Chapter 269 The Painting


    +15 BONUS


    “I''ll buy you this dress, Hope.” Maia smiled at Hope and gave her credit card to Ava.


    Ava looked at her boss uncertainly. Victoria nodded and she proceeded to process the payment. Maia and Hope got out of the


    gowns and headed to Victoria’s studio upstairs.


    Maia had to give it to Victoria. She was such a maniac when it came to designing gowns. Just about every tool a fashion


    designer needed was here, even the most unconventional ones.


    “Did you add more to your collection of tools, Victoria?” Hope stared at the marble table. There were design works all over it,


    including some of which she had never seen before.


    “Im an excellent fashion designer.” Victoria praised herself and continued excitedly, “Allow me to show you around! | have a


    mind to buy the ce next door and expand my studio!”


    She proceeded to show them around. “How is it? Nice, huh? Don’t you think it’s more amazingpared to thest time you


    were here, Hope?”


    “It''s certainly messier.‘


    >>


    “You''re itching for a beating, it seems. Hope!”


    “Do | look like I’m scared of you, Victoria? Furthermore, Maia’s here too. You should watch out. We could gang up on you!”


    Maia burst intoughter at the way they were joking with each other. Then, they walked across a long hallway. Maia stopped


    dead in her tracks when she saw one of the paintings.


    It depicted an elegantdy leaning on the fence and looking into the distance. The expressions on her face are intriguing.


    Maia stared at the painting for so long. The smile on her face vanished. Her brows furrowed, and her fists clenched tightly. She


    kept exerting pressure on her fingers and didn’t let up even if her polished nails dug into her flesh!


    It was her. Thedy in the painting was her!


    “What are you looking at, Maia? You seem to be lost in it!” Victoria looked at Maia in


    confusion. She followed her gaze and saw the painting on the wall. “Did this painting pique your interest?”


    Maia turned to look at her, visibly shaken, and asked, “Where did you get it, Victoria?”


    “A student in a school for, the deaf gave it to me.”


    “School for the deaf?”


    Victoria nodded and exined. “One of my high school friends teaches there. They frequently


    “| think it’s very meaningful. Furthermore, it was thest painting the student made before she graduated. It’s an intriguing


    painting. From what | heard, the student captured thedy’s essence and sketched it out within half an hour.


    “It isn’t every day youe across a work of art like this. So, | bought it and hung it in my studio.”


    Maia stared at the elegantdy in the painting. Her attire and her face, albeit slightly different from the real person, confirmed


    Maia’s suspicion!


    That was Rita!


    She wore the same attire when she pushed Maia down the stairs three years ago! Maia would never forget about it!


    It did not stop there. The scenery andyout in the painting bore an uncanny resemnce to the Larkin Manor! The average


    person might not be able to recognize it, but Maia would not mistake Rita for someone else. How could she?


    Maia has sought evidence of that incident for the longest time. Never in her wildest dreams would she think it would be in a


    painting!


    Rita was a meticulous person. There had not been a shred of evidence in the security footage from when she pushed Maia down


    the stairs.


    Maia thought there could not be any evidence left after a year from the incident. This painting, however, had singlehandedly


    renewed her conviction.


    4


    Excitement, rage, resentment... Maia was experiencing all of it at this moment. The hatred in her eyes was unmistakable.


    Maia turned around and gripped Victoria’s shoulders. “Can | have the painting, Victoria?”


    “Sure, you can.” Victoria nodded, “If you like it so much, it’s yours!” She moved to take the painting down and gave it to Maia.


    Maia took it and thanked Victoria, “Thank you, Victoria.” She had gotten more than she bargained for today!


    This painting was crucial. It meant that the student who made it was the only witness. He could prove that Rita was looking out


    the window when Maia was pushed down the stairs. The coldness and arrogance in her eyes were self-evident.


    The pain was still fresh to Maia.


    She closed her eyes in sorrow and tried hard topose herself. She did not want Hope and Victoria to see through her.


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    “Is there anything special about the painting?” Hope waspletely thrown. “Did something stir in your heart when you looked at


    it, Maia? You''re crying...” Hope handed her a tissue.


    Maia took it and wiped her tears. She nodded. Hope was startled. She was more puzzled now. “I don’t think | could appreciate


    art, then. Why didn’t | feel anything when | looked at it?”


    Victoria looked at her and burst intoughter.


    It was alreadyte evening when they left the boutique. Victoria escorted them out and watched as they got in the car.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    “I''ll ask Ava to make sure everything is okay with the gowns. She''ll pack them up and send them to Starlight Entertainment.”


    Then, she waved at them. Maia and Hope nodded and waved back.


    As they left, Victoria stood for a long time in front of her boutique. She made sure they were gone before she went back into her


    boutique and made a phone call.


    Cedric was on the other end of the phone, “Is it done?”


    Victoria answered, “It’s done, Cedric. Maia took the painting.”


    “Good.”


    He had searched for the clues for many years. It had always been his n to covertly give the evidence to her. It did not matter


    what she intended to do, he would give her his full support.


    “Speaking of which, Maia bought two gowns in my boutique today. You love her deeply and you''re loaded too. Do you want to


    pay for her?”