Novel Square
Chapter 1681
Chapter 1681 Having Trouble Answering
Olivian could no longer sit still after hearing Wynter's words.
"I... I really haven't done anything wrong," he stammered before taking a deep breath. "You can check all my accounts. I haven't received any bribes."
"Indeed, there were no bribes," Wynter said before turning to clap her hands.
The person who walked in was someone who had not appeared in a long time-Wolf. He was holding a scroll taller than himself, his expression fierce.
At the sight of the scroll, Olivian's tea cup toppled, spilling scalding water everywhere.
The loud noise drew the attention of everyone at the conference table. They were all seasoned in the ways of the bureaucracy and instantly understood what was happening.
Wynter leaned forward, sliding the entire scroll toward him. "Mr. Hollis, take a good look. Does this priceless painting look familiar to you?"
"I... I..." Olivian opened his mouth but couldn't form a coherent sentence. "This is just a hobby of mine."
Wynter smiled slyly. "Mr. Hollis' hobby is indeed expensive. I've seen many people fall from grace-some because of a love for expensive wine, others because of lust. And then there are people like you, who have a passion for collecting calligraphy and paintings.
"This particular one was once lost overseas. If I recall correctly, it went to Foplya, and now it's in your possession. How did it come to you? Maybe you should explain that to us."
Olivian's whole body went cold. "Did you say it was last seen in Foplya?"
The mention of Foplya made him realize he was done for.
"I always thought it was collected by some unknown person in Cascadia. I really didn't know it went to Foplya," he said quickly, his face turning pale. He was terrified, afraid that one slip would make him a traitor.
Wynter didn't think he was lying. Lowering her gaze, she asked, "So, how exactly did you come by this painting?"
She wanted to get to the bottom of it because anything discovered by Wolf was never something trivial.
The painting in question was undoubtedly a famous piece, with a long history that could even be traced back to the Atlantean. However, its implications were far from positive- especially since traces of a curse lingered on it.
Given that Olivian was part of the education system, keeping such a painting in his
possession could only bring chaos and negativity.
Furthermore, whoever gifted this painting was no ordinary individual. It was definitely not
Fredric, as he lacked the knowledge to understand its significance.
Olivian hesitated, visibly uneasy.
The moment Wynter stopped smiling, her presence became almost suffocating. "If you don't explain clearly today, everyone associated with your faction will be implicated.
"Since this concerns treason, if we can't pinpoint the responsible party, we'll follow your earlier suggestion. We'll arrest everyone and conduct thorough investigations one by one." This declaration made everyone in the room uncomfortable. They were used to dealing with Lucas through bureaucratic tactics, which could occasionally achieve results.
However, Wynter's approach was brutal, direct, and utterly unforgiving. It wasn't the usual way things were handled within the system-it was downright ruthless!
"Ms. Quinnell... even if you're Mr. Munn Senior's disciple, isn't this a bit excessive?" Someone spoke up.Belongs to NôvelDrama.Org - All rights reserved.
Wynter turned her gaze toward the speaker. "Have you played the Mafia game?"
Carlos Bach, clearly older and unfamiliar with the game, paused awkwardly. His expression clearly showed he had no idea what that was.
"This game has a very interesting aspect. Some people aren't very clever. They talk too much and end up exposing themselves," Wynter said calmly.
Her eyes darkened slightly as continued, "The way you're jumping in right now- are you trying to divert my attention from Mr. Hollis? Such a devious thought... Are you hoping I'll mark the wrong 'mafia?""