EPILOGUE: THE REAL MASTERPIECE
Six months have passed.
The scandal rocked the art world. Christie’s fired half their executive board. Elias Thorne sued for $50 million—and won.
I didn’t get my old job back. I didn’t want it.
Instead, I opened a small gallery in Chelsea.
Tonight is our opening. The sign outside reads: “The Art of Deception: The Works of Arthur Pendelton.”
The gallery is packed. Elias Thorne is here. He bought the first piece—a “fake” Pollock that Arthur had painted in the ’90s. $500,000. Not for being a Pollock, but for being a Pendelton.
Across the room, Maya stands. Nice dress, but still in her Converse. She’s laughing, chatting with art students who treat her like a rock star.
She waves at me.
I raise my glass.
This time, we didn’t sell a lie. We sold the truth. And it turns out, the truth is worth far more than $12 million.
