Chapter 81

Carl's gaze softened as he leaned toward Eliana. "Lia, you can tell me anything. I promise I won't get upset,"he said, his voice steady with determination.

More than anything, he wanted to shower Eliana with every ounce of care he had to give.

She hesitated only a moment before stating, "I think Leyla's sudden trip back to our he for her clothes was just an excuse. From the hallway camera, I saw her slip upstairs and go into your room. I'm worried she was there to copy your paintings."

The color drained from Carl's face, his composure snapping despite his vow. "I'll question her right now," he growled.

In the past, if Leyla had tried to mimic his work, he would have brushed it off-art had never been something he guarded jealously.

But now, everything had changed. When their family collapsed, Leyla's first instinct had been to cut all ties with them.

Worse still, she had gone so far as to sell their home without a second thought, even if it left them wandering without a home.

To Carl, that kind of cold-blooded betrayal meant she didn't deserve to benefit from him in the slightest.He would rather burn every canvas he owned than allow Leyla to copy a single brushstroke.

He started to storm off to confront her, but Eliana stepped quickly into his path."Carl, where are you heading?" she asked, her hand lightly catching his arm.

"You're suspicious of her, aren't you? I'm going to get the truth from her right now!" Carl said, his voice edged with anger.

Eliana found herself momentarily speechless, realizing that being too blunt and straightforward wasn't always the smartest path. With a weary sigh, she murmured, "Carl, don't be impulsive. If you rush to confront her now, she'll just deny everything. It's better to wait until her painting is actually on display. Once you're certain she copied yours,then you can expose her in front of everyone. If I'm wrong, though, it'll only give her the chance to turn things around and put the blame on us instead."

Deep down, Carl felt almost sure Leyla had slipped into his room under the guise of collecting her belongings, when in reality, she wanted another look at his work.

After all, she had plagiarized him before-her last victory at a competition had been with a painting that was nothing more than a stolen version of his own.

Though Carl couldn't stand Leyla, he swallowed his anger for the sake of the Murray family's dignity.

Since Eliana had urged him not to act recklessly, he forced himself to hold back.

He always listened to her, trusting she would never steer him wrong.

After a moment's thought, he gave a reluctant nod. "Alright, I'll let it go for now. Once the competition results are announced,every painting will be on display."

Eliana's lips curved into a gentle smile. "Exactly. We need to stay composed when it matters most."

"I'll listen to you." He dipped his head once more, this time with quiet resolve.

Eliana reminded with calm insistence, "But don't reveal that I'm Riley just yet-especially not to Mom.Her health is still fragile, and the last thing she needs is any emotional shock. What matters most is keeping her steady."

Since Stella's well-being was at stake, Carl gave in at once. He lifted a hand as if taking an oath. "Relax, Lia.I might enjoy swapping stories now and then, but I'm not careless. I know when to keep my mouth shut."

Her shoulders eased a little, and she gave a small nod. "Alright, then."

While the two of them spoke quietly, every contestant had already set down their brushes, and the judges moved on to deliberation.

Soon the results would light up the massive screen in the main exhibition hall, drawing the crowd out of the lounge and back into the center of the event.

Tristan, as the organizer, stayed out of sight, overseeing the process with the judges instead of appearing among the guests.

From the lounge, Jeffry and Hector emerged together, with Leyla slipping silently in their wake.

The strange silencing effect still clung to her like a shadow, leaving her unable to speak.

Hector noticed nothing unusual, assuming her wordless tension was just nerves.

With a faint smile meant to reassure her, he murmured, "Don't let it get to you. I trust you."

Her lips pressed together as she nodded, emotions twisting in her chest. Almost unconsciously,her gaze swept over the crowd in search of Eliana.

She spotted her almost at once-Eliana's presence was impossible to overlook.

But then her eyes shifted, and she froze when she saw Carl standing firmly at Eliana's side. Her eyes flew wide,leaving her mind briefly blank.

She hadn't anticipated running into him here.

Panic prickled at the edges of her thoughts. If Carl recognized her painting as a stolen imitation of his,everything she'd worked for would crumble.

Her fingers twisted the fabric of her skirt in a tight grip as her thoughts raced.

She couldn't allow Carl to remain here-not if she wanted her secret to stay hidden.

She whipped out her phone and hurriedly typed a message to Carl "I need to speak with you alone. It's about something important concerning your family. Could you step out for a moment?"

A second later, the screen flashed a notification-her message hadn't gone through.

The truth sank in-Carl had already shut her out by blocking her number.

Rage flared in her chest. Her fingers curled into tight fists as she brushed past Hector without sparing him a glance, striding straight toward Carl.

At that exact moment, the constricting silence lifted.

Her throat loosened, and when she tentatively tested her voice, words came freely. Relief flickered across her face.Luck was finally on her side again.

Picking up her pace, she quickly closed the distance between them until she was standing right in front of him.

"Carl.." she purred, her tone smooth and syrupy, as though nothing had ever gone wrong between her and the Murray family.

A frown tugged at Carl's face on instinct."If you've got something to say, then spit it out. Don't talk to me in that disgusting voice."

A shadow swept across Leyla's expression without warning.

The moment she noticed the mocking smirks flickering among the onlookers, her cheeks burned darker.

She couldn't believe Carl would humiliate her so openly, especially when they had once been family.

Biting back her temper, she steadied herself, cleared her throat, and forced her voice back into its natural tone. "Carl, there's something urgent I need to discuss with you. Could we step outside for a moment?"

Carl's scowl grew heavier, cutting deep lines across his face. "I don't have a single word to waste on you."

Leyla had anticipated Carl's resistance, so she had already armed herself with bait.

She leaned in, her voice dropping to a hushed whisper. "It's about Rowell. Don't you want to hear?"

Carl's features tightened, a flicker of hesitation breaking his composure.

Seizing the moment, Leyla pressed on. "Aren't you curious why Rowell's career has stalled all these years?

His acting is sharp, his résumé solid-yet success never comes his way." Her words hooked him instantly. Carl faltered, about to let her lead him outside when Eliana suddenly stepped in. "Carl, where are you going?" she asked, catching his movement.

He shifted uneasily, guilt flashing across his face. "I... I just have something to handle. I'll be back soon," he muttered.

Eliana's gaze lingered on Leyla, quietly certain the outburst had been stirred up by her.

With a calm smile, she leaned toward him and said softly, "No matter how urgent it feels, wait until the competition is finished first."

Carl shifted uncertainly, caught between the two.

Seeing him hesitate, Leyla quickly pressed in, her tone urgent. "You need to think clearly. Don't let someone who doesn't understand delay you."

The remark snapped Carl back into place. His jaw tightened, and he shot her a sharp look. "Don't you dare talk about Lia that way. She's right-whatever it is,it can wait until the competition's over. A few minutes won't change anything."

"You..." Leyla choked on her words, unable to respond.

When Carl refused to budge, her eyes burned with fury as she shot Eliana a venomous glare.

Why did that fucking bitch always manage to wreck her plans? Resentment twisted hot in her chest until it nearly consumed her.

Yet for all her hatred, there was nothing she could do against Eliana, and the helplessness gnawed at her until she felt as though her skin might crawl apart.

At that moment, a voice boomed from the main exhibition hall's speakers. "The results of the annual oil painting competition are now officially announced. Please turn your attention to the big screen!"