Chapter 108


    “Are you at the exhibition now?” Albert asked. “I wanted to call you, but I’ve been too busy these past


    few days that I forgot to tell you. Yeah, for some reasons, your painting has been taken down.”


    Carme’s mind buzzed, her face turned pale, and her voice trembled, “How could this happen? Wasn’t


    it all settled? We just checked it over yesterday, and now it’s gone?”


    Albert apologized, “I know, and I couldn’t do anything about it. I wish I had told you sooner.”


    Tears streamed down Carme’s face, and she choked out, “Is there any chance of reconsideration?”


    Albert gravely replied, “No, but don’t worry, you’re still young and there will be more opportunities in the


    future. Don’t take it too hard.” Carme sobbed uncontrobly. After Albertforted her a bit more,


    they hung up the phone.


    Seeing Carme’s reaction, Simone knew something was wrong. She pulled her aside and asked,


    “What happened?” Carme mustered her words through sobs, “Mr. Mullins said my painting has been


    removed!”


    “What?” Simone’s face changed dramatically, “Didn’t you say it was a sealed deal? How could it


    change at thest minute?”


    Carme said with a grievance, “Mr. Mullins told me my painting was selected, and I even saw it


    hanging in the exhibition yesterday. I don’t know why it was removed.”


    Simone’s expression became extremely unpleasant, and her voice became sharp, “I’m calling Albert


    now and asking him what the hell is going on.”


    Bet quickly grabbed her hand, “Calm down, how can you question Mr. Mullins? Do you want to ruin


    Carme’s future?”


    Simone shouted angrily, “So what do we do now? I invited so many people to see Carme’s painting,


    and now they tell us it has been removed. How am I going to exin this? What will they think of us?”


    Carme cried even harder.


    Bet’s expression was also not good, “Well, there’s no other way. We’ll just have toe up with an


    excuse to get by.”


    “How?” retorted Simone, visibly upset and overwhelmed by disappointment, panic, and anger. She


    couldn’t calm down.


    It was already embarrassing at the Copnd family‘ birthday partyst time. She thought that the art


    exhibition would help her regain some dignity, but this turned out to be even worse.


    “What happened?” Mrs. Reeves and others approached, looking shocked.


    Simone quickly put Carme behind her and forced a smile, “We just called Carme’s teacher, Mr.


    Albert. He said a staff member identally damaged Carme’s painting, and it’s under recovery. It’ll


    be disyed a couple of dayster. I’m sorry for making you alle for nothing.”


    The crowd exploded with chatter, someone snickered coldly, “In such a grand exhibition, how could


    professional staff make such a mistake? I bet Carme’s painting wasn’t even disyed at all!”


    FE S


    Simone snapped back, “If it wasn’t disyed, why would I invite you all here? Do you think we’re just


    putting on a show for no reason?”


    The woman scoffed, “Who knows?”


    Mrs. Reeves stepped in to smooth things over, “No worries, we didn’te for nothing. There are so


    many lovely paintings here–it’s still an eye–opening experience.”


    But the woman was relentless, “What a waste of time. I didn’t even want toe in the first ce, but


    someone had to show off. I only agreed toe out of courtesy! What a waste of time!”


    After that, she turned and walked out.


    N?velDrama.Org ? content.


    Simone trembled with rage, wanting to chase after her and p her in the face.


    Mrs. Reevesforted her, “Oh, don’t take it to heart. She’s always a straightforward person.”


    Yet, Simone could see from Mrs. Reeves‘ expression that she was also gloating secretly, making her


    feel even more suffocated.


    Carme’s two ssmates sensed the tense atmosphere and excused themselves, “Carme, we


    have something else to do, so we’ll leave now.”