Chapter 160

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

I started the car. “Mr. Ward, Mr. Yates acquired a painting and sold it to a Glarrialand art dealer for $200 million. The deposit was made today.”

“Which painting?” Caden asked.

“The details are secret. But something’s fishy; otherwise, they wouldn’t be so secretive,” Hank replied. “I’ve contacted the buyer. Would you like to meet them?”

Caden glanced at his watch. “Okay.”

Hank noticed the hesitation. “Mr. Ward, is something wrong at home?”

“A minor matter,” Caden replied, his expression unreadable.

Hank slipped, saying, “It’s late. Mrs. Bennett is probably asleep.”

Caden’s sharp look revealed his displeasure. Hank knew about Alicia, though he shouldn’t have.

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

Hank shook his head. “I’ve never snooped, Mr. Ward. I’m curious, but I’ve always followed your orders. I never crossed the line.”

“So how did you find out?”

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

Caden was speechless. He rarely wore cologne. Hank had noticed a change—the faint scent of Alice’s fabric softener. The deduction was simple: they lived together.

Hank felt a surge of satisfaction. “Mr. Ward, you’ve been chasing Mr. Yates for Miss Bennett, haven’t you?”

Caden lowered his head. “It’s not that complicated.”

Hank, understanding, asked no further questions. Caden’s intimidating presence quickly secured a confession from the dealer.

“Did you get the painting?” Caden asked the dealer.

The buyer shook his head. “Mr. Yates is cautious. He only showed me a photo; payment is required before collection.”

Caden narrowed his eyes. “What painting?”

“From Mia Eland. She lived in Glarrialand before her death.”

The name was familiar, though Caden couldn’t place it. He turned to Hank, who understood and went to investigate further using the image of the painting.

The buyer, sensing Caden's power, didn't resist. “Mr. Ward, I didn’t know the painting was obtained illegally. If I had, I wouldn’t have cooperated.”

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

Driving away, Hank made a discovery. His expression was a mixture of surprise and understanding. “Mrs. Eland, Mrs. Bennett’s mother, was a famous philanthropist and artist abroad. After her death, few remembered her; this painting is the only surviving work attributed to her.”

Caden’s gaze intensified. “How did the painting end up in Joshua’s hands?”

Hank looked uncertain. “Mr. Ward, please allow me time to investigate.”

Caden looked away. I vividly recalled seeing Donna at school, Alicia gracefully holding her hand. Having recently lost his mother, the scene had been painful. Donna's love for Alicia was undeniable; the painting was likely a gift. Investigating would take time. Delegating to Hank, Caden waited.

Soon, Hank was driving carefully. “Arrange for someone to buy the painting anonymously,” Caden instructed.

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

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

“Why bother with the art dealer then?” Hank asked.

Caden gave him a chilling look. Hank was confused. Their original purpose was to prevent Joshua from benefiting, yet they were now transferring funds.

Then Hank understood. “I understand, Mr. Ward. You’re buying it for Miss Bennett.”

Caden remained stoic. “I’m aware of Mia’s reputation. Her artwork is valuable; it’s 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? If so, perhaps you should reconsider your compensation.”

Hank was speechless. Caden was back to his infuriating self.