?Chapter 62:


    A theatrical gasp tore through the broadcast room. It came from one of the staff stationed near Luciano, seemingly overwhelmed by the sight of Paige’s painting on disy. “My goodness! Miss Jones, your painting is absolutely stunning. You’re an extraordinary talent!”


    As per the n and previous rehearsal, onepliment led to another, and soon the room rippled with enthusiastic voices, each more eager than thest to sing Paige’s praises.


    Haley gave a subtle nod, prompting the crew to zoom in, capturing every elegant detail of Paige’s artwork.


    As the camera panned back, Paige stood surrounded by admirers, her smile radiant and warm. “Everyone here holds deep experience in art. I’d be grateful for any advice you might share.”


    One chimed in, reciting the given lines, “Miss Jones, someone with your talent hardly needs pointers from the rest of us. Only Mr. Scott could take you to the next level.”


    Luciano’s face lit up with satisfaction at the praise, his eyes fixed on Paige’s artwork while he nodded in approval. “Your technique shows a strong foundation. With a little direction, you’ll be able to make a real breakthrough and rise to an entirely new level.”


    Right on cue with the show’s nned segment, Paige stepped forward and smiled. “Ever since I first picked up a paintbrush, my greatest dream has been to be your protégé, Mr. Scott. Do you think I might be lucky enough to earn your favor today?”


    “Ha-ha…” Adopting a masterlyposed facade, Luciano gave her a wide, approving grin. “Paige, I’ve appreciated your work for a while now, and I’ve been meaning to take you under my wing. I just wasn’t sure you’d say yes.”


    “Thank you so much for the chance, Mr. Scott!” Paige said as she gave a deep, grateful bow. “I’m honestly over the moon. You’re a legend, and getting the opportunity to learn from you is more than I ever imagined.”


    The crowd erupted into apuse, repeating the lines written in the nned script.


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    “Big congrattions to Mr. Scott! With a protégé like Miss Jones, you two are bound to make waves in the art world!”


    “This is a huge moment for Ublento’s art scene! Mr. Scott taking on another prodigy definitely calls for a proper mentorship ceremony.”


    “I’ve got it covered. I’ll handle the setup right away so everything wraps up before the Starry Oil Painting Competition tonight.”


    Luciano had always been fond of praise and spectacle. Over time, he’d surrounded himself with people who knew just how to stroke his ego, and their over-the-toppliments only made him more full of himself.


    In truth, the mentorship ceremony was a carefully choreographed segment prepared by the program team. The fawning crowd was just part of the performance, staged for the benefit of the live viewers. None of the viewers watching from home had any idea they were being strung along by a chorus of well-rehearsed fakes.


    “Can you believe it? Mr. Scott actually took Paige as his protégé. She’s set for life in the art world now!”


    “No matter where Paige goes, she always stands out. She’s just got that spark!”


    “I can’t wait for the mentorship ceremony. I’ve heard Mr. Scott holds a deep respect for traditional rituals, so I’m sure the entire event will be full of surprises—and maybe even a few jaw-dropping moments.”


    At this point, Paige looked like a rising star. Thements were full of praise, and even the guests in the room—who didn’t know any better—couldn’t help but feel a bit jealous.


    From his painting station, Ran watched her bask in apuse. A soft, proud grin tugged at his lips, as though her triumph were his own.


    But off to the side, Elliana’s lips twisted into a smirk. She wasn’t buying any of it. To her, the entire show put on by Luciano and Paige was nothing short of cheap. Earlier, when the ss began, she had actually assumed Luciano would give a live demonstration. Instead, he just gave speeches full of ir while using his students’ work as props. Not once did he pick up a brush.


    No one at the scene had the nerve to speak up, while the live chat buzzed with curiosity, wondering why Luciano wasn’t stepping up to paint something himself. For a long while, no one offered an answer to the question, until someone eventually interjected with an exnation—Luciano held such a prestigious position in the art world that his paintings were considered rare treasures, not something he could simply create or reveal without careful consideration. As a true master, he was expected to uphold his own standards and artistic principles. Eventually, that opinion caught on. The more people repeated it, the more it started to sound reasonable. No one questioned it again.


    Others might have bought into Luciano’s performance—both the viewers online and the guests standing nearby—but Elliana wasn’t one of them. She could see…


    Straight through the act, Luciano hadn’t painted a thing, and every word he taught in ss was just a script he’d memorized. It was almost too absurd to believe. The highly regarded president of the Ublento Calligraphers and Painters Association—a so-called master whose pieces had earned des at home and abroad—was, in the end, someone who couldn’t even produce a proper painting.


    That raised the obvious question—where did all those winning workse from? And how did someone like him con his way into the top seat of the Calligraphers and Painters Association? Since Luciano had been a fraud, there was no way the painting he gave Paige for thepetition was actually his creation. That raised the real question—who was the true artist working in the shadows?


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