You Are My Mr Right

Ronan was showing off in front of Elijah! Freya felt an odd discomfort settling in. She couldn’t quite put her finger on why.

Today’s gathering hosted by Ronan included only the crème de la crème of high society. The spectacle was nothing short of grand. Yet, in the art world, exhibitions typically showcased works by renowned artists. Art from unknown creators rarely garnered attention, let alone substantial bids.

“These paintings don’t even have signatures. Ronan, where did you find them?” someone queried.

Ronan smirked confidently, “Don’t worry, I’ll prove the worth of these paintings in just a moment.”

“Don’t let us down. Although they have a certain artistic allure, lacking a signature diminishes their prestige,” another chimed in.

Ronan grinned and replied, “Their fate depends on…”

His gaze locked onto Elijah.

However, Elijah seemed disinterested, focusing on the paintings adorning the walls. He might not grasp the intricacies of art, but these paintings seemed to penetrate the depths of one’s soul.

Without breaking eye contact, Ronan strolled towards the stage, adopting an air of mystery. “Today, we have two spotlight paintings. One is up for auction. Bid if you fancy it. The second is the gem of this exhibition. It’s not for sale, just for show.”

“Don’t keep us waiting! Show us!” someone impatiently demanded.

Ronan personally unveiled the crimson fabric, revealing a painting signed by the renowned artist, K.

The crowd marveled at the portrait. It portrayed an elegant young girl standing by a window, half of her face concealed by a veil of white sand. Clad in a long skirt that draped over her ankles, her pregnant belly subtly emerged. Despite the obscured features, the woman’s face revealed a delicate, clear contour, and her eyes sparkled with the radiant glow of maternal love, resembling stars.

Onlookers found themselves captivated.

Elijah promptly recognized the subject. His gaze shifted to Freya. The girl in the painting undeniably depicted her. With her round belly, she looked beautiful – a gentleness he hadn’t witnessed before.

Ronan broke the silence, “Although this painting is by a renowned artist, its true value lies in the person it portrays. If anyone is interested, I can part with it. Starting bid, 300 million.”

This artwork was commissioned by Ronan to capture Freya’s image. During Freya’s confinement, she found solace in painting, revealing to Ronan that her talents extended beyond medicine. Ronan came to appreciate her skills, and to preserve her pregnant image, he wanted a portrait. Unable to draw, Freya agreed to paint it.Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.

Despite clear photos, they lacked artistic depth. So, with Freya’s approval, he commissioned the artist K to paint this pregnant woman portrait.

An uproar ensued below.

While K was renowned, none of his paintings had fetched 100 million. His most expensive piece went for about 8 million.

Now, Ronan boldly set the starting bid at 300 million.

“Ronan, have you lost your mind? Who’d pay 300 million for a painting of an unknown woman?” someone scoffed.

Unfazed, Ronan retorted, “You don’t understand appreciation. Those who recognize and appreciate value will.”

He glanced at Elijah as he spoke.

“Mr Silverton, are you interested? If not, I’ll hang this painting by my bedside and enjoy it every night before sleep.”

Freya found Ronan’s words unsettling. Her brows furrowed involuntarily.

“I’ll buy it,” Elijah declared.

“Excellent. Mr Silverton is indeed a big spender. But remember, this is an auction, the highest bidder wins!” Ronan grinned, eager to recoup some losses.

“330 million,” someone shouted suddenly.

This bidder was Ronan’s plant, meant to challenge Elijah and drive up the price. As a man, he understood men. Regardless of Elijah’s feelings for Freya, he wouldn’t want his wife’s pictures circulating, especially ones suggesting another man fathered her child.

He anticipated Elijah would buy it and destroy it.

Chaos ensued.

While the attendees were wealthy, money wasn’t earned easily. A painting of unknown origin suddenly fetching billions left them perplexed. Elijah was known for his business acumen and wouldn’t incur losses needlessly. Yet, he was about to drop millions on a painting, intensifying scrutiny.

Elijah saw through Ronan’s ploy but shrugged it off. “500 million.”

A murmur swept through the crowd. 3 billion and 300 million already seemed extravagant. Even Freya was taken aback.

“This painting isn’t worth that much,” she remarked.

Elijah remained silent. Its worth depended on the beholder, and to him, it was priceless.

Ronan struggled to understand. He expected Elijah to buy, but 500 million exceeded predictions.

The proxy bidder had left room for Elijah to outbid.

“510 million.”

Unexpectedly, Elijah raised the stakes, “700 million.”

An audible gasp filled the room. Even Freya was stunned. She turned to Elijah.

“What do you mean, Mr Silverton?” asked Ronan, unsettled.

Elijah glanced at him coolly, “You’re selling, I’m buying. Simple.”

Ronan gritted his teeth, “710 million.”

He couldn’t gauge Elijah’s limits. Business came first, and Ronan didn’t want to backfire.

“900 million.” Elijah said without even batting an eye.

Ronan was a t a loss and he didn’t dare to outbid anymore, confused about what was in Elijah’s mind. A businessman would always put interests first. Nevertheless, even if Elijah cared about his image, he couldn’t possibly treat money so casually. Of course, he was quite wealthy.

Ronan sealed the deal, “Deal.”

Freya couldn’t fathom Elijah’s motives. The painting wasn’t worth such a sum, but if he wanted to be a patron, she wouldn’t intervene. Yet, she disliked Ronan’s exploitation. Now, with a child to care for and Elowen Noir to consider, she decided to take a pound of flesh from Ronan.

“Ronan, I recall this painting is mine. How did it end up in this auction?”