Artifact Reading Inspector

Chapter 174: Appraiser Talks through Appraising (3)

The man who was just looking around as if he had no thoughts was actually behind all this.

He seemed to be younger than Chaemu, but in the past Haejin has just seen through magic, he controlled Chaemu, so he had to have strong connections with the Japanese.

“And what do you think? Have you ever seen the real painting?” Haejin asked the question to that man. The man was surprised when Haejin pointed at him, so he pointed at himself while saying, “Did you just ask me?”

Haejin confirmed, “Yes, you. What is your name?”

“Oh… I’m Do Daeyoon from Urinae Appraisal Agency. I’ve never heard of another painting. I cannot believe what you just said.”

Of course, Haejin was just waiting for him to say that then continued, “Why would I tell such a lie that can be revealed so easily? Please, look here.”

Haejin turned on the computer that was next to the X-ray device. Then he opened yesterday’s file, “This is the painting that was recorded by the camera on the ceiling yesterday. You must all know that photos and videos are necessary for every step in the restoration process, right? I think the same should be applied to appraising. Taking samples is sometimes required to appraise. That is why I installed a high-resolution camera on the ceiling.”

Haejin could see Daeyoon, and his associates frown.

He smiled on the inside and continued, “Let me tell you why yesterday’s painting and today’s painting are two different paintings. Actually, as you can see, the colors, the touch of the brush, the structure and the shape were almost entirely similar. You cannot find any difference, even if you compare them side to side.”

The lawyer and the reporter came closer and checked everything Haejin said.

Chaemu and the other appraisers also came to compare the paintings.

“Well? Aren’t they the same?” Chaemu, whose face was now red, yelled, “Same painting. So, get rid of that nonsense! Are you playing with us now? What you just said only proves yesterday’s painting and today’s painting are the same! It is just this one painting!”

Haejin sneered and pointed at the table, “How pathetic. Where have you discarded the basic of appraising? Look at the table. Do you think it is just an ordinary table?”

The appraisers went back to the table. Then, the appraiser who had warned Eunhae exclaimed, “Oh! There are tick marks.”

Haejin then explained, “Yes. They are there to help me know the size of the painting. They are plainly seen from the top, although not so well seen from the side… anyway, yesterday’s painting was 142cm wide and 93cm tall. But how big is this painting?”

Eunhae went to the table at hearing this, “138cm wide, 87cm tall. The size is different.”

The person who was satisfied the most at this answer was not Haejin but the lawyer of his museum, who smiled confidently and nodded to show this was a fight they couldn’t lose.

Haejin met his gaze for a second and smiled again, “Has the painting been cut in a day? Of course not. Why would anyone cut this precious painting, unless they are crazy? It was just that this was not the real painting.”

Haejin stopped there and looked at his opponents whose face were now all red. Haejin then continued to scold them, “This forgery is of great quality, it might as well be another genuine painting, so finding flaws with the color of the structure is all nonsense. I am getting a headache just by thinking of you continuing to appraise it like that. I am so shocked that I have nothing more to say.”

Chaemu couldn’t bear to be humiliated by a man much younger than himself and yelled again, “You can’t say it is not the same painting just because its size is different. The owner could have cut out the edges to fit it in the frame.”

That made no sense, but sadly, Haewon agreed with him, “Yes, I had its edges cut yesterday because it was bigger than the frame. I didn’t hesitate as I thought it was fake.”

However, her hands were clearly shaking.

Haejin then scolded her as much as he wanted, “You came here to have it appraised yesterday morning, and you left with it after I told you it was real. You were told it was real, but then you thought it was fake and had it cut? Ma’am, are you sick or something?”

Haewon knew her claim had some logical flaws, but she thought she couldn’t stop now. She insisted, “I didn’t believe in your appraisal. So, I told my friend here about it and became sure that you had made a mistake. So, I sent it to a frame shop to hang it in my home and just got it from there.”

Now, Haejin’s lawyer spoke for him, “Where is that frame shop? You can tell us, right?”

Haewon took a deep breath, “I’m sorry, but I must talk to my lawyer first. I will say nothing more.”

Of course, the reporter got curious about that kind of attitude, “Sorry for interrupting. I am Reporter Paek Chungi of Daehan Newspaper. Mrs. An, objectively speaking, things do not look good for you. Refusing to tell us the name of the shop also looks very suspicious. Are you sure you are going to be okay?”

Even Haewon feared reporters. She started stammering while her eyes were shaking, “I, I think… it might be bad for my husband… he is a politician, and… anyway, I will only talk through my lawyer.”

