Chapter 46 It Was For Her Sake
Lucian frowned, “Choose the right occasion to make a scene. Today’s dinner isn’t suitable for your antics. Both my mother and the Northwood family can’t afford to be embarrassed.”
Calista chuckled in exasperation. “Are you concerned about Mom and the Northwood family, or are you worried about Lily? If I leave, everyone will say I’m guilty. By tomorrow, everyone will know that I …”
She paused momentarily before continuing, “Claude’s skills aren’t up to par. They’d say that her works are flawed and she’s a fraud!”
For some reason, she didn’t want Lucian to know she was Claude. And he didn’t need to know either.
“So, what do you want? You want to fix that painting? Do you think you, a janitor, learned the skills just by watching for a few days?”
Lucian was unfamiliar with the conservator industry. He hadn’t heard of Claude. He’d assumed she was just another employee of Justa Workshop.
To him, Calista was a janitor at the antique restoration studio. This was reported to him after a thorough investigation by David. His capabilities were unquestionable. It was impossible he would make a mistake with such small manners.
Lucian sighed. “Calista, how will you restore it? By using a broom?”
He wasn’t looking down on her. However, different professionals had their respective areas of expertise. Not everything could be learned through observation.
Who else would he be doing this for?
He was using the excuse of asking her to leave so she wouldn’t create a mess and embarrass
herself. Nobody would say much about the Northwood family, but it would be a different story for
Calista.
Although they had obtained their marriage certificate, they hadn’t held a wedding yet. They had
only announced their relationship today. The media would drag her through the mud if she were
to ruin a famous painting.
“Don’t you have better things to do than worry about how I will restore it? You might as well worry
1/4
+15 BONUS
humiliated later.”
Lucian frowned. He tried to be rational with her, but she kept bringing Lily up.
“Don’t bring her up. It’s Claude’s responsibility if the painting isn’t restored well. You don’t need to bear the burden of her mistakes.”
Calista clicked her tongue. She couldn’t believe Lucian would blindly believe what Lily had said.
Looking at Calista’s fierce gaze, Lucian softened his tone. “Be reasonable. I’m doing this for your sake.”
Calista sneered and retorted, “Are you hearing yourself?”
“Madam Calista, I’ve prepared everything you requested,” Macy said from downstairs, interrupting their argument.
Calista ignored Lucian and responded, “Alright. Thank you, Macy.”
In the living room, the painting was laid out on a table, with the items Calista had requested placed beside it.
Others were also concerned with what was happening and gathered to watch the spectacle.
The painting was only damaged slightly at the lower right corner. Calista was confident she could fix it in a short time.
The music in the living room stopped, leaving only the hushed whispers of the onlookers.
Lucian stood on the outskirts of the crowd. His gaze was fixed on Calista, who was concentrating on restoring the painting.
It was the first time he had seen her so focused on her work. Back in the Northwood Corporation, despite being titled an assistant, her tasks were mostly menial. It did not require much thought,
and her responsibilities were minimal.
Most of the time, he would see her idly sitting at her desk, lost in thought. But now, she was
entirely different.
“Who do you think is lying, Calista or Ms. Scott?” a familiar voice came beside him. Lucian glanced
at Paul. He was late. When Lucian hadn’t seen him earlier, he thought Paul might not come.
Lucian frowned. He didn’t take the glass of wine that Paul offered. Instead, he asked, “Calista?
2/4
+15 BONUS
Paul sensed a hint of displeasure in his words.
He chuckled, “I’ve always called her that.”
“But you address Lily as Ms. Scott.”
Paul paused momentarily and continued, “Ms. Scott and I are not close.” ↑
He had known Calista for several years, back when she had taken an interest in him. During that time, they crossed paths frequently. Gradually, they became somewhat acquainted.
As for Lily, Paul might never have encountered a dancer in his life if it weren’t for Lucian. Paul didn’t particularly enjoy watching dance performances.
Lucian’s mood didn’t lighten because of this. He didn’t say anything further. His gaze was still fixed on Calista.
After some time, the restoration work finally came to an end.
Calista picked up the painting and handed it to Selena. “Mom, take a look. Doesn’t it look the same as before?”
The painting belonged to Henry’s father. Selena took a glance. She couldn’t discern any differences. But if Calista said it looked the same, then it must be.
“It is the same. Calista is truly amazing. She can even handle something as complex as this. Not like some others, who are useless and only full of ill intentions.”
Lily felt a strong sense of disdain directed toward her. She suspected that Calista had cast a spell
on Selena!
Calista turned her to Lily. “Ms. Scott, even a mere apprentice like me could repair these
blemishes. Do you really believe that a prestigious conservator like my teacher, who is well-
known in the industry, can’t fix it?
“You picked out such an obvious flaw. This painting has just been restored and needs to be well-
maintained for a while. I’ve provided you with the storage guidelines.
“Instead of blaming others when something goes wrong, you should consider whether you have
done the post–restoration work properly.”
As she said these words, everyone’s attention turned to Lily, anticipating her response.
3/4
+15 BONUS
Even someone like Lily, who was used to performing, felt a sudden unease. She instinctively turned her head to Lucian, hoping he would step in and say a few words.
However, a pang of discomfort coursed through her heart upon seeing his gaze on Calista. She was immediately filled with bitterness.
She couldn’t lose her composure even if put in a difficult situation. She forced herself to remain calm. “I apologize. I mentioned earlier that Claude might not necessarily be at fault.
“I am wrong for making a hasty assumption without proper investigation. I apologize. I’m also willing to compensate for any damage to Claude’s reputation due to my words. I’ll come over with a generous gift to offer my apologies in person someday.”
On any other day, the farce would have ended there. After all, it wouldn’t be pleasant to cause a scene at Selena’s birthday. Lily hadn’t anticipated that Calista had no intention of giving her an
easy way out.
Calista laughed and said, “So if Claude isn’t at fault, I am? After all, aside from Claude, only you and I have been in contact with this painting.”
In an instant, a shiver ran down Lily’s spine.
Calista continued, “I have evidence to prove that the mistake didn’t occur during my part of the
process.‘
