novelDeal with an Arabian Prince (4)
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"What are you talking about! One dollar?"
Anthony yelled, but Haejin looked into his eyes and calmly spoke.
"Shouldn't I try to earn more than fifty million with the three paintings?"
That wasn't wrong, so Anthony couldn't answer for a moment. And, at that moment, Prince Sahmadi nodded.
"He will buy it at one dollar."
"It was the right decision."
The prince and his appraiser must have known things were going in a weird way, but they proceeded with the deal without asking.
The paintings clearly belonged to Anthony, but the Asian appraiser was offering a crazy price.
They might as well have asked if that made sense, but they just let Haejin do what he did.
Anthony's face was now red.
Haejin turned to him and asked, "Will you proceed?"
"I gave you my words, so I have no choice."
Anthony gave up. He plopped on the sofa and drank some wine. At this, the white appraiser smiled.
Then, he went to Anthony's appraiser, talked about the money, and transferred the money right away.
After that, the lawyer, who had been waiting, came in to finish the deal.
"You are a great appraiser. I am impressed. Please forgive me for overreacting earlier. In fact, I'm still a little mad."
The white appraiser offered his hand.
"I'm sorry. I know I crossed the line."
"Anyway, it's been a good deal."
Haejin took his hand to shake it, but then he felt something in his hand. He casually put the hand in his pocket after the handshake.
Actually, he had planned to find the prince with Eric Holton's help in secret but, if the appraiser had just given him his phone number, he wouldn't have to.
Prince Sahmadi and his appraiser left the room. Anthony then glared at Haejin.
"Did you have to do that? If you had asked for a million or two million dollars as a bonus, I would have given it to you without thinking twice. But one dollar? Were you trying to screw me over? If it wasn't to humiliate me, you wouldn't have done that and got one dollar."
Actually, Haejin really wanted to screw Anthony. When he saw the past through magic, the process of Anthony acquiring that Gogh's painting outraged him.
Haejin still remembered the tears from the real owners of the paintings when it was taken away from them.
He just didn't know how Anthony had taken it from them. He couldn't see the details.
Nevertheless, he couldn't openly offend Anthony. He was one of the wealthiest men in the world, and Haejin was only an appraiser.
Even a kid would know that getting on bad terms with him wouldn't be good.
So, Haejin politely bowed to Anthony.
"I'm sorry. I know you have every reason to accuse me. However, I didn't sell that painting at a dollar to offend you."
"Then, why did you do it?"
"You were thinking fifty million dollars for the price of the three paintings. So, of course, I thought you would accept my rights. Like a bonus."
"Yes. That's why if you had asked for ten million for the Degas' painting, I would have said nothing. It would have been you using your rights. However, asking for one dollar is just mocking me."
"That's not it. I just chose something more valuable than the ten million dollars."
The anger in Anthony's eyes started to fade.
"Something more valuable than ten million dollars? What is that?"
"I have an art museum in Korea. So, I want to see many artifacts exhibited in my museum. I was going to befriend Prince Sahmadi by doing him a favor and sign an exhibition contract with him. I think that would be much more valuable than ten million dollars."
"Ha..."
Anthony's jaw dropped. What Haejin said was something he didn't even imagine.
"I am sorry for making you lose your cool in front of the prince."
"That was embarrassing."
"However, you earned fifty million dollars instead."
"Huh... I should have rejoiced at that moment, but I humiliated myself in front of you."
He seemed to be very ashamed of what he had done.
And it was only because if he had accepted Haejin's terms in the first place, he wouldn't have been forced to ask Haejin in the middle of the negotiation, and he would have not gotten mad in front of the prince.
Of course, he might still have gotten mad even after accepting the terms and seeing Haejin give over the painting at a dollar, but no one knows what would have happened as something else could have happened.
"Things like that happens. You don't have to be so ashamed."
"When you meet Eric later, please don't tell him what just happened. I cannot bear to see his face now, he will surely be disappointed."
He was implying that he was more powerful than Eric.
"Of course. I'll just tell him that you sold three paintings to Prince Sahmadi. What kind of paintings they were, at how much they were sold, I'll wipe that from my mind."
"Then, are you now going to go to Prince Sahmadi?"
Haejin had wanted to keep it as a secret but, as he had already mentioned it to make excuses, he decided to talk openly.
"Yes, I wish I could meet him and talk."
"Do you want my help?"
Anthony's eyes were full of curiosity. It showed that he didn't fully trust Haejin.
He was suspecting that Haejin was trying to pull a scheme after selling a Degas at a dollar.
"It's okay. I'll get Eric's help. Oh, and I won't tell him about Degas' painting, so don't worry."
