Chapter 4

Cherry POV

Half an hour later, outside the airport VIP passage.

Wearing a hat and mask, I stood behind a pillar.

Not far away, Ethan was holding a black umbrella, carefully sheltering a woman in a white trench coat with a delicate demeanor.

The woman seemed cold. Ethan immediately took off his own coat and draped it over her shoulders, then naturally tucked her cold hands into his embrace.

"Vivian, welcome home." His eyes were so tender they could drip water.

Vivian leaned into his embrace, acting coquettish. "Ethan, how are the preparations for my exhibition going? My hand shakes even holding utensils now. If the exhibition fails, I'll never be able to show my face in the art world again."

"Don't worry." Ethan lowered his head to kiss her hair, his tone firm and cruel. "All thirty paintings are ready. Every single one is top quality. They'll definitely restore you to your peak."

"That ghostwriter Cherry... she won't cause trouble, will she?"

"Her?" Ethan's lips curved with contempt. "Just an orphan who's never seen the world. Give her a few scraps and she'd gladly give me her life. After the exhibition ends, I'll find some random excuse to get rid of her."

Behind the pillar, I held up my phone, recording every moment of this scene completely.

My heart had gone numb from the pain.

So in his eyes, I wasn't even human. Just a piece of trash to be thrown away after use.

I put away my phone and turned to walk into the rain.

Ethan, you want to use my blood to nourish your first love?

Dream on.

Over the next three days, I seemed like a different person.

I no longer resisted painting. Instead, I locked myself in the studio like a madwoman, working day and night.

Ethan was very satisfied with my condition. He thought his trip to the airport hadn't been exposed, that I was still the fool he had firmly in the palm of his hand.

To placate me, he even canceled several important engagements and came home on time every day to cook for me, playing the role of perfect boyfriend.

"Cherry, eat first. There's no rush with the painting."

Ethan set a plate of cut steak on the table and hugged me from behind, intimately nuzzling my cheek.

I didn't turn around. The brush in my hand flew rapidly across the canvas, adding the final brilliant touches of color.

"It's finished."

I set down the brush and turned around, looking at Ethan with calm eyes.

Ethan's gaze moved past me to the canvas. It was a brand new "Sunflowers," even more vivid and stunning than the one that had been destroyed, as if one could feel the sunflowers' life force burning under the scorching sun.

"It's perfect..." Ethan murmured, his eyes gleaming with fervent light.

He must be thinking to himself. With this painting, Vivian's exhibition would definitely cause a sensation!

He excitedly embraced me and kissed me hard. "Cherry, you're a genius! Don't worry, after the exhibition ends, I'll definitely make it up to you. What do you want? Designer bags? A sports car? Or... should we get married?"

Get married?

I laughed bitterly to myself.

A marriage bought with my thirty paintings. The thought disgusted me.

"I don't want anything." I pushed him away and walked to the sink, methodically washing my hands. "I'm tired. I want to rest for a few days. I'll leave the exhibition matters to you."

"Of course. You rest well. I'll handle everything else."

Ethan couldn't wait to call a moving company and have all thirty packaged paintings from the studio transported away.

Looking at the empty studio, my lips curved into an icy arc.

Five days until Crete's private jet arrived.

Three days until Vivian's exhibition.

The show was just beginning.