Chapter 59

"She probably just went in to snoop. There wasn't anything worth much in there, right?" Eliana asked.

"Yeah. I'm not into all those fancy luxury things... but I do like buying them for you," Carl replied with a sheepish grin.

"Good. As long as nothing valuable was there,"Eliana said, her tone hardening. "Next time she shows up,don't let her in again. And change the front-gate code-no point giving her another chance to upset Damon."

Close acquaintance could always strike where it hurt the most. Leyla was that type-cold-blooded enough to twist the knife without hesitation.

Damon had once treated her kindly, yet she had the heart to hurt him with her words.

Eliana wasn't going to let her get away with it.

"Alright, I'll change it right now."

"No rush," she replied, "I'll send you an address. Go change clothes and be on your way immediately."

Carl agreed without bothering to ask for more details.

Before she could offer more explanation, her phone buzzed with another incoming call.

She checked the caller,ID. Tristan.

She hung up on Carl and answered.

"Eliana, you haven't forgotten our agreement, have you?" Tristan's voice came low, warm, and velvety enough to curl around her like smoke.

"Relax.I remember. I'll be at the exhibition in an houshe replied.

"How about I come get you now? I've got a dress for you, and I can bring it along."

"No need," she said flatly. '"T'm not home. I'll head over right away when I'm done."

"Where are you? I can meet you instead," Tristan pressed.

"You're being a little too nosy, aren't you? I said I'll meet you there.

Something in her tone must have reached him because he gave a low chuckle and backed off."Alright then.

Call me when you arrive-I'll have someone escort you in."

"Okay. Bye for now." Eliana ended the call.

She turned just as Seth rushed in, arms full of documents. He wasn't sure where to keep them.

"They should go in innermost room," Elaina told him.

"Gotit!"

The minutes bled away in a blur of tasks. By the time Eliana checked her watch,she had twenty minutes left.

She grabbed her bag and had Seth drive her straight to the venue-an exhibition hall named The Infinite.

It was the crown jewel of Qidence's art scene, a space every top artist dreamed of booking, where reputations were made and careers cemented.

Eliana knew it well-the curator had invited her more than once to showcase her paintings.

But to her, painting was just a quiet hobby, not a career move, so she'd always declined.

Meanwhile, Leyla arrived at the entrance of the exhibition hall with a friend who'd been buzzing with anticipation fordays.

"Leyla, you're amazing!" the friend gushed, clutching her arm. "Even my dad couldn't get tickets, and you got them for me! You should've seen his face when I told him-I think he was jealous."

Leyla let a faint smile slip, basking in the admiration. "It was nothing."

The praise settled over her like warm silk, feeding her smug satisfaction.

Pulling out her phone, she dialed Davin's number. "Mr. Gordon, my friend and I are at the entrance." ＂Alright， I甲 come get you，＂ he replied.

Minutes later, Davin appeared at the doors, and the crowd's humn rose instantly.

"Isn't that the oil painting master, Davin Gordon?I can't believe he's here...If I'd known he would be hers today, I'd have given my ticket to my grandpa-he's a huge fan of Mr. Gordon."

"Looks like he's meeting someone. Who could be so important that he would come out to meet them himself?"

Leyla caught the whispers and fought to keep the smug smile off her face.

She lifted a hand in a graceful wave. "Mr. Gordon!"

Spotting her through the crowd, Davin's eyes lit with recognition. He gave a brief nod and, flanked by two security guards, made his way toward Leyla.

The movement drew stares instantly. Heads turned. Envy shimmered in the air like static.

Some recognized her. The whispers picked up again. "Isn't that Leyla from the Murray family? She knows Mr.Gordon? Could she be his newest student?"

"Didn't he stop taking students years ago.Maybe her talent's so extraordinary he made an exception."

"That's probably the case,"

"Wait.You mean that Murray family? The bankrupt one?"

"Yeah. I heard they just brought back some long-lost daughter from the countryside. Stella kicked Leyla out afterwards."

"What?!" an incredulous voice exclaimed. "They kicked out someone handpicked by Mr. Gordon? Didn't they realize her potentials?

"Exactly. No wonder the family's in ruins-short-sighted, the lot of them."

"I heard all six sons are incompetent. And that daughter they brought back from the countryside? Probably not worth much either. Tossing a gem for rubble. Pathetic!" Exactly. It would be a miracle if they still manage to stay afloat after now."

The voices blended into a cruel undercurrent around her, every comment nastier than the last.

Leyla caught enough to know what was being said, but she kept her expression smooth, as though the words had slid right past her.

She smiled up at Davin. "Thank you for gifting me the tickets,Mr.Gordon."

Davin, older and slightly hard of hearing, was unaware of the murmurs. Stroking his graying beard, he said warmly, "When I saw your painting last time, I knew you had remarkable talent. It's my honor you could make it today."

"You flatter me," Leyla said, voice laced with faux modesty.

"Not at all. You've got more skill than the other students I teach. I'm eager to see what you do in today's competition."

Her eyes brightened. "Will you be competing too?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "I'm too old for that. This is your stage, not mine. I'll be sitting with the other judges."

Leyla nodded with practiced grace. "I understand. I'll do my best not to disappoint you."

Davin gave her a warm smile."Good. There's stiff competition today. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Win or lose, treat it as a learning experience."

"Alright."

"Come," he said, gesturing toward the hall. "Let's go in."

"Okay." With her.friend in tow, Leyla followed him toward the entrance.

The ticket check hadn't begun yet, so those without connections could only watch from the sidelines, their envy trailing after her like a shadow.

Inside, the space was even more breathtaking than it looked from outside. Paintings for the charity auction hung suspended from sleek, nearly invisible wires, giving the entire half a futurtstic air.

"This place is gorgeous," her friend breathed, scanning the crowd for Tristan.

A moment later, her eyes lit up as she spotted him standing before a painting that seemed to be floating in air.

She gripped Leyla's sleeve. "Leyla-look. Mr. Pearson's over there."

Following her gaze, Leylä's eyes landed on Tristan.

Today,he wore a midnight-blue suit that fit like it had been made for him. On his chest, an obsidian-studded brooch caught the light in subtle flashes. The combination of elegance and restraint made his presence magnetic.

He had a way of owning any room he stepped into. Even without the weight of Pearson Group's power, his presence alone turned heads-magnetic, effortless, impossible to ignore.