Chapter 38

Samuel poured his heart into a painting, using it as his ultimate love letter to Victoria.

Victoria was floored by the romantic and stunning artwork, her heart skipping a beat.

Being a painter herself, she could see the care and emotion in every line Samuel had drawn.

She had never seen anything so beautiful. It was like seeing a happier, livelier, but more mature version of herself.

Samuel was wishing her happiness and hope in her future through his art.

How could she not feel the depth of his love?

But she was confused, unsure of what she had done to deserve this, and more importantly, she felt unworthy of such love.

Victoria lowered her head, fighting back tears, and softly shook her head, her voice a bit raspy.

"Professor Brown, I don't get it. Why do you like me?" She looked up at Samuel and continued, "You know my past. How could I ever be a match for you?"

Samuel laughed, his bright eyes locking onto hers. "I don't care about your past; as long as you're willing, I'll always be by your side." He reached out to stroke her hair, his voice low and magnetic, like a fine wine, intoxicating.

Victoria's heart raced, too nervous to speak, avoiding his gaze in a fluster.

She bit her lip, her voice hoarse. "I can't. I'm not worthy of you. We should just..."

"You don't have to rush to reject me; I know this is sudden for you. Don't worry, we artists are very patient." Samuel gently reassured her, "Take your time to think it over, and when you're ready, give me an answer, okay?"

His eyes were so beautiful, so gentle, it was hard to refuse.

Victoria bit her lip, trying hard to suppress the fluttering in her heart.

After a while, she finally mustered the courage to nod. She replied, "I'll think about it carefully; please give me some time."

"Okay, I'll give you time." Samuel smiled with relief and said, "You can stay in the guest room upstairs for the next few days. I've just changed the sheets and bedding for you, so just rest here."

Victoria nodded gratefully, then asked, "What about you?"

Samuel chuckled and replied, "Don't worry. No one will come to the studio these days, and I won't be staying here either. You've had a long day. Get some rest, and don't overthink." With that, he waved at Victoria, "Get some sleep!"

Victoria responded and saw him out of the studio.

After washing up, Victoria lay in bed, thinking about everything that had happened today.

First, she was inexplicably cyberbullied, then Samuel found her, she learned he was Joshua, and then he confessed his love to her.

Her idol, the person she had admired and adored for so long, actually liked her?

The anger from the cyberbullying was gradually replaced by a faint sense of joy.

Victoria patted her flushed cheeks, muttering softly, "Don't overthink. Victoria, calm down!"

Victoria tossed and turned, unable to sleep, as images of Samuel replayed over and over in her mind. Finally, she put on a coat and went downstairs.

Looking at the portrait of herself, Victoria imagined Samuel meticulously painting each stroke, wondering if she could really be with Samuel.

If Samuel didn't mind the difference in their status, she could try to make up for it.

But right now, she was still entangled with William, how could she talk about love?

The thought hit Victoria like a cold splash of water. And thinking of William made her heart ache intensely.

Victoria closed her eyes, trying to suppress the sadness in her chest.

Maybe, after two months, when she had completely ended things with William, she could consider it.

But for now, the most important thing was to clear her name from the slander and online harassment.

Victoria took a deep breath and saw the official statement from Starry Studio Gallery: [Recently, false rumors about our employee Victoria have been widely spread online. Hereby, Starry Studio Gallery formally declares that we have always adhered to professional expertise and overall quality as our hiring criteria, and asserts that there has been no illicit hiring conduct. Victoria was hired based on her own efforts and talent, and she has performed excellently in her work, making positive contributions to Starry Studio Gallery. As for the rumors, we have the right to hold rumor spreaders accountable through legal channels.]

But instead of calming things down, the statement just fueled the fire:

[Victoria must be really capable, the higher-ups are rushing to protect her as soon as this scandal breaks. Who knows how many shady deals are going on behind the scenes.]

[Efforts and talent got her hired? Are you kidding? What kind of talent can a high school graduate have if not for those shady means to climb up? It's disgusting.]

[Having a strong background is different. Someone is always there to clean up the mess. Victoria, keep being smug; one day, your true colors will be exposed.]

[Victoria must have pleased the higher-ups well, that's why they're protecting her!]

[This statement is a joke. If Victoria is really capable, why doesn't she dare to respond to the netizens' doubts directly? Isn't it because she's guilty?]

Reading these nasty comments, Victoria felt a heavy pain in her chest, like a huge stone was blocking her, making it hard to breathe.

The worst part was that they were not only insulting her but also slandering the higher-ups of Starry Studio Gallery.

Victoria clenched her fists. She would never let anyone defame the reputation of Starry Studio Gallery!

Even though Samuel was willing to help her, she still wanted to solve it herself.

She didn't want to owe him too much.

Suddenly, Victoria thought of someone who might be the only one able to help her now. Even though they weren't close and had some past conflicts, she still nervously made the call.

After what felt like forever, Victoria finally put down the phone, a faint smile appearing on her face.

She calmly and composedly began recording a clarification video. In the video, she said, "I am Victoria. First of all, I am very sorry that I have implicated the gallery where I work and consumed too much public attention for my personal issues. At the same time, I want to thank those friends and leaders who have unwaveringly trusted and supported me. Without you, I might not have had the courage to stand here and fight for myself."

At this point, Victoria stood up and bowed, then continued, "I indeed do not have the halo of a high degree, but I have a persistent pursuit and sincere love for art. Like people who work hard for a living, I get up at six in the morning, take a bus, and then transfer to the subway for two hours to get to work. And I don't get home until eight or nine at night to have dinner. I've poured my heart and soul into every project, working tirelessly and investing immense effort. I can proudly say that every step I've taken at Starry Studio Gallery has been earned through my own hard work. If you don't believe me, just check the recently released project list from our gallery; many of the projects have my name on the staff list."

Victoria paused for a moment, then continued, "But even so, some people still think that someone without a college degree like me has no right to outshine the top students from prestigious universities. In other industries, this might not be possible, but in the art industry, a degree is not the only standard to measure a person's ability. Moreover, I was once admitted to Imagination Realm University, but due to family changes, I couldn't continue my studies. However, my teacher, Professor Johnson, still keeps in touch with me and gives me a lot of guidance. If you don't know the status of Professor Johnson, you can look it up."

At the end of the video, Victoria took a deep breath, her tone firm and powerful. "I know that no matter what I say now, it might be questioned, but I still want to ask everyone to give me a chance and the time to prove my innocence. I'm not the despicable person you think I am; I'm just someone who works hard and chases dreams. Please believe in me and don't be misled by rumors."

As soon as the video was released, it caused a huge stir online.