Chapter 53: Stirring Trouble

Alicia was baffled by Yolanda’s question. She had no idea what Yolanda was referring to when she asked about "her thing." “What thing?” Alicia asked, confused. Yolanda's tone became sharper. “The painting I told you about yesterday!” Alicia had no intention of giving her mother's precious paintings to someone like Yolanda, someone who wouldn’t appreciate or take care of them. She knew Yolanda wasn’t capable of truly valuing art, and it was obvious that someone else had asked for it on Yolanda's behalf. Alicia racked her brain, trying to figure out who might have requested her mother's artwork. Then it hit her—Townsend had mentioned a few days ago that his grandfather’s birthday was coming up, and he was looking for a painting as a gift. It seemed likely that Yolanda was trying to offer one of Alicia’s mother’s paintings as a gift to impress Townsend. Yolanda’s request was nothing more than a case of borrowing someone else's gift to gain favor. "Your mother, who’s locked up in a m