I Once Married You (Harper and Benjamin)

Apologize

Scott and Lily smiled, clearly, as son and daughter-in-law, were the first to give a gift. It was a beautifully crafted wood cane for Paul.

"Happy birthday, Dad. We wish you well," Scott and Lily said.

Paul nodded with a smile, "Good."

Next was Benjamin, who presented a unique chessboard custom-made from top-quality emeralds.

Then, Harper followed with an oil painting.

She handed it to Paul, saying, "Grandpa, happy birthday."

Paul approached the painting, clearly delighted. Everyone could sense his fondness for Harper, and they all knew the connection between Paul and the Mitchells, so no one suspected anything.

Paul looked down and asked with surprise, "Harper, is this...a Vincent Cardin?"

Vincent Cardin was a famous artist, one of Paul's favorites since he was young.

Harper nodded. "Do you like it, Grandpa?"

"Like it? I love it! Harper, this gift means the world to me. I've wanted this painting for years, but I never won it at auction."

Paul said excitedly, showing his deep appreciation for Harper. Scott and Lily smiled, clearly pleased as well.

"I'm glad you love it, Grandpa," Harper said with a gentle smile, feeling happy herself.

"Would Sir Martin mind if we all take a look?" someone suggested.

"Harper, what do you think?" Paul looked at Harper.

"Grandpa, the painting is yours now. It's up to you," she replied.

"Great, then let's all take a look."

With that, Paul personally unveiled the canvas. It revealed a snowy landscape, stunning in its simplicity. Mountains and rivers faded into the crystalline white, creating an atmosphere of stillness and serenity. The artist's brushwork was confident yet delicate, giving the landscape a sense of depth that seemed to pull the viewer in.

A chorus of praise filled the room. Everyone expressed their admiration for the painting and felt lucky to be viewing it.

The warm atmosphere was abruptly shattered by a skeptical voice. "Is this a really good copy? Harper only came back from the countryside a year ago. How could she possibly have Mr. Cardin's work? This feels like a trick, just trying to make Sir Martin happy."

The speaker was Lucy White, the only daughter of the prestigious White family. Though an heiress in high society, she had also made a name for herself in the entertainment industry.

As her words fell, a buzz of criticism filled the room. People scrutinized the painting, finding fault after fault.

"Looks like it's just a good fake."

"Yeah, a convincing imitation, but still not the real deal."

"Did Ms. Mitchell give Paul a fake? Does her family know?"

The murmurs grew louder.

Standing next to Lucy, Lauren gently tugged at her shirt and said softly, "Lucy, don't say that. Maybe Harper just wanted to surprise Grandpa and got a fake because she couldn't get the real one. Maybe someone scammed her."

Lauren wasn't actually invited to Paul's birthday party. It was Lucy who brought her along.

"Lauren, you really are too kind," Lucy said with an air of superiority. "It's one thing to be considerate, but it's another to fool everyone like this. My grandfather loves collecting oil paintings, and I've been around them enough since childhood. I know a fake when I see one."

With that, most of the guests were already convinced by Lucy.

All eyes turned to Harper, who remained remarkably calm without any hint of panic.

She walked over to Paul and whispered, "Grandpa, why don't you sit down and rest for a bit? You must be tired after standing for so long."

"Okay," Paul replied with a smile, nodding his head. Then, he carefully put the oil painting aside, never taking her eyes away from it,

"Sir Martin, was the Mitchells trying to humiliate you by sending a fake?" someone in the crowd called out.

Paul's expression turned cold. Scott and Lily also frowned in displeasure, while Benjamin glanced at the speaker indifferently.

Before anyone from the Martin family could respond, Jack spoke up, "Sir Martin, the Mitchell family had no idea about the gift Harper sent. She...doesn't consult us on anything. Don't worry. I will teach her a lesson when I get back.

"Harper, apologize to Grandpa, now!" Jack commanded sternly.

But Harper didn't move.

Jennifer quickly added, "Don't get the wrong idea about the Mitchells. Sure, Harper's our daughter, but everyone knows she was only brought back into the family last year. She usually keeps to herself and isn't close with the family. This was certainly not our intention. It was all Harper's doing."

Jennifer was desperate to distance herself from Harper, while Jack also felt humiliated.

Before Harper could respond, Paul's voice cut through the tension. "Alright, this is my birthday party, and it's not the time to stir any trouble. Even if it's a good fake, I like it, and I appreciate it." Paul's words were clear. He was happy with whatever Harper had gifted him, regardless of its authenticity.

However, Lucy chimed in again. "Sir Martin, you are too kind to forgive Harper to fool you with a fake one. But what Harper did is truly disgusting. She is practically insulting the Martin family. I believe she owes everyone an explanation."

"Lucy, please don't say that. Grandpa is just trying to be polite. Harper is young, after all."

Lauren's words were meant to defend Harper, but Harper knew too well she and Lucy were making a scene on purpose.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

Lucy, ever the champion of justice, pulled Lauren towards Paul and announced, "Sir Martin, Lauren got you a special birthday gift. This painting is an original from Mr. Cardin, and she went through so much trouble to find it."

Lucy then took a painting from Lauren and presented it to Paul. However, Paul didn't reach for it.

Lucy froze, and Lauren's face flushed with embarrassment. "Grandpa, happy birthday," she said softly. "As long as you like my gift, it was all worth it. And about Harper's painting... it doesn't matter if it's real or not, as long as you're happy."

"Well, well, Ms. Davis, are you trying to lecture me?" Paul's tone was laced with sarcasm.

His use of "Ms. Davis" put a clear distance between them.

Lauren pressed her lips, panic and hurt flickering across her face. She looked pleadingly at Benjamin. "Benjamin, you know I didn't mean it that way. I turned down several endorsements and jobs just to get Mr. Cardin's painting for Grandpa's birthday."

Benjamin's expression remained cold, his brows slightly furrowed. He took the painting from Lucy's hands and revealed it in front of everyone. A gasp rippled through the crowd. The two paintings were identical. Only the artist could likely spot the difference.

Benjamin looked at Paul, his voice gentle as he spoke, "Grandpa, Lauren put her heart into this. You can't just dismiss a lady's feelings like that, can you?"

Paul remained stoic. He didn't reach for the painting or look at it. Scott and Lily also remained silent at his side.

Benjamin's expression didn't change. "Grandpa," he continued. "Lauren didn't mean anything bad by it. She just wanted to make you smile. As for Harper's painting, if you like it, keep it. No one's going to question that, right?"

Harper's eyes widened in disbelief, her gaze locked on Benjamin.