Chapter 11 Disgusting Scene
"Ms. Getty, what are you getting at?" Joshua's curiosity piqued as he watched Diana's hands closely.
Diana had these incredible hands. No matter how messed up or incomplete an ancient painting was, she could bring it back to life.
A year ago, Joshua had the chance to see her magic in action.
Joshua still remembered their first meeting. Diana, just in her early twenties with a fresh, youthful face, walked into his shop and flashed him a sweet smile. "Mr. Thomas, give me a job!"
Back then, Joshua thought she was just some bored college kid messing around, so he was ready to send her packing.
But then, an old customer walked in with a beat-up ancient painting, trying to sell it for cheap.
"Sir, I can make this painting worth a lot more. What do you say?" Diana's confident, youthful smile was unforgettable.
Joshua blinked, snapping back to reality. "Ms. Getty, this painting was sold to me for cheap a few days ago because it was in bad shape, with the paint peeling off. I didn't pay much for it. But if you can restore it to its original state, I'll pay you between one and three million dollars, depending on how well you do."
Diana raised an eyebrow. "Deal."
They quickly signed a contract.
Diana examined the painting closely and saw that there was barely any paint left. To restore it perfectly, she needed to find the exact same paint.
"Mr. Thomas, the paint on this painting is hard to find. Give me three days, and I'll have it looking like new," Diana said after thinking for a moment.
"Alright, if you need any materials, just let me know. I've been running this antique shop for years and have some connections. It shouldn't be too hard to find what you need," Joshua said with a smile.
Diana's eyes lit up. "That's great!"
She pulled out a pen and paper from her bag and jotted down a list of mineral materials, handing it to Joshua. "These minerals and gemstones need to be found at the mineral market. Once you get them, grind them into powder and bring them back."
"Got it, I'll have someone take care of it right away." Joshua smiled, pocketed the note, and headed out to instruct his staff.
Meanwhile, Diana took a stroll around the antique shop before leaving.
At the same time, Howard returned to work at the company, nursing some injuries.
After taking a call, James knocked on the CEO's office door and walked in. "Mr. Spencer, there's an issue with a project at the Silverlight City branch. Do you need to go check it out?"
Howard looked up from his pile of documents, his gaze icy as he stared at James.
The temperature in the office seemed to drop, and James couldn't help but shiver.
'Weird, is the air conditioning broken? Why does it feel colder and colder?' As James' mind wandered, Howard's cold voice cut through the air. "Does a small project really need my supervision? The general manager over there must not want to work anymore."
James nervously wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and asked, "So, Mr. Spencer, are you still going?"
Howard thought for a moment. "Get me the project details from that branch. I'll take a look first."
"Yes, Mr. Spencer," James replied and quickly left.
As soon as James was gone, another urgent call came in.
"Grandma." Howard saw the name on the screen and answered quickly.
"Howard, how's your injury?" Sophia asked, concerned.
Howard glanced at his bandaged arm and said lightly, "It's fine."
"Since it's not healed yet, don't push yourself. Let your subordinates handle the branch issues. They're not just there for show."
Howard raised an eyebrow, wondering who had been talking to Sophia. "Grandma, don't worry. I know what I'm doing."
"Good. Also, you and Diana just got married. It's important to build your relationship now. Make sure you put in the effort, or you'll regret it if Diana slips away."
Howard felt a bit helpless. "Got it."
"Actions speak louder than words. You two just got married. I think you should take some time off work and go on a honeymoon with Diana." Sophia continued to ramble on for over an hour.
Howard had no choice but to listen obediently to Sophia's nagging.
Meanwhile, after leaving the antique shop, Diana decided to hit the supermarket for some groceries.
But after walking a few steps, she was stopped by the sight of a couple entangled in an alley across the street.
Diana raised an eyebrow and shot a cold glance in their direction.
As she got closer, the figures became familiar.
It was Laura and Robert, the same two people she had caught in bed together in her previous life.
Diana smiled coldly, her eyes fixed on Laura and Robert in the alley.
The two seemed oblivious to Diana, passionately entangled. Despite the distance, some intimate sounds reached Diana's ears.
Laura moaned and said, "Faster."
Robert said, "You're so tempting. I just want to keep making love to you."
More shameless words drilled into Diana's ears.
Diana frowned in disgust, took out her phone, snapped a few photos, and then turned and left without hesitation.
The unexpected disgusting scene killed her interest in shopping, so she hurriedly took a cab back to her apartment.
It wasn't until she had showered and lay on her soft, comfortable bed that Diana managed to erase the nauseating images from her mind.
Just as Diana was about to drift off to sleep, her phone suddenly rang.
"Hello!" Diana yawned, answering the call without checking the caller ID.
"You bitch, where the hell are you? Do you know Laura is waiting for your kidney?" Emily's cursing voice came from the other end.
Amid the noisy background, Laura's faint sobbing could be heard.
Hadn't she blocked Emily's number?
Realizing she hadn't, Diana instantly woke up. She frowned at the caller ID and then hung up without a word.
Instantly, the world was quiet again.
In this new life, Diana would no longer let them manipulate her.
Diana turned over in bed, her eyes burning with a hidden light of hatred.