Synopsis and Starting Chapter Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Chapter 86
Chapter 87
Chapter 88
Chapter 89
Chapter 90
Chapter 91
Chapter 92
Chapter 93
Chapter 94
Chapter 95
Chapter 96
Chapter 97
Chapter 98
Chapter 99
Chapter 100
Chapter 101
Chapter 102
Chapter 103
Chapter 104
Chapter 105
Chapter 106
Chapter 107
Chapter 108
Chapter 109
Chapter 110
Chapter 111
Chapter 112
Chapter 113
Chapter 114
Chapter 115
Chapter 116
Chapter 117
Chapter 118
Chapter 119
Chapter 120
Chapter 121 - Portrait Of Titus (2)
Chapter 122 - Visitor From The Desert (1)
Chapter 123 - Visitor From The Desert (2)
Chapter 124 - Visitor From The Desert (3)
Chapter 125 - Visitor From The Desert (4)
Chapter 126 - Rookie Of Boston Red Sox (1)
Chapter 127 - Rookie Of Boston Red Sox (2)
Chapter 128 - Buddhist Scripture Written With Gold (1)
Chapter 129 - Buddhist Scripture Written With Gold (2)
Chapter 130 - Buddhist Scripture Written With Gold (3)
Chapter 131 - Chaebol, Painting, And Happy Tears (1)
Chapter 132 - Chaebol, Painting, And Happy Tears (2)
Chapter 133 - Chaebol, Painting, And Happy Tears (3)
Chapter 134 - Enemies Are Everywhere (1)
Chapter 135 - Enemies Are Everywhere (2)
Chapter 136 - More Paintings (1)
Chapter 137 - More Paintings (2)
Chapter 138 - To Florence, Italy… (1)
Chapter 139 - To Florence, Italy… (2)
Chapter 140 - To Florence, Italy… (3)
Chapter 141 - People Who Are After The Masterpiece (1)
Chapter 142 - People Who Are After The Masterpiece (2)
Chapter 143 - People Who Are After The Masterpiece (3)
Chapter 144 - The Medici And The Aristocrats (1)
Chapter 145 - The Medici And The Aristocrats (2)
Chapter 146 - The Medici And The Aristocrats (3)
Chapter 147 - The Medici And The Aristocrats (4)
Chapter 148 - The Medici And The Aristocrats (5)
Chapter 149 - Drawings In The Charity Auction (1)
Chapter 150 - Drawings In The Charity Auction (2)
Chapter 151 - Drawings In The Charity Auction (3)
Chapter 152 - Drawings In The Charity Auction (4)
Chapter 153 - Drawings In The Charity Auction (5)
Chapter 154 - Now, To London… (1)
Chapter 155 - Now, To London… (2)
Chapter 156 - Now, To London… (3)
Chapter 157 - Now, To London… (4)
Chapter 158 - Seeing The Light Again (1)
Chapter 159 - Seeing The Light Again (2)
Chapter 160 - Seeing The Light Again (3)
Chapter 161 - Seeing The Light Again (4)
Chapter 162 - Uninvited Guest (1)
Chapter 163 - Uninvited Guest (2)
Chapter 164 - Uninvited Guest (3)
Chapter 165 - Uninvited Guest (4)
Chapter 166 - Dark Shadow (1)
Chapter 167 - Dark Shadow (2)
Chapter 168 - Dark Shadow (3)
Chapter 169 - Change And Progress (1)
Chapter 170 - Change, And Progress (2)
Chapter 171 - Change, And Progress (3)
Chapter 172 - Appraiser Talks Through Appraising (1)
Chapter 173 - Appraiser Talks Through Appraising (2)
Chapter 174 - Appraiser Talks Through Appraising (3)
Chapter 175 - Appraiser Talks Through Appraising (4)
Chapter 176 - Appraiser Talks Through Appraising (5)
Chapter 177 - Inheritance Left By The Parents (1)
Chapter 178 - Inheritance Left By The Parents (2)
Chapter 179 - Inheritance Left By The Parents (3)
Chapter 180 - Inheritance Left By The Parents (4)
Chapter 181 - Star Appraiser (1)
Chapter 182 - Star Appraiser (2)
Chapter 183 - Star Appraiser (3)
Chapter 184 - Terms Of Return Of Artifacts (1)
Chapter 185 - Terms Of Return Of Artifacts (2)
Chapter 186 - Terms Of Return Of Artifacts (3)
Chapter 187 - Terms Of Return Of Artifacts (4)
Chapter 188 - Terms Of Return Of Artifacts (5)
