Chapter 5

Julia stared at the USB drive, and her sweet facade finally shattered.

Ryan suddenly rushed over. "Ms. King, you can't expose that today."

Grace snapped, "Get lost. Who paid for your mom's surgery back then? Seriously, did you forget?"

Ryan's face flushed. "I didn't forget, but if this blows up, the gallery's toast."

I looked at him. "You only cared whether the gallery would collapse. What about me?"

He was speechless.

Edward stared at the USB drive. "Grace, hand it over. Name your price."

Grace's smile turned colder. "You sold your conscience, but don't think everyone else is for sale at the same price."

Julia suddenly doubled over, clutching her stomach. "Edward, it hurts."

Edward spun around to her.

Grace tried to step forward, but I held her back.

Julia leaned into Edward's arms, crying, "Ms. Lane, are you really trying to push me and my baby over the edge?"

I stared at her. "If you're really pregnant, the person you should be afraid of is yourself."

Julia lifted her eyes to meet mine.

I said, "You downed two glasses of champagne."

The tray in a nearby waiter's hands wobbled.

Samuel's gaze shifted to Julia's glass.

Julia's face went pale. "That was juice."

The waiter stammered, "M-Ms. West, you were holding champagne. I-I tried to tell you."

Julia shrieked, "You're lying."

For the first time, no one in the gallery was speaking up for her.

Edward loosened his hold on her.

Julia grabbed his arm at once. "Edward, you have to believe me."

Edward looked at me, his voice low and hoarse. "Evelyn, put the USB drive away. I'll give you an explanation."

I asked, "What kind of explanation?"

He paused for a moment. "After the exhibition, I'll go home with you."

Grace let out a furious laugh. "So now, going home with your wife is some kind of reward? Edward, you really have no shame."

Edward ignored her, his eyes locked on me. "This is the last time."

I looked away. "Fine."

A flicker of triumph flashed in Julia's eyes.

I told Grace, "Keep the USB for now."

Grace was freaking out. "Evelyn, you can't do this."

I looked at Homeward hanging on the wall.

"I want to hear it from him," I said.

Edward thought I was backing down.

He didn't realize that some words, once spoken, could never be taken back.

The exhibition continued.

I stood in the corner, like an unwanted shadow.

Julia switched to a cup of water, still holding onto Edward's arm, basking in everyone's blessings.

Grace was right beside me, ranting herself hoarse. "You should've dropped that USB and blown up those shameless bastards."

I said, "If I show it now, they'll say I'm acting out of jealousy."

"They're already saying that."

"I'm waiting for a signature."

Grace froze. "What signature?"

I didn't answer.

Edward's paintings were selling like hotcakes.

One after another, a red dot appeared beside them.

The host was grinning from ear to ear. "Mr. Stone, your work is a hit today. Homeward already has three interested buyers."

Julia shot me a look and deliberately raised her voice. "Homeward is Edward's most important piece. He said he painted it as a gift to his family."

I asked, "Do you know why it's called Homeward?"

She smiled smugly. "Of course. Because now Edward finally has our baby and me."

I said, "You're wrong."

All eyes were on me again.

Edward hurried over. "Evelyn."

I stared at the painting. "This painting was originally called The Empty House. It shows a woman waiting for someone who never comes back."

Julia sneered, "Wow, you really know how to spin a story."

I turned to Edward. "Edward, am I making this up?"

Edward's hand tightened around his wine glass.

Samuel suddenly spoke up, "Edward, the way of handling the window shadow in the bottom left corner of this painting is not like your usual style."

Edward's expression shifted.

Julia jumped in with a smile. "Mr. Quinn, Edward's been switching up his style a lot these past few years."

Samuel didn't look at her. He turned to me. "You said it was originally called The Empty House. Have you seen the original draft?"

I said, "Yes."

"Can you draw it?" Samuel asked.

Edward said at once, "Mr. Quinn, she's merely a restorer. This isn't her thing."

Samuel tapped his cane on the floor. "I'm asking her, not you."

Julia's composure was slipping. "This is Edward's exhibition, not a place for her to put on a show."

Grace shot back, "If it's really his painting, what's there to be afraid of?"

The crowd was getting fired up.

"Come on, draw it. It's not like it'll kill you."

"Though she's a restorer, it doesn't mean she can actually draw it."

"Can't draw it? Then she owes Mrs. Stone an apology."

Edward stared at me, his eyes full of warning.

I walked over to a blank sheet of paper and picked up a charcoal pencil.

It was the sketch I did seven years ago. I could draw it with my eyes closed.

With the first stroke, Samuel's back slowly straightened.

With the second, the lady beside him went completely silent.

With the third, Edward's face turned thunderous.

I didn't finish the drawing.

I only sketched the chipped vase by the window.

In Homeward, Edward swapped out the vase for a fancy celadon one, but in the original sketch, it was my mom's old pottery vase, the one with a chunk missing from the rim.

Samuel walked over and stared at it for a long time. "This vase wasn't in the original painting."

I replied, "It was swapped out."

Samuel turned to Edward. "Care to explain?"

Edward's throat was dry. "There was a lot of creative exchange during the process. Evelyn gave me some input back then."

"Input?" Grace cut in, "You took Evelyn's entire draft and entered it in the exhibition, and you're calling that 'input'?"

Julia shrieked, "So you two are teaming up to smear Edward? Is this amusing?"

Samuel's face darkened. "Hold on, Ms. West. Don't rush."

Julia was left speechless.

Ryan suddenly squeezed through the crowd. "Mr. Quinn, I can testify. Evelyn did help Mr. Stone revise the painting back then, but he was the main artist."

Grace snapped, "Ryan, do you really have the guts to speak up right now?"

Ryan couldn't look at me.

I asked, "You're really going to testify?"

He muttered, "Evelyn, I'm sorry."

Julia let out a sigh of relief. She lifted her chin. "You heard that, right? Even the gallery assistant can testify for Edward. Ms. Lane, stop stirring things up."

I looked at Ryan. "How's your mom doing these days?"

His face went pale.

I said, "The day she was discharged from the hospital, you bowed and told me you'd never forget what I did for you."

Ryan's lips trembled. "I'll pay you back someday."

Grace snapped, "You think you're paying back money? You owe her a life."

Edward said, "Enough."

He turned to Samuel. "Sorry you had to see all this, Mr. Quinn. Evelyn's having a rough day. I'll get someone to take her home."

Samuel didn't say anything right away.

Julia seized the moment and latched onto Samuel's arm. "Mr. Quinn, Edward poured his heart and soul into this show for so long. No one knows his talent better than you do.

"Please, don't let a few words from an outsider mess up such a wonderful day for him."

Samuel pulled his arm away. "I know the paintings, not him."

Julia's face froze.

Edward's phone rang. He glanced at the screen and stepped aside to answer.

I heard him say, "Mom, why are you here?"

There was a commotion at the entrance.

Edward's mother, Amelia Stone, walked in, wearing a deep purple gown, with her husband, Charles Stone, following her.

The moment she spotted me, her face filled with annoyance. "Evelyn, are you here to embarrass yourself again?"

I thought I was numb to it by now.

But hearing her say that, it still felt like a rusty needle piercing my chest.