Chapter 4 Crisis
Elara burst into the room, quickly stashing the painting away with a sharp look at Thorne.
Thorne was more rattled by Elara's reaction than he had been by his night in the police station.
"Dad, could you please check out the paintings in the studio's controlled environment next time?" Elara snapped.
Thorne finally responded, pointing at himself and then at Elara. "I just got out of jail, and instead of asking how I am, you rush in to save that old painting..."
He trailed off, realizing he was in the wrong. He glanced at Sylvia, who was watching the scene unfold.
As a father who cherished artifacts more than his own life, he knew Elara felt the same.
If he asked her, she might say the artifacts were more important, and where would that leave him in front of others?
"So, what exactly happened last night?" Elara asked.
Thorne was momentarily confused, then remembered. "I was deep into the painting, and my assistant suggested I take a break. I said no, this painting is a rare treasure—the colors, the lines, the composition, a masterpiece from centuries ago. If we don't preserve it properly, it would be a great loss..."
"Get to the point, Mr. Voss. We were worried sick last night. Elara didn't sleep a wink!" Sylvia cut in.
She had been Elara's childhood friend and was practically like Thorne's daughter, so she spoke without formalities.
"The point? I was drinking coffee when the police came and took me away without explanation. They didn't let me make a call or look at the painting..." Thorne explained.
"That's it?" Elara asked, thinking it made sense.
Thorne was single-minded, almost to the point of being oblivious. He was so focused that nothing could pull him away.
She wondered how her mother had ever fallen for him.
Thinking of her mother, Elara felt a pang of sadness.
"Yes, I'm innocent. Justice prevails, and it had nothing to do with me. See, I'm back safe and sound!" Thorne said confidently.
"Alright, as long as you're okay." Elara knew Thorne well. His single-track mind wouldn't come up with much. As long as he was safe, that was enough. Talking too much might distract him.
Her mother had passed away over a decade ago, and Thorne was getting old. A peaceful and safe old age was a blessing; she didn't want to scare him further.
While Elara thought this, Sylvia had a different perspective.
Ignoring Elara's attempts to stop her, she sat next to Thorne and quickly recounted the events from last night to this afternoon.
Sylvia looked at Thorne expectantly, hoping to see some concern for Elara on his face.
Thorne took a sip of water, staring out the window with a complex expression.
"Dad?" Elara called softly.
Thorne nodded. "Sweetheart, you mentioned a type of paint that has good antioxidant properties. What was that chemical called? I can't remember."
Elara felt a wave of relief wash over her. This whole ordeal hadn't fazed Thorne at all, which was a good thing.
She had promised her mother she'd take good care of Thorne, and from Thorne's perspective, this matter was already behind them.
After making sure everything was settled, Elara pulled the bewildered Sylvia away.
"I can't believe your dad is so unreliable. My dad's always busy with business, but he calls me regularly," Sylvia grumbled as they walked.
Elara just laughed, knowing Thorne all too well. As long as he wasn't affected by this incident, it wasn't the worst outcome.
"Why do you take everything on yourself?" Sylvia asked.
"I can handle it," Elara replied, not looking up as she scrolled through her phone.
Her scrolling speed increased as she spoke. Elara took a deep breath, closed her eyes, calmed herself, and asked, "If someone is spreading false rumors to smear us, what's the best way to respond?"
Sylvia, who worked as an independent journalist and professional interviewer in Vossshire, was the perfect person to ask.
"From a PR perspective, the best approach is silence until the facts are clear. The more you say, the more mistakes you make. What's going on?" Sylvia asked.
"Sylvia, we need to get back to the studio! Now!" Elara urged.
Sylvia saw Elara's worried expression and didn't ask further, stepping on the gas and speeding towards Story Revival Atelier.
Outside Story Revival Atelier, a crowd of reporters had gathered.
Seeing Elara arrive, they swarmed towards her.
"Ms. Voss, what do you know about your father allegedly destroying an ancient painting?"
"As the head of the ancient painting restoration studio, do you have anything to say?"
"Will Story Revival Atelier be able to continue operating after this incident?"
Sharp questions came at her like a storm.
Not long after leaving home, Elara's phone had pushed notifications about Thorne, a renowned artifact restorer, allegedly tearing apart a precious painting at Blackwood Convergence.
False information spread like wildfire, with various theories.
Some said Thorne had secretly swapped the artifact, tearing up a prepared fake while hiding the real one.
Others claimed Thorne had mental issues and couldn't accurately date the painting, leading to an emotional outburst that destroyed it.
Some even said Thorne and Elara were just self-promoters with no real skill, citing recent auction house scandals as proof.
With many people fueling the rumors, the situation quickly escalated.
What seemed like a resolved issue had exploded, affecting the reputation of Elara, Thorne, and Story Revival Atelier.
"These claims are false. Story Revival Atelier is renowned for its expertise. We will clarify the situation and provide an explanation," Elara and Sylvia hastily addressed the reporters, pushing them out of the studio.
Once inside, Sylvia began contacting local connections to trace the source of the rumors.
Elara immediately called Kieran.
"Even if I promise to be available at all times and not work with other institutions, it doesn't mean you can destroy Story Revival Atelier. This is my dream!"
"It wasn't me, but I can..."
"No need! Thank you!" Elara cut him off, her voice firm.