Hades Has Returned

Chapter 004

Seven days ago, Jack Brooks had been utterly bored out of his mind and decided to paint.

He had burned through seven or eight sheets of paper without finding his flow. Frustrated, he had crumpled them all up and tossed them into the wastebasket. Among the rejected drafts was this very piece, * Cold Pines of the Abyss *.

A prison guard must have fished it out while cleaning his cell, thinking it was a pity to throw away something that looked halfway decent, and then smuggled it out to sell.

The thought made Jack chuckle involuntarily.

"Oh! Jack is here! You look more and more like your mother every day!"

George Sutton clapped a heavy hand on Jack's shoulder, smiling warmly and nodding in approval.

From the side came a cold snort from a young woman, her face twisted in undisguised disdain and revulsion.

She was dressed in an exquisitely tailored casual outfit. The round neckline revealed her delicate, well-defined collarbones. A short grey skirt paired with sheer stockings perfectly accentuated her long, slender legs. Her hair was swept up in an elegant bun, revealing a face as smooth and creamy as milk skin.

This was Tia Sutton, the daughter of George Sutton.

She looked at Jack Brooks—his plain face, his average aura, his sloppy posture.

She couldn't bear to imagine the miserable reality of being married to such a man for the rest of her life.

But what choice did she have?

Her father was the head of the household. His word was law. Once he made a decision, it was as unshakeable as a mountain. No one could change it.

George Sutton's wife, Diane Lee, also wore a look of intense displeasure, though she only dared to curse inwardly.

Looking like his mother is useless! He’s still a pauper!

He's twenty-eight years old, accomplished absolutely nothing, and he's a damn ex-convict!

My daughter is outstanding. She became a company president right out of university. Her man should be at least on the level of Young Master Bailey!

"Come, let me introduce you." George Sutton gestured to a square-faced man standing next to him, smiling broadly.

"This is David Lewis, the manager of Skyrise Construction. You can just call him Manager Lewis!"

Jack greeted him politely.

Manager Lewis gave a curt nod, his gaze quickly returning to the painting on the desk.

"A few strokes outline the brocade of clouds, dots of ink paint the emotions of the heart... This painting expresses Master Mason Wainright's proud state of mind to the fullest!"

"Look at this solitary pine," Manager Lewis said, pointing a finger at the scroll. "Despite the splashing water of the waterfall and the blowing mountain wind, it stands proudly halfway up the mountain."

"From this bit of ink alone, you can see Master Mason Wainright's spirit of never giving up in adversity!"

Manager Lewis then pointed to the pool of water beneath the waterfall. "Do you see this fish?"

"All the other fish are struggling to swim toward the waterfall, in a posture of leaping over the Dragon Gate."

"But what is this fish doing?"

"It stands alone by the shore, leisurely and carefree."

"Miss Sutton," Manager Lewis asked, turning to Tia, "what state of mind do you think Master Mason Wainright is expressing through this fish?"

The question stumped Tia Sutton for a moment. She pondered it carefully before answering.

"I think Master Mason Wainright wants to use this fish to express a mentality of withdrawing from the world and not competing."

"I disagree," Old Lewis said, shaking his head slowly.

"A dragon hiding in the abyss, waiting for its time to move!"

"This fish looks leisurely, but if you look at the direction of its tail, it is actually gathering strength for a single, mighty leap over the Dragon Gate!"

"This is also a manifestation of ambition!"

Tia Sutton smiled awkwardly, giving him a thumbs up.

"Manager Lewis, you truly live up to your reputation as a die-hard fan of Master Mason Wainright. Your analysis is too correct; I am ashamed of my own inferiority!"

Jack Brooks stood there, stunned.

That pine tree? He had accidentally dripped ink on the paper and had no choice but to turn the blob into a tree to cover it up.

And that fish? That was even more of an accident. He had dropped some ketchup on the paper while eating lunch. He couldn't wipe it off, so he just added a few strokes of red ink to hide the stain.

Where did all this profound artistic conception come from?

It was precisely because of these two clumsy mistakes that Jack had been dissatisfied with the painting and thrown it in the trash.

And now, these people were analyzing his mistakes with such seriousness, sounding so logical and profound!

But most importantly...

The painting in front of them wasn't even the original trash draft. It was a counterfeit copy of his trash!

Jack couldn't help shaking his head, a helpless smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"What do you mean by that?" Tia Sutton frowned, a flash of annoyance crossing her face.

An ex-convict who just got out of prison... instead of obediently waiting in the living room like a dog, he was standing here shaking his head and smirking at a famous painting. It was embarrassing!

"This painting doesn't have much collection value," Jack said honestly. "Besides, it's a counterfeit."

Seeing David Lewis treasuring the fake like it was a national treasure, Jack didn't want to see the man deceived, so he spoke his mind.

"Bullshit!"

Diane Lee finally found an outlet for her anger. She exploded.

"Do you understand art? Do you even know who Master Mason Wainright is?"

"Tia spent over three million dollars to buy this painting! How could it possibly be fake?"

"You don't know s**t, yet you dare to talk nonsense here! Get your a*s to the living room!"

George Sutton frowned, smiling awkwardly to smooth things over.

