Annarecoiledfrommeinfear,herexpressionfilledwithdread,asifIwereaghosthauntingher.
Asinglesentencefrommesentherspiralingintonervustherights,leavingher visiblyuneasy.
Afteramoment,she managedtofindhervoiceandstammered,M.Gardner,whatkindofprankisthis?WhywouldIquitthecompetition? Shepurposelyspokelouder,hertonecalculatedtodrawthecrowdsattention,andinaninstant,alleyesturnedmyway.
ItfeltlikeIwasbeingaccusedofusingunderhandedtacticstomakeherdropoutofthecompetition.
Annassupportersbeganhurlinginsultsatme,theirloudjeersthrowingthesceneintochaos.
Thehostandsecurityguardsworkedtocalmthecrowd,whileAnna shotme amockingglanceasiftosayshewasofofmyleague.
Thiswasherusualstrategy,stirringupemotionstoturnthemintoaweaponagainstme.
EenKateintheaudienceremarked,Lookather,noskillofherown,sosheresortstoshadytrickstogetahead.Howcouldsomeonelikethatbetrulytalented? Meanwhile,Fionacasuallyadmiredherfreshlymanicurednails.ShehadlittleaffectionforAnna,caringonlyaboutwhetherAnnacoulddeliverthebenefitsshesought.
IbelieveinAnna.Ivealreadypreparedallthepromotionalmaterialsforher.
Relax,mydaughterisamazing.Justlookatallthesefansheretosupporther.
Thecrowdwasbuzzingwithanticipation,eagerlyawaitingtheshow.Littledidtheyknow,thistime ,victorywasalreadyinmyhands, Annasskillsarefarbeneathmine,leavingherwithonlyonestrategytosucceed.
Theresnohidingaverageartworkunderthespotlight.Heronlyoptionistoendlesslyreplicatemypieces.beforethecompetition,hopingtomatchthemstrokeforstroke.
Shemusthavestudiedmyartworkthoroughlyinsecret,whichexplainsherboldnessinsteppingontothe stage Asthecompetitiondrewnear,Istoppedtotiemyshoelaceswhilepassingher.
Risingtomyfeet.Ileanedclosetoherearandmurmuredlikeashadow,Anna,Chloehashereyesonyou? Startled,Anna,whohadbeencleaningherbrushes,frozeand accidentallytippedoverherwaterbucket.Herwideeyeddisbelieffollowedme,butIdidntspareheraglanceasIwalkedawaywithouthesitation.
Justtakeamomenttoreflect.Afterall,yourguiltyconscienceisyourowndoing.
Isatbeforemydrawingboard,absentmindedlyspinningapenbetweenmyfingers,imagining the eturmoil 1/4 Chapter172StunningtheAudience Annamustbeenduring.
Sheslikelywrackingherbrain,wonderingifIveuncoveredhersecretanddebatingwhethertousemy artwork.
Ifshedoesnt,shecantcompetewithmeusingherowndesignsorcolorchoices,theydontstandachance.ButifshedarestousemypaintingsandthetruthcomesoutthatChloecreatedthem,herreputationwillbeinshambles.
No,Chloeisdead,andnooneknowsthosepaintingswerehe Thedeadremainsilent! Iguessedthatsherthoughtsnow.Ibelieveshelltake thegambleandusemyartwork.
SheunderstandswhoIwas,justasIunderstandwhosheisnow.EverythingisunfoldingexactlyasIpredicted.
Butrightnow,IcantwastemyenergyonAnna.Thiscompetitionisaboutreclaimingmyname! Thistime,thecontestisunusual becausetheresnospecifictheme,allowingeachartisttoshowcasetheirfinestpaintingskills..
Howdoesthiscomparetoanopenbooktest? Maybetheorganizershopetoinspiretheartiststoproducemorecaptivatingpiecesfortheupcoming auction.
Iwasntconfinedbythepast.Anewscenehadalreadyformedinmymind .
Thebrushmovedgracefullyacross thepaper,withthecameraoccasionallyfocusingincloser.
IwassoabsorbedinmyworkthatIdidntnoticethebuzzhappeningbelow.
