It was even more complicated than Haejin had thought.
“What happened? And what was the painting?” Haejin asked.
Albert explained, “It was Rubens’. It was so similar to Warrior with Two Pages, in the Metropolitan, that I thought it was fake. You must know that for Rubens, that painting was an exception.”
Peter Paul Rubens was one of the two masters of the Baroque art with Rembrandt van Rijn.
He was born in Flanders. He drew various paintings including landscape paintings, portraits, and paintings based on myth and history.
Additionally, there was one painting that was not from his style: Warrior with Two Pages.
By the critics, his paintings were considered ‘intense and in contrast to the reserved and calm classical tradition’; however, the painting of the warrior was calm and determined.
Because of that, not many believed it was Rubens’ until 1947.
Before that, it was thought to be a painting of someone who admired Rubens or Frans Pourbus’.
“It is unlike Rubens’,” Haejin said. He didn’t mean to say that it was too crude to be Rubens’, but it was a slightly different painting from his usual unique mood.
“Yes, yes. That’s why I made that mistake. However, they must have known that I would make a mistake. It was a trap.”
If Albert was right and the mafia had lured him into a trap, they were cunning.
Few appraisers would think Rubens would draw that kind of painting, especially that of a scene he had drawn before, so being fooled by it was a very… unlucky event.
“Why do you think it was a trap?” Haejin asked.
“You really don’t know?” Albert asked back in shock.
“What? Is the answer too obvious?”
“Of course. Hey, do I have to explain how much my words are important to all auctions in Europe, including Sotheby’s and Christie’s? I don’t want to brag, but I have a huge influence on them!” Albert replied while opening his arms in pride.
Rachel, however, shook her head to see that, but she also nodded, “He is not wrong. He is the most influential appraiser in Europe. If people were to find out that he has made such a huge mistake…”
“It would be a huge problem?” Haejin guessed.
“More than that. People will not believe in Albert anymore, and the appraisers that have ties to the mafia will get to control the market,” Rachel continued.
It sounded serious, it was not just about Albert getting humiliated.
Haejin then asked in doubt, “Wait, wait. But isn’t this already over? You said you appraised the real painting as fake and there is a lawsuit going on.”
No matter how serious it was, he could do nothing if the lawsuit was already proceeding.
Albert then explained, “If that is the end, I would have no reason to take you to London. Of course, from the outside, it looks like it is over… but there is one thing that keeps troubling me. I still cannot believe it really is Rubens’. Do you know what I am saying?”
Haejin realized what Albert wanted from him, he asked, “So… you want me to tell you why it is fake?”
“Yes. I couldn’t find any evidence myself. There has to be a flaw, but I cannot find it.”
“Then, what is the lawsuit about exactly?” Haejin asked.
Albert took a sip of wine and started to explain, “About a month ago, an art dealer in London showed up with Rubens’ painting. He was so sure that I had to examine it again and again, although I couldn’t believe it was real. I usually don’t drag others into that kind of matter, but my child’s birthday party was going on. A huge crowd was there, and a friend who has a yacht company offered to buy it. That idiot, I told him it was fake so many times…”
Albert was about to raise his voice, but Rachel calmed him down and took it from there.
“I will tell you the rest of it. I was there, too. That friend of Mr. Harrington is Mr. Levi Macdonnell. He is usually called Lev. Most aristocrats think of him as a good friend or a decent partner.”
“Good friend? Good partner?” Haejin asked back.
Rachel frowned as she explained, “Yachts aren’t the only thing he sells. He is a broker who provides both yachts and women. There are people who don’t like that, but most are fond of him. Anyway, it is in his nature to get or achieve anything he wants. So, he said he really liked that painting and he had to buy it, but Mr. Harrington tried to stop him, saying it was fake.”
“And?”
Rachel continued, “After hours of persuasion by Mr. Harrington, Lev finally believed him and gave up on the painting. However, the lawyer of that art dealer sued Mr. Harrington for saying that a real painting was fake. If that had been everything, he would have been able to take care of it, but then, a man from Germany sued that art dealer again for fraud.”
“Ha… it’s giving me a headache,” Haejin complained.
“So, they are about to fight at court. If you fail to find any evidence of it being fake, Mr. Harrington won’t be able to handle the consequences.”
“Is there any way to stop that German man from suing?”
