintings over the years, including an unpublished self-portrait by Lady Lotus. He’s planning to exhibit it soon.”
Ellinor’s casual expression suddenly turned serious. “Is this information reliable?”
Ida nodded. “Yes! Those paintings are part of his private collection; they are rarely seen by the public. However, the SummitView Hotel he manages has been having difficulties recently, and business isn’t going well. To attract high-end customers, he recently announced that he would exhibit his private collection of famous paintings at any banquets held at his hotel to add a high-class atmosphere.”
Ellinor hadn’t seen her mother’s work in public for a long time, and the painting to be displayed was her mother’s self-portrait.
What did her mother’s self-portrait look like? At what age did she paint it? Ellinor desperately wanted to know and see it for herself.
But the name SummitView Hotel sounded familiar. She seemed to have seen it somewhere recently.
Ida gently adjusted her gold-framed glasses with her slender fingers. “Yes.
