?Chapter 67:


    Laughter spilled from Elliana’s lips the moment Luciano straightened from his theatrical bow.


    The sound hit Luciano like a p. His solemn mask shattered, and fury contorted his face. His eyes darkened, turning red at the edges, rage swelling with every breath. He spun toward Elliana and growled through clenched teeth, “What’s so funny to you?”


    A wave of heads turned with Luciano. Eyes widened, unsure whether to be offended or simply baffled. What was Elliana thinking,ughing now of all times?


    Paige’s blood boiled beneath herposed exterior. She’d been waiting for Elliana to slip up—but not like this, not now, not in the middle of the most carefully nned event of her life. This extravagant ceremony had been designed to boost her social standing and attract prestigious endorsements. But if Elliana stirred up trouble, the whole event would fall t and lose its intended impact.


    Still, with cameras everywhere and eyes locked on her, Paige forced her features into something soft and collected. “Elliana, this is an important moment. How could you treat it with so little respect?”


    Elliana hadn’t nned tough. It just slipped out before she could stop it. With a casual shrug, she tapped her nose, a trace of humor still dancing in her eyes. “My bad. It got away from me.”


    Paige mped her mouth shut, the tension in her chest making it hard to breathe.


    Luciano looked like he was seconds from exploding. His chest heaved, his eyes wild. All the grand effort he’d put into this ceremony—meant to solidify his image as a revered master—was being undercut by Elliana’sugh. He felt his reputation as an art world master had been deeply insulted, and in a fit of fury, he snapped, “You hideous little freak—no manners, no education, no talent, and not a shred of respect! You’re absolutely disgusting!”


    Words like that,ing from a so-called master, carried weight—and malice. All eyes shifted to Elliana, while the live chat exploded with franticmentary.


    “What’s up with Elliana? This was supposed to be a dignified event, and she’sughing?”


    “Maybe she really is as uncultured as Mr. Scott says. She probably thought his respectfulness was some kind of joke.”


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    “Isn’t it clear by now that Elliana is Mr. Scott’s ultimate rival? I was genuinely swept up in the emotion of the ceremony, but the second Elliana startedughing, the whole mood shattered—and honestly, I had to stop myself fromughing too.”


    Inside the venue and across the screen, every pair of eyes locked onto Elliana as if a trial against her were about to begin. She, however, remainedposed—almost amused by the entire ordeal. The more furious Luciano became, the harder she struggled not to grin.


    “Truly, I’m sorry, Mr. Scott. Do carry on with your ceremony.”


    Elliana wanted Luciano to keep performing—she couldn’t wait to see how far he’d go. The deeper he sank into the performance, the harder he’d crash when night came.


    Shaking with fury, Luciano looked ready to explode—Elliana’s demeanor was salt in his wounds. Before he could unleash another outburst, Paige reached out and tugged at his sleeve.


    “Please, Mr. Scott,” she whispered urgently. “Let’s not ruin the ceremony.”


    Though equally furious, Paige recognized that there wasn’t much time left, and any further dy threatened to unravel the whole event. With a sharp inhale and a final, venomous re in Elliana’s direction, Luciano forced himself back into his seat.


    Luciano had started off calm and content, carrying the air of a true master. But after Elliana provoked him, his face tightened with fury, and the entire mood of the apprenticeship ceremony had taken a sharp turn for the worse.


    Inside, Paige seethed. But with cameras rolling and guests watching, she swallowed the humiliation and pushed through the final motions of the ceremony.


    When it finally ended, polite apuse filled the room, apanied by the usual string of well-wishes.


    “Congrattions, Mr. Scott, on gaining another excellent protégé.”


    “And Miss Jones, what an opportunity! With a master like Mr. Scott, you’re destined for greatness.”


    Some color returned to Luciano’s face. Once he dered Paige his official protégé, he turned to her and said, “Now, Paige, show your respect to Rosa.”


    “Of course,” Paige said, nodding with poise.


    Elliana’s brows lifted in surprise. Wait—was Paige actually about to bow to her statue?


    No one caught Elliana’s reaction. The spotlight was fixed squarely on Paige as she glided toward the wax statue, lowered her head, and bowed with exaggerated grace.


    Haley, always alert, signaled for a close-up. The cameras zoomed in, capturing every angle of Paige’s performance. Her face took on an exaggerated seriousness—more grave than even Luciano’s—clearly meant to impress the audience watching from their screens.


    Across the room, Elliana bit the inside of her cheek, doing everything she could not to burst outughing. She had promised herself she wouldn’t stir the pot again—but the moment Paige bowed to the statue, that promise flew out the window. A sharp, irrepressibleugh escaped her lips. “Ha-ha!”


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