Esteemed art auctioneer Virgil Oldman, renowned for his appraisal skills and the ability to spot forgeries, routinely scams the auction world out of the masterpieces he deliberately undervalues with the help of an old friend. When the dishonest critique with an acid tongue is hired by Claire, a beautiful young heiress, to valuate the contents of the creepy mansion left to her by her parents, the two strike up an unlikely friendship. Terrified to leave the confides of her own home or even show her face, due to a mysterious condition, Oldman engages in his own deception as his obsession for her grows...