"Manager Lewis, Jack isn't very familiar with etiquette. Please don't be angry."

He then shot Jack a look. "Jack, go to the living room and have some tea. Later, you can have a few drinks with President Lewis."

Jack, however, stood his ground. He spoke calmly. "This really is a counterfeit. Tia must have spent a lot of money on it. You should take it back and get a refund."

He knew Tia had bought the painting to curry favor with Manager Lewis.

If he didn't point it out now, and Manager Lewis took it home only for an expert to later reveal it was fake, the man would lose tremendous face. His anger would be far worse then.

Manager Lewis frowned deeply.

"Jack Brooks, are you done yet?!" Tia Sutton glared at him, furious.

"When I bought the painting, I had someone authenticate it! That person is a researcher at the Northriver Museum. Are you saying you are more skilled than him?"

"Don't think just because you've seen a few pictures of Master Mason Wainright's work on the internet that you can show off here!"

Facing Tia Sutton's scolding, Jack's face darkened. He pointed a finger at the red seal on the painting.

"This seal is almost identical to the original artist's seal, which shows that the counterfeiter has strong skills," Jack explained methodically.

"But look closely. The seal is too flat. It lacks the three-dimensional 'metal and stone' flavor of a real stamp. It is a Photographic Counterfeit Seal."

David Lewis froze. He quickly pulled out a magnifying glass from his pocket and leaned in close to the paper.

Jack continued, his voice steady. "In his early period, Mason Wainright's paintings were oppressive. The ink was heavy, frustrated, and full of abrupt changes."

"In his later period, his style became bold and unrestrained. The ink usage was eclectic, filled with surging, magnificent emotional tension."

"The contrast between his early and late styles is like depression versus elation. This painting is dated to this year. The ink usage should be hearty, straightforward, and uninhibited."

"But look at the details here. The ink is hesitant. The lines are soft and weak. It completely contradicts Mason Wainright's later style."

Old Lewis's face changed drastically. He slammed the magnifying glass down onto the desk. His voice turned cold.

"The little brother is right! The seal is a photographic print, and the lines in the detailed sections are wrong!"

"It really is a counterfeit!"

The three members of The Sutton Family stood there, dumbfounded.

Tia Sutton felt like she had been punched in the gut.

She had bought the painting to give to David Lewis to secure a project. Now, not only was the project likely dead, but she had also offended Manager Lewis by trying to give him a fake.

"Hey! President Lewis, the collection industry makes it hard to distinguish real from fake. Everyone makes mistakes," George Sutton said quickly, trying to save the situation. "Please don't be angry. I'll prepare some wine and dishes, and we can drink together."

He pulled the man toward the living room. Diane Lee followed, forcing a smile onto her face as she hurried to pour tea.

In the chaos, George Sutton turned to Jack and whispered, "You and Tia go to City Hall right now. Get the Marriage Certificate done."

"Leave things here to me. By the time you get back, the food will be ready, and we can have a good drink with Manager Lewis!"

"Uncle George, isn't this a bit too rushed?" Jack rubbed his nose, feeling awkward.

"I agreed on this with your mother ten years ago! What's rushed about it? Go, quickly!" George Sutton practically pushed Jack and Tia out the door.

Tia Sutton looked like she had swallowed a fly, but she obeyed her father. She dragged Jack to City Hall, and they completed the paperwork.

"Married?"

Jack looked at the little red booklet in his hand—the Marriage Certificate—feeling a bit dazed.

In the photo, Tia Sutton's face was frosty. She looked like she was attending a funeral rather than a wedding. Her face was so long it practically touched the floor.

"You are nothing but an ex-convict with a criminal record who can't find a job. And I am the President of Sutton Group!"

"You need to understand something: we are not from the same world."

"Even though we are married on paper, I will not sleep with you. As soon as Dad softens his stance, we will get a divorce!"

On the drive back to the Sutton residence, Tia Sutton slammed her foot on the gas pedal, the car engine roaring as she vented her unwillingness and frustration.

They arrived back at the villa.

As soon as they opened the front door, they saw Manager Lewis walking out, holding a different scroll in his hands. He was laughing heartily.

"It's authentic! I have checked it carefully. This * Misty Rain over Southriver * is absolutely a genuine work by Master Mason Wainright!"

"President Sutton, I won't stay for dinner! Get one hundred million dollars ready, and we will sign the contract the day after tomorrow! Hahaha..."

Jack looked past him into the living room. There was another man there.

He had slicked-back hair, an immaculate designer suit, and a face full of smiles.

It was Tia Sutton's suitor, Perry Bailey, also known as Young Master Bailey.

"This is wonderful!" George Sutton was shaking Perry Bailey's hand vigorously, his face filled with gratitude.

"Young Master Bailey, you are truly a timely rain! If you hadn't brought this painting, the deal would have fallen through!"

"I made you spend so much money this time. I will definitely pay you back for the painting another day!"

Perry Bailey smiled faintly, acting as if it were nothing. "Uncle, you treat me like an outsider. Tia is my friend."

"Her business is my business. It's only right!"

Jack frowned and looked toward the entryway table where he had left his things.

His painting, * Misty Rain over Southriver *, was gone!