Chapter 23 Not Yours to Keep
Sarah’s heart gave a faint tremble.
Shane and Nora turned their heads toward the voice. When Shane spotted Sarah standing beside the tall, broad–shouldered man, his expression darkened instantly.
Especially when that man looked at him calmly–and even smiled faintly.
Shane’s eyes narrowed as he forced a casual smile at Sarah. “Sarah, why are you with him again?”
He was smiling, but there was danger in his eyes.
Sarah kept her gaze lowered and didn’t respond.
Nora’s grip on Shane’s sleeve tightened slightly. She turned toward Sarah and said softly, “Sarah, I saw this painting first. You wouldn’t really take it away from me, would you? But… if you really like it, I guess I can give it to you.”
Her eyes were red, pitiful and delicate.
Shane added, “Little Sarah, I’ll buy you a different one. Let Nora have this one, okay?”
Sarah glanced at him and gave a small, self–mocking laugh. “Forget it, just-”
“This young lady,” Grayson suddenly cut in, voice dry and indifferent, “buying a painting you don’t understand just to hang in your living room for show? That’s what we call ‘new money behavior.“”
He sneered lightly. “If it’s just for show, wouldn’t a prettier painting make more sense?”
Nora’s eyes reddened instantly.
“Sarah, I said I’d give it to you. You didn’t have to let your friend insult me like that…”
Delicate and pitiful–her signature move. Men always fell for it.
But Grayson merely lifted his eyelids with disinterest and gave her a cold glance. “Give it to her? I already bought it.”
A staff member stepped forward immediately, bowing respectfully. “Yes, sir. This painting has been reserved by this gentleman.”
He signaled for the piece to be packaged and handed it to Sarah, then quickly retreated like he’d just survived a storm–wiping the sweat from his brow.
Maybe he’d get a raise for being so sharp?
Sarah looked down at the painting in her hands, stunned.
When had he bought it? He’d been talking to her the whole time.
Grayson’s voice softened slightly. “A gift–for you.”
Nora’s face twisted. “Sarah, are you doing this just to humiliate me?”
The weight of the canvas in her hands warmed Sarah’s chest. Her mood lifted, and her lips curled into a smile.
Chapter 23 Not Yours to Keep
+8 Pearls
Seeing her smiling so gently, Shane frowned. The warmth in his peach blossom eyes was replaced by a colder light.
His face still wore a shadow of a smile, but it was dark and unreadable. “Sarah, you’ve grown up. You’re hiding things from me now.”
He took a step forward, habitually reaching out to smooth her hair–only for her to lean away.
“Sarah, I don’t mind you making friends,” Shane said pointedly, “but don’t you think you should let me know? After all, our relationship isn’t exactly ordinary…”
The implication was clear.
Sarah instinctively looked toward Grayson, but he remained impassive–his eyes cool and unreadable, like the surface of a still, icy lake.
“And,” Shane added with a slight smirk, “you should really know who you’re getting close to.”
He cast a glance at Grayson, full of insinuation.
“I’m not a child anymore, Shane. You don’t have to worry.”
Sarah’s tone was calm, and the way she said “Shane” seemed to draw a sharp line between them.
The sound of it made Shane’s heart skip—an unexplainable panic bubbling beneath the surface.
“Sarah, I won’t argue with you about today,” he said, forcing calm into his voice. “But once you get home, I hope you’ll really think about what you’re doing. If not, this won’t end well for any of us.”
End well?
She had already given up on this relationship. The ending wasn’t just bad–it was long overdue.
“There’s nothing left for me to think about.”
Sarah smiled faintly, lowering her eyes.
She had already made her decision the moment she decided to go home.
She nodded to them politely, then turned to leave with Grayson.
Her expression was serene, her hair brushing softly around her ears–but her air was cold, distant.
That calm detachment made her feel unreachable.
Watching her go, Shane felt an ache settle deep in his chest–like something precious was slipping through his fingers.
Nora, seeing this, gave a pitiful look. “Sarah, are you still mad?”
Before Sarah could reply, Nora added gently, “Shane didn’t go to the exhibit with you before because he was just too busy. Now he’s here with me because his project ended. He finally had some free time. Please don’t get close to other men just to upset Shane, okay?”
Her voice was sweet, understanding–every inch the gracious woman.
But beneath the surface, Sarah saw it clearly–the smug satisfaction in her eyes.
