Episode 14

**Snow of London (Case 3.4)** is the fourteenth episode of the Great Pretender series. It is also the fourth and final episode in the Snow of London case.

## Summary

With the Snow of London replica finished, Thomas' debt is paid off. Meanwhile, Laurent's gang learns that Farrah sold off her real estate for £50 million as they figure out what the target price should be for the Snow of London. The private auction begins the next day in which all the bidders except James and Farrah are Laurent's associates. After James and Farrah enter the venue, Abby tells Tim that only he can help Farrah. The auction commences with the bidders "overbidding" for the paintings much to James's disgust. After Farrah overhears Kudo and Shi-Won talking about the Snow of London going for £70 million, she leaves the auction area to ask Tim to get £20 million, while Tim warns her that satisfying James's lust for art will not win him over. The auction resumes with the Snow of London up for bidding. Abby informs James that Farrah is feeling ill and has £70 million to bid, while Cynthia sits in Farrah's seat. Cynthia aggressively bids against James going over £70 million much to everybody's surprise, but to everybody's relief James continues to raise his bid, winning the painting for £100 million. That night, James, having paid for the painting out of his bank account, tries to sell the Snow of London to Farrah, but is locked out of her estate as Farrah cuts ties with James and uses the art she bought for James to open an exhibit at a museum on Tim's advice. Sometime later, Laurent's gang returns to Nice to return the Snow of London to Sebastien and Marie. With Cynthia noticing that something is off about the painting, Edamame apologizes for giving James the real painting, but Marie says that she appreciates the replica more because of the struggle and perseverance that went into it. Before returning to Nice, Cynthia had one last meeting with Thomas to end their romantic relationship, but remain friends. Edamame returns to the restaurant hoping to get his job back only to find out that it had been converted into a Thai restaurant.

## Plot

Makoto receives the original Snow on London in a silver briefcase and the replica in a black briefcase from Thomas. For his hard work, Thomas' debt is paid off. The following day, James receives an invitation to and is confident that he'll have enough money to win the painting at the auction. From their wiretapping device, it's learned that Farrah plans to liquidate her estate. This is in order to accumulate enough money to buy the "London on Snow" painting and manages to do so gaining £50 million.

On the day of the auction, Farrah and James enter the auction venue. Meanwhile, Abby and Farrah's butler Tim, work together to save Farrah. Once the auction begins, James appraises each item up for auction, but to his dismay his appraisals are incorrect. Upon overhearing Kudo and Shi-Won that the "London on Snow" painting would most likely start at for 70 million. Farrah contacts her butler to procure an extra £20 million. Tim the butler flatly declines to do and after this, Farrah is approached by Abby and the two talk.

Right as the auction resumes, Cynthia takes Farrah's seat. Abby then informs that Farrah will not attend the auction any further, because she's feeling ill. However, she reassures she'll cover up to 70 million for the painting. At the start of the auctioning for the "Snow on London", Cynthia gets into a bidding war with James. In the end, James wins the painting for £100 million. When it comes time to pay for it, James uses his own money to pay for it as he's unable to get in contact with Farrah.

Following the successful con job, it's revealed that James sold everything in his name to get the painting. Furthermore, after listening to an audio recording of James on how he really thinks of Farrah, she cuts ties with him. Also, following Tim's advice, all of the paintings that Farrah bought for James, will be put up in an exhibit at a museum.

Once the Snow of London is returned to Marie and Sebastien, Marie notices that it looks different. It's then that Makoto reveals that it's really the forgery. As to why he wanted to not sell the forgery to James is because of the endeavor that Thomas made to create the forgery. Marie, however, likes the forgery better and her father agrees. Makoto then gives Cynthia the same tin with the wedding ring drawing in it and suggests ties the loose end with Thomas. Cynthia does so and meets with Thomas at the same cafe they first met in. After their meeting, Cynthia tosses the tin into a river.

Adamant to leave his life of a con artist, Makoto visits the Chinese restaurant hoping to get his job back there. However, he learns that it became a Thai food restaurant and is flatly rejected by his old boss. At the beach, Cynthia gives her opinion of what she suspects the entire con job was contrived by Laurent to tie a loose end in Cynthia's past.

## Characters

* Makoto Edamura
* Laurent Thierry
* Abigail Jones
* Cynthia Moore
* Kudo
* Shi-won Kim
* Thomas Meyer
* Farrah Brown
* James Coleman
* Sebastien
* Marie