?Chapter 137:


    Ste found Sharon waiting in the cafe on the mall’s first floor.


    As soon as Sharon spotted Ste, she perked up and waved with excitement. “Stel! Over here! So where’s that gift shop you mentioned? I walked all around and didn’t find anything remotely interesting.” Clearly intrigued, Sharon was expecting something impressive—after all, Ste had talked the ce up quite a bit.


    Linking arms with her, Ste smiled and said, “It’s kind of tucked away in a strange corner. You’d never find it on your own. Come on, I’ll show you.”


    After twisting through a few narrow corridors, they reached a tucked-away alley with a shopfront paintedpletely ck.


    The entrance had no sign, no name—nothing to suggest it was even a store.


    Sharon nced around, clearly thrown off. Without Ste leading the way, she never would’ve guessed it was a shop.


    It was almost suspiciously low-key.


    “Can a store this hidden even stay in business?” Sharon asked, genuinely curious.


    “It’s hidden, yeah,” Ste said with a smallugh. “But you know what they say—good things don’t need to shout for attention.”


    They stepped inside, where a lone employee behind the counter greeted them warmly. “Wee! Take your time, feel free to look around.”


    After that, the assistant didn’t hover or follow them around—something both of them appreciated.


    The shop felt more like a cozy little art gallery than a typical store. Paintings lined the walls—some were masterpieces by well-known artists, their age adding to their value, while others were brilliant creations by up-anding talents. Each piece seemed carefully chosen.


    Sharon wandered through the space, curiosity lighting up her face. When her eyesnded on a particrndscape painting, she froze for a second, her expression shifting into one of surprise.


    “Wait, is this a painting by Sterion? An actual original?” she asked. Sterion was considered the brightest star among the new wave of artists.


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    Her talent knew no bounds—whether it was realism or abstract, every piece she created left asting impression.


    Thanks to her versatility and fearless creativity, she had earned numerous international awards. Sharon had seen her original works featured on TV before, and even through a screen, they left her amazed. But every time Sharon considered buying one, the auction prices were far too high, keeping her from ever making a purchase.


    She had once nned to wait for the prices toe down, but instead, Sterion’s value kept climbing. Her paintings became more like solid investments than art pieces.


    That was why it was bing harder and harder to find any avable for sale.


    “Miss, rest assured—everything here is original. We don’t deal in knockoffs,” the store clerk called out from the front desk.


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