The unwanted wife’s unexpected comeback

Chapter 160:

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Hank muttered to himself, “Yeah, right. Keep pretending. You've never been this excited about money before. “You obviously have a certain woman in mind.”

I started the car and spoke more seriously. “Mr. Ward, I just heard that Mr. Yates has made a new move. He has acquired a painting and sold it to an art dealer in Glarrialand for $200 million. The deposit was made today.”

“Painting? Which one?” Caden asked.

“The details are secret, so no one knows for now. But there is something fishy. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be so secret.” Hank added: “I’ve been in touch with the buyer. Would you like to meet them?”

Caden paused to think and looked at his watch. “Okay.”

Hank noticed the slight delay in his response and asked, "Mr. Ward, is something wrong at home?"

“It's a minor matter. Nothing to worry about,” Caden replied. It was hard to tell what he was thinking.

Hank slipped and said, “It's late. Mrs. Bennett is probably asleep already.”

Caden gave him a sharp look.

Hank knew something about Alicia, but he wasn't supposed to know they were living together.

“You seem to know quite a bit,” Caden noted.

Hank shook. “I've never been snooping around in your life, Mr. Ward. I may be curious, but I've always followed your orders. “I never crossed the line.”

“So how did you find out?” Caden asked.

Hank rubbed his nose. “Isn't it obvious? You smell like Miss Bennett.”

Caden didn't know how to respond to that.

He rarely smoked and rarely wore cologne. Hank had spent enough time around him to notice that something had changed.

The smell wasn't cologne. It was the lingering fragrance of fabric softener on his clothes.

It was the same one that Alice used.

From that fact alone, it was easy to deduce that they lived together.

Hank felt really pleased. “Mr. Ward, you’ve been chasing Mr. Yates for Miss Bennett, haven’t you?”

Caden lowered his head and spoke in an indifferent tone. “It's not that complicated.”

Hank understood the situation better now, so he didn't ask any more questions.

Caden's intimidating presence made the dealer quickly confess under pressure.

“Did you get the painting?” Caden asked.

The buyer shook his head. “Mr. Yates is being very cautious. He only showed me a photo and said I could pick it up as soon as I paid in full.”

Caden narrowed his eyes. “What painting are we talking about?”

«From Mia Eland. "She lived as an expatriate in Glarrialand before her death."

Caden thought about this.

The name sounded familiar, but he couldn't immediately remember who it was.

Caden turned his gaze to Hank.

Hank understood what he wanted and went to investigate further with the image of the painting.

The buyer, aware of Caden's motives, chose not to challenge him. "Mr. Ward, I did not know that the painting had been obtained illegally. If I had known, I would not have collaborated with Mr. Yates."

Caden replied indifferently, “You have plenty of business opportunities. Losing this one won't hurt you. “I’ll cover the penalty for you.”

As they drove away, Hank made a significant discovery. His expression revealed his mixed feelings. “Mrs. Eland, Mrs. Bennett's mother, gained fame as a philanthropist and as an acclaimed artist abroad. After her untimely death, few remembered her, and this painting is the only one that survives attributed to her.”

Caden's gaze intensified.

"How did your painting end up in Joshua's hands?"

Hank looked unsure. “Mr. “Ward, please allow me some time to investigate further.”

Caden looked away toward the window.

I have remembered Donna vividly.

The first time he noticed her was at school, when Alicia gracefully held Donna's hand as they walked home.

Having just lost his own mother, the scene struck him painfully.

However, Donna's love for Alicia was undeniable. The painting had probably been gifted to Alicia and now, with Joshua in a bind, she had set her sights on it. Investigating the details would take time. Delegating the task to Hank, Caden waited patiently.

Soon, Hank was driving with careful attention.

"Arrange to have someone buy the painting anonymously," Caden instructed.

Hank was surprised. “Isn’t that essentially just handing money to Mr. Yates?”

“Let him take it. It’s only two hundred million dollars,” Caden replied nonchalantly.

“So why did we bother coming to the art dealer? Wasn’t it unnecessary?” Hank inquired.

Caden gave him a chilling look.

Hank was confused. Had I misunderstood something? He didn't think so.

Their original purpose in coming here tonight was to interfere in the transaction, making sure Joshua didn't benefit. So why were they now proceeding to transfer the funds?

Hank paused, suddenly understanding the situation.

"I understand, Mr. Ward. You're buying the painting for Miss Bennett."

Caden remained stoic. “I am aware of Mia’s esteemed reputation. Her artworks are very valuable, so this is a good investment.”

Hank blurted out, “Mr. Ward, are we in financial trouble?”

“Oh,” Caden replied sharply. “You're asking if we're running out of funds, right? Well, if so, maybe you should reconsider your compensation.”

Hank was speechless.

It was clear that Caden was back to being a pain.

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