Chapter 5.2

No matter how kind Baroness Vendons is, she will surely give me a letter of dismissal as soon as she knows it.

If she could not accuse Brad, she would have to pay back all the model fees she received to stop the sale of this nude painting—even if she couldn’t return the full amount right away.

“I’ll get it somehow and return it, so contact them and tell them that you can’t sell it right away.”

“But Liv…”

Their conversation couldn’t go on. It was because they heard someone walking up the stairs. Liv hurriedly covered the canvas with cloth again. Meanwhile, Brad opened the door while stealing glances carefully at her.

Outside the door stood a man in a neat employee’s uniform. Liv instinctively recognized that the man was a servant of the man who bought the painting.

“I’m here to pick up the order.”

“I’m afraid I can’t sell it, sir.”

Liv quickly stepped forward before Brad could say anything.

“It’s a painting in which the model doesn’t agree upon.”

The servant paused for a moment at her words. Then he looked back at Brad and said insensitively.

“I came to receive the painting as my master told me to. I can’t get involved in anything other than that.”

“Then who should I talk to? I can’t give you the painting right now.”

Liv replied again, but the servant’s eyes were fixed on Brad.

“Mr. Brad, didn’t you say we could come and pick it up today? My master is waiting in the carriage now.”

“Yes, yes… I, you are right, but…”

Rolling his eyes, Brad, who was wary of Liv and the servant, stuttered.

“I-I need some time to reach an agreement with the model, so if you give me a few days…”

“Brad!”

Liv, who was surprised, tried to correct Brad’s words again, but the servant nodded calmly first.

“I’ll tell my master that for now.”

Liv stared at the servant, who turned around, with stunned eyes. Brad was trying to persuade Liv somehow while wiping the sweat pouring down with a handkerchief. However, Brad’s words didn’t come into Liv’s ear.

She did block the painting from getting taken away with a force, but after doing that, she felt out of her mind at the thought of returning the model fee.

How much money do I have left?

It won’t be enough even if I collect them all. Do I have no choice but to look for something to sew?

Then what about the additional payment of rent this month?

“Come on, Liv! Let’s just… Oh, my. What brings you here again, sir!”

Liv, who was standing blankly in confusion and hopelessness, turned her head in an instant. The servant, who turned his back a while ago, was standing at the door again.

“My master said he would meet and listen to it in person.”

Did he say he was waiting in the carriage? He went to receive the painting in person, but because the schedule was messed up, he might be angry. There was a sense of perplexment and despair in Liv’s face.

She didn’t know who the master the servant was talking about, but considering that the buyers of paintings were usually the wealthy upper class, the master was probably of that class as well. If he was angry and would hold them accountable in any way, they would have no choice but to get on the ground.

As if Brad also guessed that his customer was angry, he quickly picked up his coat with a pale, strangled face.

“Oh, yes! I will go down right—”

“No, not you Mr. Brad.”

The servant, who bluntly stopped Brad from talking, turned to Liv.

“He wanted to hear the reason for the rejection from the model. Of course, he added that due to the nature of the work, the identity of the model will be kept secret. Is it possible?”

Liv’s shoulders stiffened. Brad cut in with an awkward smile on behalf of Liv, who was frozen and couldn’t even breathe.

“The-the model doesn’t want to show up…”

The servant sighed as he narrowed his brows. The insensitive voice revealed that he was slowly becoming annoyed by this situation.

“If that’s impossible, you can return the price of the painting right away. Or you can give the picture as originally planned.”

I can’t let that happen.

A flash of thought moved the hardened tongue.

“How much did the painting cost?”

“Wait!”

Brad grabbed Liv’s arm urgently. Brad, who pulled her into a corner, whispered, lowering his voice to the fullest.

“I don’t have any money right now. It’s already gone.”

“What?”

“I needed to use it in a hurry…”

“Did you gamble again?”

Looking at Brad’s hesitating response, the situation was as clear as day even if she didn’t listen to it any more. Liv looked at Brad with a speechless look and glanced secretly at the servant. He calmly pulled out a note, as if he had not expected to receive the money right now.

“I can’t let my master wait any longer. Visit before evening.”

The servant left for real this time. And Liv had to look down at the note that the servant had left for a long time, standing at a loss.

It was a note written with an unknown address only.