The Day I Kissed An Older Man
Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Marvin had a gloomy expression and was still somewhat angry because the scandal Involving hiseldest daughter Sherlyn had become a trending topic.

Corinne walked over slowly and persuaded him softly, “Dad, your health will be affected if you get.angry. Don’t worry so much about that whole incident with Sherlyn. I’m sure a lot of people will forgetabout it once all the fanfare dies down.”

“You’re right.” At the end of the day, Corinne was the more honest and sensible daughter, which savedMarvin from worrying too much about her.

Many things had not gone smoothly for Marvin in recent days, and he frowned before asking, “Is theresomething you want to talk to me about?”

Corinne nodded and put the painting she was holding on the table. “Take a look at this painting, Dad…”she said while gently tearing off the kraft paper covering the painting. The piece’s magnificent, artisticbeauty soon came into view.

She had brought with her ‘Geese in Late Autumn-one of her mother’s posthumously published works-which Jeremy had given her some time ago. As soon as Marvin laid eyes on the painting, he was takenaback for a moment and asked excitedly, “Corinne! This painting is Nellie Nymphaea’s posthumouswork ‘Geese in Late Autumn’! Rumor has it that it was recently sold to a mysterious buyer at a superhigh price of seven and a half million! Where did you get it? Is it genuine?”

“It is,” Corinne answered. “The person who bought this painting was my current employer at the housewhere I’m working as a maid. I happened to save his grandmother’s life that day, so he gave me thispainting as a token of his gratitude.”

Marvin had an incredulous expression on his face! “Your employer bought that painting for such a highprice and decided to just give it to you for free?”

Corinne nodded. “Yes. He’s very rich, and he loves his grandmother dearly too. Seven and a halfmillion is nothing to him.”

“I would’ve never dreamed that something like that would happen!” exclaimed Marvin, and he thenstretched out his hand to gently caress the painting. There was a sense of yearning and despair as ifhe had recalled something from the past.

Corinne observed the changes in her father’s expression and asked, “Dad… Nellie Nymphaea is mymother’s pen name, am I right?”

Marvin stiffened. He raised his head suddenly, then turned to Corinne and looked at her in shock.”You… How did you know?”

Corinne answered calmly, “I can vaguely recall certain memories from when I was still a child, and thename Nellie Nymphaea somehow rang a bell to me. I later found a photo of my mother at home, and Isaw the name Nellie Nymphaea at the back of the photo. I noticed that my mother’s handwriting is thesame as Nellie Nymphaea’s signature.”

‘So that’s how she found out…’ Since there was no point in hiding It, Marvin sighed and admitted, ”

You’re correct. Nellie Nymphaea is your mother.”

Corinne knew she was right a long time ago and tentatively said, “Dad, I realize that some of her so -called posthumous works look more like new paintings, instead of old works that were publishedposthumously. Do you think perhaps Mom is still alive?”

“Nonsense!” That remark seemed to have incited something in Marvin, and he interrupted her sternly,“Your mother passed away when you were very young! The works you mentioned that look. like newpaintings were probably someone else trying to imitate her style and pass their work off as hers. And

another thing: you’re not allowed to tell anyone else that your mother is Nellie Nymphaea! Do youunderstand?”.

Corinne frowned in confusion. “Why? Why can’t I mention anything about Mom?”

Marvin remained speechless for some time. He looked at Corinne with a complicated look in his eyesand kept quiet for a bit longer before saying angrily, “Your mother wasn’t my wife, so it won’t do you anygood to tell people that she’s your mother. You wouldn’t want them going around telling the whole worldyou’re my illegitimate daughter!”

Marvin would sidestep her question and change the subject whenever Corinne asked him about hermother, which led her to believe that there had to be some sort of dark secret.

Although Corinne’s memory of her mother was vague, she could roughly remember that her motherwas a cold and proud woman, and by that logic, it was impossible that she would stoop so low as tobecome someone else’s mistress. Corinne never believed in that ‘mistress’ designation given to hermother by her relatives. If indeed her mother had passed away, she was no less determined on replaceingout the truth and clearing her mother’s name.

After leaving the painting to Marvin for safekeeping, Corinne said goodbye and left. She could tell thatMarvin still thought fondly of her mother, and she was certain that Marvin would take good care of hermother’s posthumous piece.