Chapter 4

Nora's POV

The hospital room fell silent for a few seconds.

Arthur's mother was the first to break the silence.

"What are you talking about? You're really going to take things this far over a bracelet?"

Chloe immediately lowered her head, her eyes turning red.

"This is all my fault. If I hadn't gotten hurt, Arthur wouldn't have had to leave the wedding today."

The more she said things like that, the more Arthur felt I was deliberately making things difficult for her.

"Enough, Nora. You've embarrassed yourself enough for one day."

He stood up, his expression turning cold.

"If you want to cancel the wedding, fine. But don't think you can force me to apologize by pulling a stunt like this. Once you've calmed down, you'll realize you're the one who was wrong."

I didn't bother listening to the rest.

When I walked out of the hospital, the night wind hit my face.

I stood by the roadside for a moment before taking off my engagement ring and throwing it into a trash can along with the food that had long since gone cold.

My phone suddenly rang.

It was the contractor in charge of renovating our new house.

"Ms. Bennett, should we still install the walnut-colored hardwood flooring in the master bedroom as originally planned? Once you confirm, we'll get started."

"Put the entire project on hold. There's no need to continue renovating the house."

The contractor clearly hadn't expected that answer.

I hung up and kept walking.

I'd handled everything about that house myself, from choosing the location to designing the interiors.

Arthur had never shown any real interest in the renovation.

The only time he'd visited the property was after Chloe forgot to turn off the bathroom faucet, flooding the newly installed floors.

I'd been furious.

Arthur had simply said, "She didn't do it on purpose. Can't we just replace the flooring?"

I'd once thought I was building a home.

Now I realized it had all been an illusion I'd created on my own.

Before I could even leave the neighborhood, one of my colleagues from the studio called.

"Can you get here right now? There's a problem with the art exhibition!"

By the time I reached the gallery, it was almost midnight.

The staff were busy rearranging the exhibition labels.

I looked at the wall and froze.

Every painting that belonged to me now had Chloe's name beneath it.

Even the exhibition brochures had been reprinted.

My solo exhibition was supposed to open tomorrow.

I stood in the middle of the gallery, hardly able to believe what I was seeing.

"Who authorized this?"

The gallery manager looked uncomfortable.

"Sterling Group is the main sponsor of this exhibition. Mr. Sterling personally called us. He wants Chloe to use this opportunity to establish herself in the art world."

Before I could ask anything else, I heard familiar footsteps behind me.

Arthur and Chloe walked into the gallery one after the other.

"Good, you're here," Arthur said, glancing at the paintings on the wall. "Everything has already been arranged. There's no need to discuss it."

I turned to face him.

"These paintings were all done by my own hands. What gives you the right to replace my name with hers?"

Arthur didn't look the slightest bit guilty.

"You're about to marry into the Sterling family. You don't need to waste your time on things like this anymore. Chloe needs an opportunity. I'm simply letting her use your exhibition to gain some experience."

"Use my name?"

"It's only temporary."

I let out a bitter laugh.

Years ago, when Arthur bought this gallery for me, he'd promised during the opening ceremony that he would help me become one of the most respected portrait artists in New York.

Now he was handing my work to another woman as though it meant nothing.

Chloe stepped closer to him and spoke softly.

"Arthur, please don't argue with Nora because of me. I can withdraw if she wants. Really."

Arthur immediately softened his voice.

"You don't have to give anything up. You deserve this opportunity."

I watched them standing together and suddenly couldn't find the energy to argue anymore.

At the very center of the gallery hung a portrait.

It was based on the last photograph my mother had left behind. It was also the only portrait of her I'd ever painted.

I walked over and took it off the wall.

"You can do whatever you want with everything else. But I'm taking this painting."

Arthur merely waved his hand.

"Fine. Whenever you stop throwing tantrums, I'll arrange a proper exhibition just for you."

He had no idea that I'd already accepted a collaboration offer from a gallery in Europe.

This time, I wasn't going to wait for his permission.