Chapter 47


    Engrossed in the stunning art piece, Jasmine walked, eager to take a closer look. The gallery’s


    atmosphere was filled with a symphony of colors and textures, each stroke on the canvas telling a


    story. The soft hum of conversations from the sophisticated crowd added to the ambiance.


    In that moment, she collided with a man briskly walking by. The ss she held sl*pped from her hand,


    and losing her bnce, she bumped into a waiter, creating a cacophony of shattering sses. The


    delicate notes of a piano ying in the background seemed to freeze. momentarily.


    “Oh no no,” she cried out in horror, her voice a soft melody in the gallery’s space.


    Im so sorry, ma’am,” the waiter apologized with genuine concern, but people barely paid her any


    attention. The gallery patrons, engrossed in the exquisite artwork, were oblivious to the small


    disruption.


    “Are you okay?” Axel asked guiltily. Hurrying to carry out Ethan’s instructions of arranging a private


    space for him and an important man to discuss, Axel had bumped into Jasmine, they had both been


    distracted. The air was filled with the scent of the red wine. “No!” She yelled, her voice carrying a hint of


    frustration and embarrassment, turning red from the demeaning and pitiful nces.l she got from the


    servers positioned there and some other gallery patrons passing by. The gallery’s lighting entuated


    the hues of her flushed checks. She turned around and left immediately, leaving behind a lingering trail


    of her favorite floral perfume.


    Axel adjusted his sses, watching her retreating back as she made her way through the crowd. The


    gallery walls adorned with masterpieces created an artistic backdrop to this unexpected encounter.


    Something about her struck at him. She was so familiar, and when his arms had brushed her, he’d felt


    a tingling sensation he couldn’t understand-a burst of heat against his cold skin. The air-conditioned


    gallery seemed to have a calming effect on the patrons, creating afortable space to appreciate art


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    He blinked, taking off his sses that now had spots of wine, cleaning them, and putting them back on.


    As he took a step, he felt the impression of something underneath his feet. Shifting his leg, the sight of


    a ne came into vicw-a female ne. It looked cheap. He’d stepped on it and broken it. With a


    sigh, he picked it up, discarding it in the trash as he walked by. The gallery’s pristine environment, with


    its immacte white walls, emphasized Axel’s obsession and need for orderliness.


    Then he walked off, having important things to do. The echo of his footsteps reverberated in the gallery,


    adding a rhythmic undertone to the ambient sounds.


    Sighting Dr. Gomez making his entrance, Axel walked up to him.


    This way, sir, he directed the older man to the room where Ethan waited. Unknown to Jasmine, she had


    just missed him, the very reason she had camped close to the servers had made his way passed there


    the moment she left.


    Few minutester. Jasmine exited the bathroom in a frenzy. The bathroom, adorned with minimalist


    decor, provided a stark contrast to the vibrant artworks outside. While scrubbing at her clothes, she had


    nced at her reflection, spotting her bare neck, She instantly became rmed touching her neck and


    searching the floor in panic. Still, she couldn’t find her ne, and she was nearly losing her mind in


    fear and panic. The reflection of her distressed expression reflected in the sleek mirrors.


    She rushed back to the main hall, which was almost empty as the guests had moved into the inner


    room for the exhibition. The dimming lights and the soft hum of conversations. created an intimate


    atmosphere. Jasmine’s hurried footsteps added a stato beat to the background music.


    “Excuse me,” she called the attention of a server, her voice resonating in the spa c i o u s hall. “Did you


    happen to see a ne?” she asked anxiously, her eyes searching the faces of the few remaining


    ushers. The gallery’s grandeur now felt somewhat haunting in its emptiness. “It fell. I believe that man


    picked it, the one you bumped into,” an usher observed, his voice echoing in the now-hushed


    surroundings. Jasmine heaved a sigh of relief; she just had to find him and retrieve it.


    She walked around finally spotting him standing at the door of an exclusive room. “Hello, excuse me,


    she called out to Axel, her voice carrying a mix of urgency and desperation. I believe you have my


    ne. She was breathing heavily.


    “What ne?” Axel asked in a low voice, his response blending into the subdued murmurs of the


    few remaining guests that walked past.


    Jasmine gave a hurried description of it, her voice cutting through, carrying the hint of anxiety she felt


    “Oh, that. That was yours? It’s in the trash,” Axel said carelessly. Her face fell instantly, a moment


    frozen in time within the gallery’s walls.


    “What?!” She yelled, her voice breaking the quiet elegance that lingered in the air.


    “Which one?” She yelled once more, her voice filling the now-vacant hall. Axel watched in shock as she


    dug her hand into the almost-empty trash, the sounds of her desperation echoing through the gallery’s


    vast space..


    “What are you doing?” He asked in disdain, his voice shing with the previous tranquility. “It was old


    and cheap anyway,” he uttered taken aback with her reaction. Jasmine only red at him then turned


    away, still concentrating on her search. Axel watched in astonishment at the strange behavior of the


    woman. It was an extremely cheap ne, one he was sure she could easily rece. That part of


    the hall was now almost empty, so there were no weird looks, and even if there were onlookers, she


    still wouldn’t have cared.


    “Ouch!” She shrieked in pain, her cry shattering the stillness of the gallery. Bringing out her hand, her


    finger was now bloodied from being cut by a champagne ss that had been thrown in. She braced


    herself, ready to plunge into it once more when Axel snapped. “Stop it this instant!” Axel yelled, his


    reached out and yanked her to her feet when she was about to continue her search. The sudden


    tension in the air was palpable, adding a dramatic element to the gallery’s atmosphere. Jasmine


    yanked her hand out of his immediately ignoring the wave of warmth his palm brought.


    “Here, just get a new one, he offered calmly pulling out his wallet, the crinkling sound of bills curting


    through the lingering echoes.


    “You won’t find it anyway; the trash can might have been emptied,” he informed, his words a stark


    contrast to the refined surroundings. Her face fell once more, bing cloudy.


    Don’t bother. I don’t need your money!” She spat, her words a sharp contrast to the sophisticated


    ambiance. Sniffing back tears.


    Axel stared at her sorry state, her makeup and hair now messy, with a small patch where a ss of


    wine had been spilled on her along with her bloodied finger dripping blood all over the floor. Jasmine


    knew she looked pathetic and she felt like she would break down into tears. She held it in, sniffing, her


    nose had turned red. The gallery’s pristine beauty now bore witness to her transient moment of chaos


    and vulnerability. She felt as miserable as she looked, her night had just taken a turn for the worst


    thanks to this proper and serene looking man in front of her.