Rachel sighed and shook her head, “Hu… that’s not easy. He has lost a huge sum of money because of the painting he bought from that art dealer before. It is about his honor as a nobleman, so we cannot solve this matter with just a few words. Now… either Mr. Harrington or that art dealer will get huge damage.”
Albert gulped down his wine and angrily said, “I will lose a lot, but what can that merchant lose? He can just change the name of his shop and let someone else face his customers, and he would be able to get back on business as if nothing happened… there are more than a few art dealers in Europe. I get visited by them multiple times every day…”
Rachel didn’t say anything to that. She kept looking at Haejin and said, “Actually, before you helped me and my brother at the mansion, I wasn’t thinking to help Mr. Harrington with this matter. However, you helped me, and Mr. Medici also asked me to personally help. Actually, considering all the humiliation he made us suffer through, I wouldn’t help him even if it was for Mr. Medici, but you are a different story.”
“I was paid to appraise for you, so you don’t have to feel indebted to me,” Haejin said.
“But who would have appraised for free? Money isn’t a big problem for us. It is always about honor and reputation.”
“Hmm… I get it. Then what should I do?”
Albert explained this time, “My plan was to take you to my home. I was going to make that art dealer bring the painting. However, I don’t think he will just come. So, I asked Ms. Butler here to set a meeting with him.”
“Oh, then…”
“This plane is going to the Butler mansion in Liverpool.”
After the plane arrived at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, they got on two limousines and went to the Butler’s Mansion.
Haejin and Eunhae enjoyed the luxurious limousine. Before they knew it, time flew, and they were at the destination.
“Please unpack and rest. The art dealer will come in the evening.”
“Where is Edmond?” Haejin asked as he thought Edmond would be there, but he was nowhere to be seen.
Rachel smiled, “He is going to stay there for a month.”
“Oh… is it okay to let him stay alone?”
“Alone? He is not alone. Bodyguards, friends… he must be having fun by now, making money fly.”
Haejin was shocked to hear a kid was spending money like that, but that was who they were.
After he unpacked, he fell on his bed. He was way too tired.
However, for some reason, Rachel didn’t give them two rooms. They were given one room with two single beds, but neither Eunhae nor Haejin protested.
A few hours later, Haejin was awakened by someone knocking on the door. It was a maid.
“Ms. Butler wants to meet you.”
“Oh, okay.”
The moment he closed the door and turned, his eyes met Eunhae’s as she was also waking up. It was so awkward that he didn’t know what to say, but she casually asked, “She wants us to go down?”
“Huh? Oh, yes.”
Eunhae stretched herself and got down from her bed and said, “Hua… I slept so well. This bed is really comfortable. Is it from Italy? Or Belgium? I will take a shower first.”
“Huh? Okay, you do that. I was going to let you do that, anyway,” Haejin babbled.
Eunhae then went to the bathroom. Haejin was embarrassed for getting nervous like that, but the maid knocked on the door again.
“I am sorry. Ms. Butler wants you to follow me instead of going down to the ground floor. I will wait here, so please come out when you are ready.”
“Okay.”
Haejin didn’t know what that was about, but there had to be a reason.
About half an hour had passed when he took a shower and was ready to go.
It must have been hard for the maid to wait for so long, but she politely bowed to Haejin and Eunhae then started to walk in front of them.
She led them to a small door at the end of the corridor instead of the main stairs from where they had come up. Then, she kept going round and round until she opened a small door for them.
“Huh?” Eunhae was surprised. She didn’t go in and hesitated as there was nothing in the room but a huge mirror and two chairs. “What is…”
“You can look through the mirror. Ms. Butler wants you to observe and find a way to solve the matter,” the maid explained.
So that huge mirror was one-way glass. However, why did the Butlers have such a thing in their home?
“Hmm… okay.” Eunhae didn’t like it, but they still went in. They could clearly see what was happening on the other side.
Rachel was sitting on a luxurious chair with her arms and legs crossed while Albert was glaring at a man who was standing in front of the troublesome painting. He was the only one who seemed to be in a good mood.
“You are a very busy man, Mr. Harrington. I didn’t expect to meet you here.”
The art dealer had black hair, but he was good-looking like the handsome Italian men. His mustache made him look even more appealing.
He looked really good in his grey suit. The man then put a hand in his pocket and continued, “Ms. Butler, you may not know it yet, but this is a great opportunity for you. I don’t think you would make a foolish choice.”
As Haejin listened to him, he carefully examined his painting.
