Chapter 33
Samuel shot Ryan a sideways glance without saying a word, then turned back to the unfinished portrait of the girl and picked up his paintbrush.
At that moment, Samuel's eyes were filled with tenderness and focus.
He gently outlined the girl's eyes with the brush, each stroke infused with deep affection.
Her face appeared vividly in his mind-her smile, her gaze, and every detail.
Meanwhile, Ryan stood quietly by, watching Samuel at work, and couldn't help but sigh.
He had never seen Samuel so absorbed in painting a picture.
As time passed, Samuel finally completed the outline of the girl's eyes.
He put down the brush, took a few steps back, and carefully examined his work.
The eyes seemed to come alive, clear and captivating like a bright autumn stream, as if they could see right through one's soul.
At that time, Ryan stepped forward, patted Samuel on the shoulder, and said, "This painting will definitely be your masterpiece."
"I will only give this painting to its owner. There's no way I'm letting you sell it," Samuel said indifferently as he put the brush back into the box.
"Fine, don't sell it then," Ryan shrugged and responded. "But why don't you just tell her you're Joshua? Why go through all this trouble, making her come over every week to paint with you?"
"Pursuing a girl is a gradual process. I have to slowly become a part of her life, let her get used to my presence, and then make her fall in love with me," Samuel said.
"I didn't know you thought like that. I have to hand it to you; you're truly impressive," Ryan said with exaggerated pretension.
Hearing this, Samuel rolled his eyes at Ryan and just ignored him.
"But as far as I know, this Victoria has a close relationship with William Scott. Aren't you afraid of hitting a snag?" Ryan couldn't help but remind Samuel.
Samuel shook his head with a smile and replied, "The Scott family is not a concern, and as for William, he's a fool who can't even understand his own feelings. He poses no threat to me."
"I see!" Ryan dragged out his words, winking at Samuel with a subtle smile. "It seems you have everything under control. Then I wish you success in winning the beauty's heart soon!"
With that, Samuel glanced at Ryan disdainfully and walked upstairs.
Meanwhile, Victoria excitedly showed the photo to Diana.
Diana looked at it several times, confirming it was indeed Joshua's work, and said with rare astonishment, "Are you saying Mr. Thomas is willing to sell us these two paintings and that, as long as you help him one day a week, he will sell us one painting each month?"
Victoria nodded affirmatively, excitedly saying, "Yes, Mr. Thomas promised it!"
She didn't expect it to go so smoothly. She thought tonight would be a wasted trip, but things took a turn for the better.
Not only could she learn painting from Joshua, but she could also help Starry Studio Gallery acquire sought-after works. It was a win-win situation!
Hearing this, Diana also smiled with satisfaction, patted Victoria on the shoulder, and praised, "Well done. No wonder Elara highly recommended you. Next, as long as you pass the final test, you are almost guaranteed to stay."
"Can I ask what the final test is?" Victoria asked nervously.
Diana looked at her with a mysterious smile and said, "It's a secret. You'll find out once you pass the test."
"Alright," Victoria nodded reluctantly, silently praying that the test wouldn't be too difficult.
Three days later, Victoria learned that Wendy had passed the final test with high marks.
Wendy had independently and excellently planned and set up an art exhibition, earning unanimous praise from the entire management and training team at Starry Studio Gallery.
While Victoria was happy for Wendy, it also meant the competition pressure increased. Victoria and the other three were all determined to complete their assigned tasks.
Victoria thought her final test would be similar to Wendy's, like organizing an exhibition or an event.
But boy, was she wrong.
While she was adjusting the positions of paintings at Starry Studio Gallery, a man stormed in with a painting, looking furious. His brows were furrowed, and his eyes were blazing with anger.
The moment he entered the gallery, he shouted, "What kind of lousy gallery is this? The painting I bought last time has a problem."
His voice echoed through the spacious gallery, drawing the attention of other customers.
Seeing this, Victoria hurried over and said gently, "Sir, please don't be angry. What's the problem?"
But the man wasn't having it. He pointed forcefully at the painting in his hand, his voice even louder. "I hung this painting at home for a few days, and it started to fade. Now the painting is mottled and ruined. You guys are ripping people off!"
He slammed the painting onto a nearby display stand. It was indeed from Starry Studio Gallery.
And as he said, several areas had faded, revealing the underlying canvas, which looked particularly abrupt and ugly.
Victoria was just as shocked. She quickly tried to calm him down again, "Sir, please calm down. We apologize for this situation, but rest assured, we will handle it properly and provide you with a satisfactory resolution."
The man, however, was still relentless, demanding, "A satisfactory resolution? Your gallery sells fake and inferior paintings. You must compensate me ten times the loss, or this won't end!"
Victoria's face changed slightly when she heard this. She took a deep breath and tried to maintain a calm tone. "I understand your feelings. Let's wait for the appraisal results, shall we?" she said.
Still angry, the man said, "Then hurry up. I don't have time to waste with you."
Victoria immediately responded, "Sir, please provide the location where the painting was hung. I will arrange for our appraisers to check it right away. In the meantime, please rest in our gallery's VIP lounge. I'll have some refreshments and drinks prepared for you."
Although the man was still visibly angry, he gave his address and followed Victoria to the seating area.
In less than an hour, the appraisers returned and re-examined the painting, then informed Victoria of the results.
After learning the results, Victoria didn't immediately inform the man. Instead, she first contacted Starry Studio Gallery's art advisory team and discussed a more comprehensive solution.
Then, she took a notebook with detailed records to the lounge and patiently explained to the man, "Sir, our appraisers have determined the cause of the problem. The paint isn't fading because of poor quality; it's the high ozone concentration from your laser printer that's causing it. We deeply apologize for this."
The man, half-believing, said, "Really? You're not trying to pull one over on me, are you?"
Hearing this, Victoria solemnly said, "We wouldn't dare deceive you. If you don't believe us, you can have it tested yourself. High ozone concentration not only damages the painting but also poses a significant long-term health risk to you."
The man was silent for a long time, still somewhat unwilling. "But I bought this painting at a high price. Even if my printer is the issue, don't you bear any responsibility?" he said.
Victoria smiled and replied, "Of course, we do. We'll not only repair the painting for free but also let you choose another piece from our gallery's collection as compensation. How does that sound?"
When he heard Victoria's offer, the man's expression softened, but he soon resumed his tough demeanor, saying, "No, I can't just let it go. You have to repair the painting, but you also need to compensate me. After all, I bought it from your gallery, so you are responsible."