Chapter 189 - Artifact From North Korea (1)
Chapter 190 - Artifact From North Korea (2)
Chapter 191 - Artifact Match (1)
Chapter 192 - Artifact Match (2)
Chapter 193 - Artifact Match (3)
Chapter 194 - Artifact Match (4)
Chapter 195 - Artifact Match (5)
Chapter 196 - What Happened In Austria (1)
Chapter 197 - What Happened In Austria (2)
Chapter 198 - What Happened In Austria (3)
Chapter 199 - What Happened In Austria (4)
Chapter 200 - Bait To Catch The Big Fish (1)
Chapter 201 - Bait To Catch The Big Fish (2)
Chapter 202 - What The Depressed Man Left (1)
Chapter 203 - What The Depressed Man Left (2)
Chapter 204 - Where The Faith Leads Him To (1)
Chapter 205 - Add Painting To Painting (1)
Chapter 206 - Add Painting To Painting (2)
Chapter 207 - Add Painting To Painting (3)
Chapter 208 - Finally, To There… (1)
Chapter 209 - Finally, In There… (2)
Chapter 210 (End) - Epilogue
Categories Genre: All, Completed, Fantasy, Supernatural Status: Completed ______
Total Chapters in book: 210
Estimated words: 468205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 2341(@200wpm)___ 1873(@250wpm)___ 1561(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 468205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 2341(@200wpm)___ 1873(@250wpm)___ 1561(@300wpm)
______
LIST OF LAST 10 CHAPTERS:
Page No. 210 Page No. 209 Page No. 208 Page No. 207 Page No. 206 Page No. 205 Page No. 204 Page No. 203 Page No. 202 Page No. 201 Page No. 200 Chapter 96
Chapter 96: The Medici of the 21 st Century (2)
If the controversial Dali’s painting was worth two billion, 3% of it would be sixty million won. No one
would be willing to pay that much as the appraisal fee.
Both its new owner and the Haevici Gallery couldn’t accept that easily, even Yaerin, who was
considered the next director, couldn’t accept it.
“This is a test, you can’t ask for a fee…”
“He might think this is a test, but to me, this is regular appraisal work. And, with what rights is he
testing me?”
Yaerin couldn’t say anything at this. She looked at her rude client and turned to Eunhae.
“Fine then, write a document that you request that fee and send it. You can do that, right?”
“Well, okay…” Eunhae nodded.
Yaerin then looked at Haejin again.
“You will get your fee, either from Charles Saatchi or me. So, you don’t mind doing as they want,
right?”
Haejin had no reason to refuse when he would get paid. Apart from how he felt about it, getting sixty
million won as the fee would be good for the museum.
“Okay, I’ll do that. Then, are you going to wait until they contact you again?”
“Yes, we’ll come back tomorrow. Will that be okay, madam?” Yaerin asked her client but, as things
were going that way, she had no choice but to nod.
“Hu… what else we can do? Do it.”
“Then I’ll see you tomorrow. Oh, we’ll come in the morning. I hope we get to meet you without waiting
then.”
Yaerin seemed to be in a hurry, she then left with her client.
Eunhae watched them leave and talked.
“She must be suffering from a severe headache now.”
“Will she pay the fee?”
“Yes. They can’t be expecting you to demand sixty thousand dollars after tossing you a photo to test
you. Of course, they would refuse, and Yaerin knows it.”
“Then why did she ask you to send that document to Charles Saatchi?”
“She’ll ask me to send it to her later. She’s about to spend sixty million won as the fee, if that money
leaves the gallery’s bank account without any evidence, she won’t be able to get away with it.”