Thecamerafrequentlyzoomedinonme,almostasifthedirectorwasaddressingtheaudiencescuriosity.aboutwhetherIcouldreally paint .
Atfirst,allpeoplesawwasmyroughstyle,andmanybegantocriticizeme.
Whatkindofrubbishisthis?Evenmygrandmacoulddoabetterjob.
Shemusthavehiredsomeonetodothepaintingforher.Hertruenatureisclearassoonasshesonstage.
Monicacoveredhermouthandgiggled.Iknewshewouldntmakeit.Herstyleisworsethanjustthrowingpaintonthecanvas.LookatourSadie,sograceful.
Philippascoffed,Shutup.Ifyouresogreat,whyarentyouthejudge? Billlookedsternandremarked,Enougharguing;letskeepwatching.
Katejoinedinwithasmile,IfMs.Gardnerspaintingskillswereevenhalfasgoodas herwords,thatwouldbesomething.HowcouldsheevercompetewithAnnaatthis level? Butslowly,thelaughterfaded.The chaoticstrokesbegantoformsomethingmeaningful.

Follow new episodes on the CrushnovelS.Com

2/4 Chapter172StunningtheAudience Someoneintheaudiencewhounderstoodartstoodupandapplauded,IncredibleThisisntordinarythisispuregenius Unbelievable,itlookedlikeamessbefore,butnowitbecomesomethingextraordinary! Shedoesntevenneedtosketchfirst.Thisisclearlytheworkofamaster.
Onlytrueartloverscanappreciatethis,muchlikeplayinganimprovisedsongandturningitintoahit.
Asthefinaldetailswereadded,morepeoplestoodup,theireyesgluedtothescreen,eagertoseemypaintingcometolife.
ThepieceIenteredinthecompetitionistitledNewLife,whilethisoneiscalledTwinSouls.
Lifeanddeath,lightanddarkness, shattered andreformed.
Ononeside,blackwaterliliesdescendintohelldark,decaying,slowlysinkingintothemurkydepths.
Ifyoulookclosely,thewaterliliesseemtomirrorawomanindespair.
Butontheotherside,vibrantcolorsemerge.Someinterpretitasahandreachingoutto pulltheblackwaterlilies,whileothersseeitasangelicwingsgentlycaressingit.
Eachpersonhastheirowninterpretation.
Whatsclearisthatthissidesymbolizeshealing,redemption,andbreakingfreefromdarkness.
Itsincredible!Thisisatruemasterpiece! Iseeredemption,whatdoyousee? Itshope.
Itssinking! Itsthewingsofanangel! AsImademylaststroke,theentirehalleruptedinexcitement.
Livepaintingbroadcastsarerare, anditfeltasthougheveryonehadjustexperiencedapowerfulsongorwatchedamoving story.Theemotionswereintenseatfirst,butsoon,theysettled.
Iwasthefirsttocompletemypainting,sparkingexcitementthroughouttheentireroom.
Annaappearedslightlyuneasy,noticingthebuzzofexcitementfromthecrowd.
OnceIcompletedmyartwork,Iwouldbeabletojointheothersinadmiringtheircreations.
Withoutadoubt,Annapaintedoneofmymostmemorableartworks.
Fortunately,Ihadpreparedwellthistime,andonceagain,shewalkedrightintomytrap! Thoughsheseemedunsettled,thisparticularpaintinghadbeenreproducedcountlesstimesinprivate,makingitalmostflawless.
3/4 Chapter172StunningtheAudience #10FreeCoins Sadiewatchedaseveryonearoundherwrappeduptheirpaintings,whichmadeherfeelanxiousandthustered.Inherrush,shefailedtocleanherbrushproperly,leavinganunfortunatestreakofgrayblack onhercanvas.
Thiscausedquietwhispersamongtheonlookers.
Atfirst,sheonlyneededtolayeronmorecolor,butthehardershehurried,themoreshetriedtohideit.causingittomergewiththeblack andleavingthewholepiecelookinglifelessanddull.
Billfeltaheadachecomingonashewatched,whileMonicaceasedteasinghimandexplained,Shes justaliuleanxious.
Billremarked,Atleastitsfortunatethespotlightisntonher forthefinalpiece.
Meanwhile,Philippawasfilledwithexcite