The closer to the front, the bigger the deal you were. Elliana and Hailee didn’t even get proper seats-just a corner in the left corridor. Paige, riding Luciano’s clout as head of the Calligraphers and Painters Association, scored a prime spot in the front row.
As Paige passed Elliana, she couldn’t hide her smug grin and put on a fake-sweet act. “Elliana, want me to pull some strings for you to secure a front-row seat?”
Elliana gave a faint smile. “No need to fuss over me. You might want to worry about how long you’ll be sitting pretty up there. Don’t be shocked if you end up not even…”
“Fit to sweep the floor here later.” Paige’s face froze, her comeback silenced as she walked off.
At 7 p.m. sharp, the Starry Oil Painting Competition finals kicked off.
After the opening remarks, the host ran through the rules and introduced the judges. Everything was locked in, and they started announcing the top ten finalists..
As president of the Calligraphers and Painters Association, Luciano held deep influence across the art world. With his access to insider information, it was no surprise that Paige had secured an early peek at the finalist list for the Starry Oil Painting Competition. Among the ten works selected for the final round, none came close to matching Paige’s submission. Victory wasn’t a matter of chance-it was already a quiet certainty.
Meanwhile, the host stood center stage, introducing each piece with practiced flair. A massive screen behind him showcased the artwork one by one, while assistants carefully brought the original canvases into the spotlight for the audience to view.
For nearly ten minutes, this rhythm continued. Lights dimmed across the audience, drawing every eye to the brilliance of the stage, while the host’s voice reverberated through the otherwise silent venue.
From her seat near the front, Paige sat with her chin lifted, basking in the anticipation. Her expression radiated pride. She could already envision the moment her name would be announced as the winner. After tonight, her life would change forever. She would rise as the newest darling of the art scene-endorsements lining up, invitations flooding in, fame chasing her like a shadow.
In the back rows, Kiara and Darin watched with equal excitement. Though their seats lacked prestige, that didn’t dampen their enthusiasm.
Kiara’s phone buzzed nonstop with messages-offers from fashion houses, cosmetics empires, and brands they never imagined would come calling. Everyone wanted Paige.
Kiara held her head high, beaming with satisfaction as her daughter had brought her such immense pride. The stain of the past scandal had vanished without a trace. She showed every message to Darin, her voice brimming with pride. “Darin, just look at how extraordinary Paige is. The future honor of the Jones family lies completely in her hands.”
A wide grin spread across Darin’s face. He nodded like a bobblehead. “She really is. Absolutely brilliant.”
Tilting her chin, Kiara allowed herself a hint of arrogance. “And she was raised by me. That kind of excellence doesn’t appear out of nowhere.”
With Merritt as a powerful ally and Paige shining so brightly, Kiara no longer felt the need to bow to Darin’s authority. For the first time in years, she subtly held herself above him.
Rather than argue, Darin welcomed the change. The past-the scandals, the disgrace-no longer held weight in the face of Paige’s rising fame and the profits it brought. He softened toward Kiara, more indulgent than before. “You’re right. You’ve brought honor to the Jones family.”
He moved closer to Kiara’s ear, his voice low and suggestive as he said, “Get ready for something special tonight.”
A spark lit up in Kiara’s eyes as a rosy flush crept across her cheeks. Since the incident, Darin had avoided her room altogether. But now, things seemed to be shifting in her favor once again.
Without hesitation, Kiara tapped her screen and sent the avalanche of brand offers straight to Paige. “Paige, you’ve got a flood of endorsements coming in. Any idea which one we should go with?”
Rather than accept them immediately, Paige messaged back confidently, saying, “Mom, there’s no need to rush. Once I walk away with the championship tonight, even bigger names will be lining up. These early offers won’t even matter.”
A proud grin tugged at Kiara’s lips. “Your vision is always ahead of the curve, Paige. Alright then, I’ll wait for your cue.”
Conversation ended, and Paige shifted her focus back to the stage. Seated to her left, Luciano kept smiling-his expression brimming with the same anticipation she felt.
Victory for Paige wouldn’t just be her moment. It would mark a substantial rise for Luciano. With Paige as Merritt’s goddaughter, he could leverage Merritt’s influence for more benefits in the future.
Together, the two of them-mentor and disciple-sat poised and composed under the spotlight of the art world, dreaming not of beauty, but of recognition, status, and wealth. The smugness they wore matched in both polish and pride.
But that confidence cracked the moment applause echoed across the auditorium, just as the final two artworks appeared on the massive screen. A shared look of alarm flickered between them. To their disbelief, the expected list had changed. Two of the previously settled top ten entries had been replaced by submissions they had seen earlier in the day during the live-stream broadcast. These artworks belonged to none other than Elliana and Hailee.
Shock rippled across Luciano’s face, contorting his features in disbelief. The artworks he had openly ridiculed before millions of viewers had advanced to the finals of the Starry Oil Painting Competition, leaving him deeply embarrassed.
A nervous jolt ran through Paige, her breath hitched. Elliana had humiliated her before, always at the worst possible moments. Now, that same dread crept back in, making her fingers tremble against her gown. “Mr. Scott, what is going on?” she whispered shakily, turning toward Luciano.
Luciano was just as flustered, though he managed to keep his calm facade. “Don’t worry. Even though they’ve reached the finals, they don’t have what it takes to challenge you for the championship. You’re still well ahead of them.”
Paige felt a bit more at ease after hearing Luciano’s words of reassurance. She turned to steal a glance at Elliana standing off in the corner, wishing she could call Elliana out right then and there. In her eyes, Elliana should be worthless!
At that moment, chaos broke out across both the live stream and the competition venue as Elliana’s and Hailee’s artworks made their appearance..
Online discussions erupted. “Didn’t Luciano call Elliana’s Lonely Sunset and Hailee’s Sunward Bloom complete failures? How did these two paintings end up in the Starry Competition finals? Don’t tell me they rigged the results?”
“My friend works in the art scene, and according to him, the Starry Oil Painting Competition’s judging is brutal. It’s a panel packed with seasoned pros-no way anyone can sneak in a subpar painting. Only the best of the best stand a chance.”
“Then that means Luciano knew those works had merit-and still tore them down in front of everyone during the live stream earlier!”
“He couldn’t handle Elliana challenging him or Hailee standing up for Elliana, so he twisted the truth and pushed them down. That kind of petty behavior doesn’t belong to someone who calls himself a master-or a leader in the Calligraphers and Painters Association!”
Though Luciano tried to soothe Paige with gentle words, he was falling apart inside. His nerves were stretched thin.
The news that Elliana’s and Hailee’s paintings had reached the finals struck Luciano like a blow to the ego. Fearing for his public image, he immediately pulled out his phone to monitor the live stream. With the stream flooded by criticism and the nearby chatter turning venomous, he could feel the sweat soaking through his shirt.
In that moment, he cursed his decision to join The Heiress Graduation Trip. He had accepted Merritt’s money to film the show, using his pull to help launch Paige’s career. While he did want to stay in Merritt’s good graces, what mattered more was building up his own name, not watching it take a hit. But now that he’d made such a fool of himself, how was he supposed to walk back into the art world? And what if this mess blew up into a scandal? What if he lost his spot as president of the Calligraphers and Painters Association? His entire legacy was hanging by a thread.
Hailey kept darting glances at the live stream chat, her stomach tightening with every new comment. As soon as the feed was overrun with doubts about Luciano, her nerves began to panic. Because of how tightly Paige’s name was now tied to Luciano, any damage to his image would reflect directly on her. If he went down, so would Paige’s credibility as a streaming mentor. Everything they’d built could turn into a running joke.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.