“Oh…”
“Plus, she isn’t in charge of the museum yet. Her aunt is. So, she must show something to her aunt…
unlike the money spent to buy artifacts, the appraisal fee is spent without any solid result. If she
handles this poorly, she will get accused of making a secret fund.”
“Then, is that why you paid such a small fee to me when you were in Saeyeon Gallery?”
Eunhae looked away.
“Why are you bringing up what’s in the past?”
“Haha, why? You’re sorry?”
Haejin laughed and tried to look into her eyes. She then wrinkled her nose.
“That’s what Lee Jongmyeong said at the time. However, that wasn’t wrong. I had to do my best not to
clash with the board members, but you were asking for a fee that was too big, so if I had given it to
you, the board wouldn’t have overlooked it. They would have accused me of trying to wash that
money to take it and gone through every bank account in my name.”
“Oh… I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was that serious.”
“I’m sorry as well. I regretted paying you so little for a long time. I had to quit in the end, why was I so
worried at the time…”
“You didn’t have a choice then.”
Haejin had asked that to tease Eunhae, but the mood was now heavy. He felt sorry. Next, Eunhae
suddenly looked at him.
“Oh, but what was that painting? It just looked like a still-life painting to me.”
The painting in the photo had a flower in a vase against the dark navy background.
The background, the vase, and the flower were all dark overall, so it was completely different from the
Gogh’s Sunflower series.
“Oh… it looked like Gauguin’s.”
“Gauguin’s?”
“Yes. They didn’t include the bottom part in the photo on purpose so that I won’t be able to see the
signature.”
“Then, how did you find it out so quickly? And in such a short time?”
“That painting is exhibited in the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza in Madrid. Of course, I’ve seen it when I
was in Spain.”
“You went around even more than I did. I have traveled a lot myself, but sometimes you sound like
you scarcely were in Korea.”
“Few people have traveled around abroad more than I have.”
“You didn’t go to school?”
“Yes.”
“Wow…”
She was surprised. She looked at Haejin, waiting for him to tell her the truth, but Haejin ignored that.
“Let’s go to eat something. I’m famished.”
Haejin didn’t want to say that his father had been a grave robber who robbed graves all over Asia.
Even if it hadn’t been him but his father.
Eunhae wanted to ask more, but when Haejin didn’t talk, she gave up.
The next day, Yaerin came early in the morning, just as she had said. There was no need to talk in the
hallway, so Eunhae let her come into her office.
“As it’s just you and me, let’s talk comfortably. I sent the document about the appraisal contract as you
said, and they didn’t reply… what will you do about the fee?”
Eunhae asked leisurely. Haejin had let her handle this on purpose.
“We’ll pay the fee.”
“Oho… your aunt didn’t object?”
“There’s no reason to. If we can finish this with sixty million won, that’s not bad.”
Yaerin was taking this case quite seriously.
“Okay then, let’s start.”
Haejin had no reason to hesitate when Yaerin was going to pay him. He started to look at the photo.
Fortunately, it was a clear picture, so he could examine in detail. Nevertheless, it is impossible to feel
the texture of the oil painting with a photo, and there are things you know only when you see the
actual painting, so it wasn’t perfect.
Haejin looked at the painting for a long time and opened his mouth.
“It’s fake.”
Yaerin had thought that could happen, she nodded and asked her question. She was recording with
her phone.
It was to write down what Haejin would say and send it to Charles Saatchi.
“Why do you think this is fake?”
“First of all, I’ve seen the real painting. In Madrid… the artist tried to imitate its mood as much as
possible, but the colors and feeling of the flower are different. This painting is luxurious and abundant.
The flowers in the real painting have withered petals that look somewhat pitiful. Although this is
similar, the image the artist is trying to create is completely different. This isn’t even a fake of great
quality.”
Yaerin asked again.
“But the colors might look a little different as this is a photo. Plus, Gauguin might have wanted to
depict the same motif differently after making the painting in Madrid.”
Haejin shook his head.
