Chapter 63

"Dustin, what did you do?" Clara gritted her teeth, her voice laced with bitterness. She loved art and the spotlight it afforded her, relishing the titles and adoration. As the darling of the art world, her career had been exceptionally smooth since her debut. Top masters sought her out for mentorship, a fact that shocked the world. She considered herself a prodigy, blessed with innate talent. But today, everything was ruined. All her associations had expelled her; all her mentors had abandoned her. Her path in the art world was completely blocked. After the masters' pronouncements, no one would accept her work. They deemed it mediocre—the final judgment. Escape seemed impossible; it felt like a curse. Clara blamed Dustin for her downfall.

"You brought this on yourself," Dustin replied indifferently. The onlookers' reactions were mixed. Many had mocked and laughed when he tore up Clara's calligraphy, but now, it seemed he had been right.

"Miss Clara, do you wish to continue the auction?" a staff member asked cautiously.

Clara gritted her teeth. "Let's continue!" she said firmly, though inwardly she didn't believe it. Even with the masters' pronouncements, she refused to believe everyone would shun her work. After all, many fans remained in the audience. Many cared about her "Goddess of Art" title, but not genuinely about her art. She believed her wealthy, somewhat dim-witted fans would still support her. She had brought five pieces; two had been auctioned, leaving three.

The auction continued. Several works by renowned masters followed, selling for impressive prices.

"Next is Miss Clara's painting, The Lotus Picker in East Lake. The starting price… Miss Clara has requested no starting bid," the host announced. Clara lacked confidence this time. Her previous works started at ten thousand dollars, but this piece had no limit; she wanted to quickly regain momentum.

Silence fell. No one bid. Clara looked hopefully at the fans who had once defended her against Dustin, particularly the wealthy ones for whom millions were pocket change. But she was disappointed. No one offered a single penny.

How's this happening? Why is no one bidding? Is my work really worthless? Clara thought, her face paling, her breath catching in her throat. Tears welled up. Her usually enthusiastic fans, who claimed they'd do anything for her, were silent.

Clara's teary gaze settled on Michael. Her desperation was palpable. Michael shivered, avoiding her eyes. He wanted to support her; he wasn't broke. But a recently received text message chilled him to the bone:

[If you dare to bid for Clara's works, you'll be kicked out of the inheritance and the family.]

The text was from his father. He suspected other wealthy heirs faced similar threats. Michael was shocked. What had caused such chaos among prominent families? The Carson family, prestigious in Central Harbor and a top power in Lovellia, what could make his father so cautious? The threat of disinheritance highlighted the gravity of the situation.