Chapter 462
462:
“You are Tiana’s protégé, aren’t you? This is your chance. Reveal who you are and claim that five percent of Miller’s Casino shares. It’s the best of both worlds.” Lorraine tried to sway him, her voice low and earnest.
Lorraine held firm in her conviction that Lyman truly was Tiana’s protégé, unwilling to even consider the possibility that her mentor was actually a fraud.
Just then, Christina piped up, a sly grin on her face. “You’re hesitating. What, feeling guilty?”
That seemed to open the floodgates for every watching guest.
“He doesn’t act like someone who’s learned from an acclaimed pianist. No way he is Tiana’s protégé.”
“That acting low-key must be an excuse. He’s just scared of getting caught.”
“I didn’t like him from the start. All that posturing, and it turns out he’s nothing but a phony.”
As the accusations against Lyman piled up, Lorraine grew more frantic, a storm of frustration and worry flashing across her face. She snapped at the crowd, unable to contain herself any longer. “Enough! Everyone just stop talking!” Lorraine’s glare swept over the guests. “You have no idea what you’re saying. Mr. Patel is Tiana’s protégé—he just doesn’t show off about it. He’s a true artist, with the kind of talent and presence none of your rude business types could ever hope to understand.”
Her outburst stung the businesspeople in the room, every word landing like an insult.
Celine let out a silent sigh, feeling a headache coming on thanks to Lorraine’s careless remarks. The Miller family and the Reynolds family had built their lives around business, yet Lorraine had just insulted all of them.
Kurt’s expression hardened. His gaze shifted away from Lorraine, clearly fed up with her impulsiveness. Trying to smooth things over, he forced a thin smile and addressed Dylan, “Mr. Scott, please ignore her. She spoke in anger and didn’t mean any disrespect.” He would never have bothered to defend Lorraine if she hadn’t once saved Celine’s life.
“I don’t care about the nonsense spouted by insignificant people.” Dylan’s expression was icy. “If you can’t make this supposed protégé prove his identity, I will step in.”
Gasps rippled through the room. Dylan was about to step in. Everyone’s attention immediately shifted to Lyman and Lorraine, curiosity and anticipation lighting up their faces. It was obvious that Lyman and Lorraine were backed into a corner now. Lyman was suspected of being a fraud, and Lorraine had managed to offend every businessperson in the room just to defend him. Honestly, for someone like Lorraine to insult Dylan—a businessman himself—was just reckless.
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Dylan declared he would take matters into his own hands and dig into Lyman’s background, sending Lyman spiraling into a quiet panic.
Lyman was genuinely flustered. Word had it that the Scott family’s network was a force to be reckoned with, with a web of connections so vast that it could unravel almost any secret. They might not be able to pin down Tiana’s true identity, but if they zeroed in on him instead of chasing Tiana’s protégés, his house of cards would collapse in no time.
“There’s no need for someone of your status to get involved in something so trivial, Mr. Scott,” Lyman said, flashing a grin as he stepped forward. “I’d planned to fly under the radar, but since trust seems to be in short supply…”
Lyman swept his gaze across the skeptical crowd and continued, “I’ll give you all the proof you’re clamoring for.” His words came slowly and deliberately. “Here’s the deal: one week from today, I’ll hold a press conference and publicly reveal my identity as the protégé of Tiana to the entire world.”
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