“If he wanted to create something like Gogh’s Sunflower series, he might have used different
composition and methods. However, this is about the feeling the artist got from the flower in this
painting. Getting a totally different feeling from one flower is strange unless Gauguin had a split
personality.”
That answer was enough so Yaerin stood up.
“Thank you, you’ll get your fee before lunchtime. Our staff will come to write the contract about it.”
“Thank you.”
“I was just trying to help a friend choose a gift. I didn’t know this would happen.”
“I hope things go well for you.”
“Thank you for your help. I didn’t feel bad about paying you the fee as I failed to find the person you
asked me to find. Let’s have lunch together later someday.”
“Okay.”
Yaerin left after that while Eunhae pouted.
“When are you going to have that lunch? If you’re going to have lunch with Yaerin, take me, too.”
“Haha! Of course, I should take you with me. How can I have lunch with Yaerin without my boss?”
Eunhae slowly smiled.
“Ha! Then I will look forward to it. Yaerin is cool and never buys at cheap restaurants. That’s the only
thing I like about her.”
“How about Seolleongtang (Korean ox broth) for lunch today? With boiled pork…”
“Good! I’m hungry already.”
Eunhae was so cute that it made Haejin smile. It was now lunchtime. They ate Seolleongtang and
enjoyed the date that wasn’t a date, but then Haejin got a call from the museum.
“What? Who’s trying to reach me?”
“Who is it?”
That was a strange reaction. Eunhae stopped eating and asked with her eyes as big as a rabbit’s.
“Charles Saatchi is asking my phone number.”
“Wow… you’ve become really famous.”
Haejin instructed them to give his number and hung up. He got an international call in less than five
minutes. He hesitated, but he took it. He spoke in English, of course.
“Hello?”
“Hello. I am Damon of Charles Saatchi Foundation. I just received an appraisal of a photo from Korea,
and they told me that it was from you. We are thanking you very much and are very impressed at the
same time. You appraised it perfectly with only a photo.”
“Oh, really? You say you had it appraised, but you never paid the fee.”
Haejin could feel Damon getting surprised.
“Oh… I am very sorry about it. The owner of the painting said that she didn’t mean to ignore you.”
“Even if she didn’t mean that, she did have that photo appraised for free.”
“That’s… I heard that was a test. Wasn’t it?”
“Haha! Hey! Who do you think you are? You think you have the rights to test me?”
Eunhae looked worried, thinking that Haejin was taking it too far, but Haejin didn’t mind. He had said
everything he wanted to say in front of Prince Sahmadi of the Arab Emirates, so an employee of
Charles Saatchi Foundation was nothing…
“Oh… I am really sorry. We will look into this again and pay you the right fee.”
“No. I’ve already received my fee from the gallery that worked as the middleman in this matter. Then,
are you going to stop arguing that painting is not fake?”
“We know that we have been late to take care of this. It’s been decided that the painting will be
refunded without a problem.”
“Really? That’s good.”
Even though it wasn’t Haejin’s business, he thought it was good. It wasn’t like Yaerin was his
nemesis.
He didn’t like that she did not keep her promise on finding the person for him, but it had been a
slightly strange request and, as he had received sixty million for the fee, he had gained even more.
“Mr. Saatchi has officially invited you to our foundation. He wants you to come to Saatchi Gallery’s
special exhibition.”
Saatchi Gallery is an art museum of contemporary arts in London. It has a great influence on
contemporary art.
“I’m sorry, but I’m not that interested in contemporary art.”
“It’s okay. Mr. Saatchi said he wants to meet you very much.”
“Hmm… is it because Mr. Saatchi has something that has to be appraised?”
Or Damon wouldn’t be asking repeatedly like that. Just as Haejin thought, Damon revealed the real
purpose of the invitation.
“Actually, Mr. Saatchi has invited famed appraisers. It is to have a painting appraised, and he wants
you to come to appraise it, too.”
Total Chapters in book: 210
Estimated words: 468205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 2341(@200wpm)___ 1873(@250wpm)___ 1561(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 468205 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 2341(@200wpm)___ 1873(@250wpm)___ 1561(@300wpm)
______