"I know. I believe you wouldn't do that. Anyway, it's a shame. I am slightly curious about what kind of deal you want to discuss with the prince."
"If I need your help, I'll contact you any time. Actually, I haven't planned this trip to Dubai, so I'm enjoying it very much. And the prince of this country... this is like a dream."
"Haha! Call me anytime. Judging from your skills, I will have to ask for your help again."
"Then, I'll give you my business card."
Haejin had made his business card when he opened his museum. He cried a little when he saw it for the first time. It read Director Park Haejin. It reminded him of his father.
"Park Haejin Art Museum... huh? I think I've heard of it."
"It's quite an issue these days because of the new Picasso painting."
Anthony was surprised at hearing this. He applauded.
"Yes! I remember now! How could I not recognize the owner of the Picasso's painting when he was right in front of my eyes? I'm a fool, I've become a fool."
It wasn't because he was a fool, but because he only cared about himself. He had talked about himself for 10 hours on their way to Dubai and didn't wonder about Haejin, so how he could know?
"That can happen. You know it now and that's what matters. If you come to Korea later, I'll open my museum just for you so that you will able to enjoy the paintings alone."
"Hahaha! You know how to read my mind! Good, good. I like that."
Anthony burst into laughter. Then, he gave Haejin an envelope.
"Your appraisal fee for today. Five hundred thousand and an additional hundred thousand."
He spoke as if he was giving a tip to a waiter, but a hundred thousand dollars is a hundred million in Korean won. The amount of money was just too big for it to be given away even when you were in a good mood.
"You don't have to..."
Haejin tried to refuse, but Anthony stopped him.
"No, you don't have to. That hundred thousand is for the mistake I made. Although I have asked you to keep this as a secret, words aren't enough. Just forget what happened today with a glass of wine."
That old man was thorough. That hundred thousand to make Haejin feel guilty about breaking the promise to keep the secret.
Haejin was going to tell Eric everything anyway, so what Anthony did was in vain, but he was certainly cunning.
"Okay. Then, I'll use this money well."
Refusing would have made Anthony more suspicious, so Haejin had no choice but to accept it.
"Then, I'll see you again in Korea, although I don't know when it will be."
"It's been my pleasure. Then..."
Haejin left Anthony's room and headed to the lobby. It was because Eric was waiting for him, but suddenly he recalled what he had put in his pocket earlier.
He glanced back to check if there was anyone following him. Then, he took it out. It was a small piece of paper folded many times.
Haejin unfolded it. There were only numbers. It was clearly someone's phone number. Probably the white appraiser's.
Haejin wondered if he should meet Eric first or call, but his curiosity won. He called.
"Hello."
It was clearly the voice of the white appraiser.
"You gave me your number, so I called."
"Oh... you must be the Asian appraiser. I've been waiting for your call. I hope you are alone?"
"Of course, I am. But why did you give me your number?"
"Then, why did you sell Degas' painting at a dollar? Didn't you do that because you wanted something from us?"
That was so accurate that Haejin was momentarily dumbfounded.
"Khmm... actually, I own an art museum in Korea. So, I wanted to sign an exhibition contract with the prince."
"Haha, I see. Let's talk about real matters in person. I'll send you the address."
"Oh, okay."
He immediately mentioned the exhibition contract just as an excuse. What was strange was that he didn't refuse but made an appointment first.
What was it for? Was he curious about Haejin because of the skills Haejin had shown earlier?
Anyway, Haejin hung up and went down to the lobby. Eric was waiting with glaring eyes.
"What took you so long?"
"Many things happened. I guess you were very curious? Your eyes are about to shoot laser beams."
"Of course, I am curious! What happened?"
Haejin waved his hands and whispered.
"I can't tell you now. There has to be someone watching us."
"Oh, right. I just wanted to know. Anyway, well done. However, I guess you have found out something?"
"Well, let's get up first. We're in a hurry."
Haejin stood up with a mischievous smile. Eric hurriedly stood up as well.
"What? We're in a hurry?"
"We must go to meet Prince Sahmadi."
Eric's eyes widened.
"Why do you have to meet Prince Sahmadi? No, is the prince going to meet you?"
Eric couldn't believe it. The princes of the Arab Emirates are high officials.
In short, they manage the government and national enterprises, so an antiquity appraiser from the east cannot meet them just because he wants to.
"Thankfully, he will meet me. He sent me an address."
Haejin showed the address on his phone to Eric.
"It's real... but why do you want to meet him?"
"I must ask him for something."
"And what's that?"
Haejin had no reason to lie to Eric. He would find out anyway. As soon as they got on the car Eric had rented, Haejin answered with a smile.
"Degas' painting."
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