Chapter 430
Chapter 430:
She had turned it over in her mind for a long time, searching for an explanation, and eventually landed on the one that made the most sense: class. Colton was a billionaire. She was no one. Kristine had spent four years at his side and never became his wife — and Kristine, for all her flaws, came from money. She had always lived well. Elyse, by comparison, was a poor orphan with nothing to her name. She was even less qualified, by the Yates family’s standards, than Kristine had been.
So she had set about remaking herself.
She couldn’t change where she came from, but she could change what people believed about her. She had won a prestigious competition to establish her credibility. She had paid for thousands of fake followers and cultivated a persona as a celebrated cultural figure. She was convinced that if she looked accomplished and prominent enough, even the Yates family would have to accept her.
The two men’s panicked whispers had given her exactly what she needed.
She stepped out from behind the wall.
Both workers flinched. Their faces drained of color. “Miss Lloyd,” one of them breathed.
Elyse looked them over with cool, unhurried eyes. “So. The antler on the deer head is broken p>
J𝘰𝗂𝗻 th𝖾 𝘤𝘰𝗆𝘮𝗎ո𝗶𝗍𝗒 𝖺t 𝗀𝗮𝗅ոo𝘷e𝗅𝘀.сo𝗺
They shook their heads frantically. “It wasn’t us — it must have happened in transit. During the move p>
“It doesn’t matter how it happened,” Elyse said, her voice pleasant and cold in equal measure. “You were responsible for it. That makes it your problem p>
One of them pressed their hands together, practically trembling. “It was an accident, Miss Lloyd. Please — we’re begging you — don’t say anything. Our careers would be over p>
A slow smile appeared on her face. “I’ll keep your secret. But you’ll need to do something for me in return p>
They looked at her with the desperate hope of people who had just been thrown a rope. “Anything. Just tell us p>
“Give me the statue,” Elyse said. “Let me repair it p>
The two men blinked at each other. “What do you mean p>
“The antler was broken off cleanly, yes?” She kept her tone light, almost bored. “I know exactly how to restore it. Hand the piece over to me, and we have a deal p>
The men exchanged another look, and this time the relief on their faces was unmistakable.
If Elyse could genuinely repair the damage, they wouldn’t have to hide anything. They could go to their managers, explain the accident, and point to the restoration as proof it had been handled. They might still face some professional consequences, but they wouldn’t be liable for the financial cost of a priceless artifact.
“You’re serious?” one of them said.
Elyse’s expression didn’t waver. “Do I look like I’m joking p>
That was enough. “All right. We’ll go find the managers now p>
“I’ll be right here p>
She watched them go, and her smile widened the moment they rounded the corner.
She had been carefully constructing a public image for months — fake followers, manufactured cultural authority, a reputation she had paid for rather than earned. But none of it had the weight of a real, verifiable achievement. If she could restore one of the most famous artifacts in the collection, the story would write itself. She would return home a hero. The narrative would erase the doubt that had been quietly following her, and — more importantly — it would give Colton a reason to finally take her seriously enough to go through with the marriage.