Chapter 99

A young man chimed in with a smirk, "Playing the piano is an art-it takes elegance and skill, not just money."

The room burst into laughter.

Paola waved a hand dismissively, pretending to be gracious. "Alright, everyone, let's not be harsh. Even though Rylie didn't make it past the preliminaries, her courage is admirable. I'm sure she'll succeed someday."

Isabella laughed loudly, covering her mouth with mock shock. "Courage? Shouldn't it be cheekiness? If it were me, I'd be too embarrassed to show my face.But some people have thick skin- failing the first round and still showing up at such a fancy event!"

The laughter only grew louder.

A few rich kids exchanged amused glances. One of them even pushed a wine glass toward Rylie, silently suggesting she drink her shame away.

Johnny's expression darkened. He set his wine glass down with a firm thud. "That's enough."

The room fell silent at once.

Johnny poured a glass of juice, walked over to Rylie,and quietly took the wine glass away. "You look tired.Don't harm your health over this. Try some orange juice instead."

Rylie took the glass. "Thank you."

Johnny nodded and rested a hand lightly on the back of her chair. His gaze swept the room as he spoke."Everyone here is my guest. Rylie is my guest too. If anyone can't show respect, I won't hesitate to ask them to leave."

No one had expected Johnny to defend her. Paola's face stiffened as she awkwardly adjusted her dress,trying to hide the resentment in her eyes.

When she looked up again, her expression had softened into a polite smile. "Johnny's right. We're all friends here-let's be civil."

Isabella quickly changed the subject. "Weren't we supposed to have a yacht party? When are we heading out?"

Johnny replied casually, "The yacht is ready. You can head over anytime."

He turned to Rylie. "But Miss Owen, could you wait a moment? I have a favor to ask."

Rylie nodded. "Sure."

Just as Johnny was about to leave with her, Paola stood up abruptly. "Johnny, where are you taking Rylie?Is this somewhere the rest of us can't go?"

All eyes turned to the two of them. The air grew tense with quiet speculation.

Someone cracked a joke, "Are you ditching our lovely Paola for a private moment with Miss Owen? Since when did your taste change so much?"

Paola looked visibly hurt, her eyes locked on Johnny."So this really is a private date? Maybe I shouldn't stay here after all."

Isabella chimed in, "Johnny, say something! You can't seriously be planning a date with Rylie-you've only met her once!"

Rylie raised an eyebrow. "Now I'm curious too.What do you need my help with?"

Johnny let out a resigned sigh. "My grandmother's a collector. She recently wanted to donate a set of ancient jewelry to the museum. It's said to be a thousand years old, but the museum's expert says it's fake.We invited other appraisers, and they all agreed -it's a counterfeit."

Rylie tilted her head. "How much did she pay for it?"

"Twenty million dollars," Johnny replied.

Gasps filled the room. Even Rylie blinked in disbelief.

No wonder Johnny had come to her again- this wasn't just about pride. It was about a twenty-thousand-million-dollar mistake.

Paola couldn't help herself. "Johnny, this is a professional matter. If all the experts say it's fake,what can Rylie possibly do? She's not a magician or something, unable to turn a fake into a real one."

Johnny looked directly at Rylie. "After what happened at the Buckley family's gala, I believe in your judgment. You clearly know your craft. I'd really appreciate it if you'd take another look."

Rylie gave a slight nod. "Alright. Let's go."

Johnny turned with her."Let's go."

Isabella suddenly stepped in front of the door and shouted, "Mr. Reid, have you had too much to drink?The news about Rylie plagiarizing Paola's sheet music is everywhere. She's done it before! And the jewelry appraisal at the gala? That was just luck. Don't trust her!"

Johnny's expression turned cold. His voice dropped "P'll judge right and wrong for myself." He stared at Isabella, his tone biting. "Besides, I don't remember inviting you. Paola insisted on bringing you."

Isabella turned pale. "I..."

Johnny looked at Paola next. "Please keep your friends in check. She's rude and lacks basic manners.Don't bring her next time."

Isabella stood frozen, stunned speechless. Paola's face turned stiff with embarrassment.