Chapter 69 My Work Is Worth Millions
Camila locked at him, her gaze devoid of emotion, as still as dead water
After a moment, she slowly lowered her legs and turned to face the man. Her voice was hoarse, like it had been scraped by sandpaper “Since you don’t want to interfere with my fate, why do you even care?”
Giovani took a drag of his cigarette, exhaling a thin stream of smoke that curled and dissipated into the air. His eyes, piercing through the mist, landed on Camila.
“Life is like a play,” Giovani said. “Sometimes, adding just one more spectator changes the entire plot. I want to see how this story unfolds if you survive today”
Camila froze. The man before her had maintained the same indifferent expression from beginning to end–so indifferent it bordered on apathy.
Life and death meant nothing to him.
Yet, despite his cold demeanor, those seemingly casual words still managed to stir something in her heart.
If given the chance to live, who would willingly choose death?
If life were a play, who wouldn’t want to make it spectacular?
Camila’s gaze dimmed. “My story was ruined long ago. There’s nothing worth watching”
Giovani remained unfazed. “That’s not necessarily true. The most exciting part often comes at the end.”
She fell silent, lowering her eyes to her scarred body as if contemplating his words.
After a long pause, she lifted her head, and a faint glimmer appeared in her eyes. “Do you think I can start over?”
“Why not?” Giovani replied. “As long as you want to, you can start anytime.”
A storm of emotions churned in Camila’s heart. His words were like a sliver of light piercing through the darkness of her despair.
A gust of cold wind blew past, making her shiver
Noticing this, Glovani took off his black coat and handed it to her. “Put this on. You don’t want to catch a cold.”
Camila hesitated for a moment before accepting the coat, draping it over her shoulders. The faint scent of tobacco mixed with his lingering warmth enveloped her, bringing a rare sense of comfort.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
Giovani raised a brow. “You really want to thank me?”
Camila looked at him in confusion.
“You said you wanted to thank me, didn’t you?”
“Uh… yes?” She blinked, wide–eyed, full of uncertainty.
Seeing her dazed expression, Giovani’s cold, deep–set eyes softened slightly. A flicker of amusement surfaced, and the comers of his lips curved in an almost imperceptible smile.
“I heard you do needlework?” His voice remained cool, yet carried a strangely compelling allure.
Camila hesitated. How did he know that?
Glovani nodded toward her.
Following his gaze, Camila slowly lowered her eyes and caught sight of a finely embroidered rose on the chest of the coat she was wearing.
The embroidery was exquisite–each petal layered with depth, almost lifelike.
Her breath caught ‘Wait… didn’t I stitch this?‘
She snapped her head up, staring at Giovani in disbelief.
Their eyes met, and though no words were exchanged, everything was understood.
“You stitch roses quite well, he remarked. Then, taking out his phone, he pulled up a picture. “This piece is exceptionally crafted, a true masterpiece in the art of needlework Unfortunately the embroiderer never got to finish it. If you complete it, consider it my thank–you gift.”
Successfully unlocked!
The image on the screen stunned Camila. It was
a urcautiokilly easy piece titled Majestic Bloom.
The intricate details, the perfect blend of silk threads, the delicate stitchwork–every element radiated life. The rose, in full bloom, had petals so lush and vivid they seemed ready to flutter in the breeze. The subtle gradient of color, the meticulous needlework on the petal edges, the veins of the leaves–everything was flawlessly executed.
The piece
majestic, regal, and absolutely stunning But it was incomplete
Camilla’s eyes widened. This. this is mine
She had started this piece while in prison
She never finished it because she was released before she could complete it
But how did it end up in his possession?
“Sir, how did you get this piece?” she asked
“I bought it at an auction, Glovani replied
An auction? Camila was stunned My embroidery was valuable enough to be auctioned?
In prison, the guards had praised her needlework, but she never thought much of it. She simply assumed she was better than the others.
Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine her work was good enough to be sold at an auction
Her grip on Giovani’s phone tightened, and her voice trembled. “If I may ask how much did you pay for this piece
Giovani caught the shift in her emotions, his gaze deep and probing “Seven million dollars.”
In truth, Majestic Bloom was worth far more than seven million. Even Eternal Grace, which he had purchased for ten million, paled in comparison.
However, since Majestic Bloom was unfinished, its value had taken a hit. No matter how skilled another embroiderer was. different hand finishing the piece would always leave subtle inconsistencies.
But the rose on his coat–stitched by her–was nearly identical in technique. If she were the one to complete Majestic Bloom, no one would ever notice the difference
Camilas thoughts reeled. “Seven million dollars? My embroidery was auctioned for seven million dollars?
Waves of shock crashed through her.
She stared at Giovani, her mind replaying his words. Seven million dollars. The number echoed in her head like a thunderclap, shattering her perception of her own skills.
Her hands trembled, and as she accidentally swiped the phone screen, another image appeared
It was Eternal Grace
The embroidery depicted an elegant swan, so lifelike it seemed ready to take flight. The pine branches were detailed down to the finest veins, the trunk strong and imposing. Every stitch showcased the remarkable talent of its creator. Camila was left utterly speechless because Eternal Grace was hers too.
Giovani’s voice was casual, as if merely stating a fact. “I bought Eternal Grace last year for ten million dollars as a birthday gift for my grandmother. She loved it. That’s why I bought another piece by the same embroiderer this year”
The moment she heard ten million dollars, Camila was paralyzed. Her eyes widened to the brink of popping out, her lips parted as if to speak, but the words caught in her throat. “Seven million? Ten million?
The numbers were beyond her imagination. Yet, they were the prices her work had sold for
No wonder the prisoners never dared to hurt her hands. No wonder the guards had always “protected” her while she embroidered. Her hands were worth a fortune.
A deep sorrow welled up inside her.
Had she known earlier–had she known her work was worth this much–would she have endured so much humiliation from the Jackson family just for a mere three million dollars?
A flood of past grievances and regrets surged in, making her eyes turn red. She bit her lip, trying to suppress the overwhelming emotions
But the harder she tried, the more suffocated she felt.
Suddenly, Camila collapsed against the bridge railing and burst into tears.
Giovani was stunned
In twenty–eight years, no woman had ever cried in front of him–let alone cried so miserably it left him restless With a sigh, he pulled out a cigarette and offered it to her “Want one?”
Camila looked up, teary–eyed. “Are you comforting me?”
“Yes.”
“But I don’t even like smoking ”
raid she’d mistake his reaction for impatience.
Giovani almost frowned but quickly smoothed his expression, as if afraid
Chapter 6 My Work is Worth
He said. “Then let me buy you a drink.
“Will drinking make me feel better?” the sniffled.
“Yes.”
“Okay but I have no money”
“Doesn’t matter. It’s on me.”
Camila hiccupped through her tears. “You’re such a good person”
For the first time in his life, Giovani was speechless.
A good person? No one had ever called him that before.
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