She was thinking it was the best thing she could do, but the reporter was persistent, “You just said this might be bad for the prime minister, so you are assuming that the painting you bought is really Renoir’s, and wouldn’t others think he got it as a bribe? What do you think about it?”

Haewon’s face turned white at this. She didn’t know what to do.

She looked at her friend, pleading for help, but the friend suddenly changed her attitude and said, “I, I… I told you to be careful about it, right? I think it is fake… but I’m no expert, right? I know nothing about art, I used to ask you about it when we were in high school… but this is fake? How can it be fake?” The friend couldn’t run away, so she just kept mumbling nonsense. She was even ignoring Haewon’s gaze.

The lawyer then asked Haewon, “Where did you get this painting? And where is the real painting?”

Haewon closed her eyes. Eunhae and Haejin could feel her despair.

The people she had trusted, her friend and her appraisers, couldn’t even look at her. They were clearly trying to find a way to get out of there.

Honestly, Haejin didn’t feel sorry for her.

She had agreed on making a fool out of Haejin, and she had done the most important part: bringing the fake painting.

Haejin would have gotten into trouble if it hadn’t been for the camera in the ceiling.

Nevertheless, he decided to help her because she wasn’t the one who wanted to harm Haejin. It was Daeyoon.

“He gave it to you, didn’t he? Mr. Do Daeyoon?” Haejin said. Daeyoon was surprised to see Haejin point at him so suddenly. He blinked his big eyes and took a step back while saying, “Me? No, no. What are you talking about? It’s not like you don’t know when I came here. Haha…”

Haejin continued, “However, you didn’t give her the painting today. You did it yesterday. Mrs. An, you must be careful. If you make the wrong choice here, your husband will have to suffer more than just stepping down. He might end up in prison. Did that man give you the painting yesterday or not?”

Haewon seemed to be surprised at seeing Haejin know everything, but she soon gave up and confessed, “I… I received the fake painting yesterday. I’m sorry.”

She bowed to Haejin to apologize and looked at Chungi, “Sir, I did all this on my own. My husband knows nothing about this, so please reconsider writing about this. I didn’t know anything. Sukhui made me do it, saying that my husband would get accused and forced to step down…”

Haewon started to tell the truth. Her friend then yelled and tried to stop her, “What are you talking about? I, I never said anything like that! Stop it!”

She jumped up and down in fury, but Haewon didn’t even look at her.

Haewon, however, kept pleading to Chungi, “Please, I beg you. I knew nothing. She tricked me. She told me nothing would happen to my husband if I switch the paintings…”

“Hey! You, how could you say that, huh! Do you think I will let you keep on lying like that? This is fraud!” Sukhui said.

The lawyer stopped Sukhui and comforted Haewon. He then took her out of the room.

After that, Eunhae crossed her arms and coldly said, “That was a very great painting appraisal fraud, and this museum will sue every one of you. You, was your name Sukhui? You said nothing would happen if Mrs. An switched the paintings? She has testified already. And Mr. Do Daeyoon? We’ve reported this to the police, so you will be arrested in a few days.”

Daeyoon’s face turned pale. He looked at Chaemu and Sukhui, “Why, why? Why would I get arrested? I know nothing. I didn’t give her the painting!”

He pushed Eunhae and ran out of the room, but the security guards soon stopped him. He couldn’t get out of the building.

Policemen came in less than 10 minutes. After hearing Chungi’s explanation, they took the appraisers and Sukhui.

Eunhae had called the police when she was sure things were going well for her and Haejin.

Before they left, a policeman told Haejin he could be called in as a witness, and he replied he would go anytime to testify.

However, what bothered him a little was the question Chungi asked right before he left, “How did you find out it had been Do Daeyoon who gave that fake painting?”

Haejin had no choice but to smile awkwardly while saying, “I will talk about it at the police station later. I’m sorry.”

“Hmm… okay. Anyway, I got huge news thanks to you,” Chungi thanked Haejin and left. Now, the only one remaining was the museum’s lawyer… he hesitated for a moment and said, “That was so impressive. I didn’t know the world of artifacts was this exciting. I’m sure we will get to hear the most unexpected story about what they were trying to do with that painting once the investigation starts.”

Actually, there was a very unexpected story hidden behind all that.

Haejin hadn’t imagined anyone would spend more than five billion won to bring him down…

“Haven’t you been through countless lawsuits?” Haejin asked.

“Yes, but they were all about authenticity issues. I’ve never seen anything so spectacular like this,” the lawyer replied.

“Oh…”

The lawyer then asked, “In that case, may I also ask for your help?”

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