Chapter 166: Bonus Chapter (Project_Hatred): The Charity Banquet
Gold slowly sat down on the luxurious sofa opposite Lucas.
Only then...
Did Lucas finally notice what she had been carrying all this time.
Resting carefully against her legs was a long rectangular package wrapped in protective cloth.
It looked almost like a large picture frame.
Until now...
His attention had been completely drawn to the legendary singer herself.
He hadn’t even realized she had brought something with her.
Lucas’s gaze briefly lingered on the package before returning to Gold.
He didn’t ask about it immediately.
Instead, he quietly waited for her to speak.
Gold clasped her hands together.
She opened her mouth once...
Then closed it again.
Her lips moved slightly as though she wanted to say something, but the words refused to come out.
"...I..."
She stammered softly.
The nervousness in her voice was obvious.
Seeing her reaction, Lucas smiled gently.
"Miss Gold."
"You don’t have to be nervous."
"Just relax."
"You can say whatever’s on your mind."
His calm voice immediately eased the tension in the room.
Gold took a slow breath.
Then another.
Only after calming herself did she finally lift her head.
"Chairman Lucas..."
"I actually came here because..."
"I was hoping..."
"You could help me attend tonight’s business banquet."
The moment Lucas heard those words...
His expression changed slightly.
"...Business banquet?"
He blinked.
For a second...
He genuinely had no idea what she was talking about.
Business banquet?
He didn’t even know there was one tonight.
Seeing the slight change in Lucas’s expression...
Gold’s heart immediately sank.
She misunderstood his reaction.
She thought...
He was about to refuse.
After all...
Bellagio Grand had always been famous for following strict rules.
Without an invitation...
Nobody could simply attend a banquet hosted by one of the city’s top families.
Realizing she might have given Lucas the wrong impression...
Gold hurriedly explained herself.
"I’m sorry."
"I know my request is unreasonable."
"But..."
"I really don’t have another choice."
She lowered her head slightly before beginning her story.
"My father..."
"Failed in business."
"A few years ago..."
"His company went bankrupt."
"He owed an enormous amount of money to creditors."
"The news completely destroyed our family."
Her voice gradually became quieter.
"It felt like..."
"A mountain had fallen onto our shoulders."
"We couldn’t breathe."
"To repay the debts..."
"We sold almost everything we owned."
"Our house."
"Our cars."
"Our investments."
"Even my father’s treasured art collection..."
"Everything was either sold or mortgaged."
She smiled bitterly.
"But even after selling everything..."
"It still wasn’t enough."
Lucas listened silently.
Gold continued.
"At that time..."
"I had only just started becoming successful as an actress."
"Acting..."
"Was something I truly loved."
"It was my dream."
"But dreams..."
"Don’t repay debts."
"So..."
"I gave it up."
Instead...
"I signed with a music company."
"They told me my appearance and voice had great commercial potential."
"They promised to promote me with everything they had."
"They kept that promise."
"My songs became popular."
"My concerts sold out."
"My albums performed extremely well."
She paused briefly before laughing at herself.
"But..."
"Everything I earned belonged to the company."
"According to my contract..."
"They paid me a fixed annual salary."
"Ten million dollars."
"I accepted without hesitation."
"Because at that time..."
"I only wanted one thing."
"To repay my family’s debts as quickly as possible."
Lucas finally understood.
No wonder...
She had suddenly disappeared from the entertainment industry.
She hadn’t retired.
She had simply...
Been trapped.
Gold looked down at the long package beside her.
Her fingers gently brushed across its surface.
"The reason I came here today..."
"Is because I heard..."
"The Reid Group’s banquet tonight includes a charity auction."
"There..."
"There is one item at tonight’s charity auction that I absolutely have to sell."
Her voice became noticeably softer.
"It isn’t just an ordinary painting."
"It’s..."
"My grandfather’s final masterpiece."
She slowly lowered her gaze toward the long wrapped frame she had carried into the office.
Her fingers gently rested on it, almost as though she were afraid someone might damage it.
"It’s a painting..."
"My grandfather painted it shortly before he passed away."
A faint smile appeared on her face.
"My grandfather..."
"Raised me since I was little."
"He loved me more than anyone else."
"I practically grew up in his studio."
"So..."
"This painting..."
"Means more to me than anything else I own."
Her eyes gradually turned red.
"When my father’s company collapsed..."
"We sold almost everything."
"But..."
"I couldn’t bear to part with this painting."
"I kept it hidden all this time."
She gently took a deep breath before continuing.
"My grandfather..."
"Was a world-renowned painter."
"His works are collected by museums and wealthy collectors all over the world."
"Any authenticated painting carrying his signature can easily sell for hundreds of millions..."
"Sometimes even more."
Lucas’ eyes narrowed slightly.
Gold continued,
"But..."
"My grandfather never signed this painting."
"He said it was painted purely for our family."
"So he deliberately left it unsigned."
"Because of that..."
"The Reid Group has absolutely no idea who the artist is."
"They simply think it’s an ordinary landscape painting."
"They don’t know they’re holding a masterpiece."
A trace of determination appeared in her beautiful eyes.
"That’s why..."
"I want to take it to tonight’s auction."
"As long as the right collectors see it..."
"Someone is bound to recognize my grandfather’s brushwork."
"Once that happens..."
"The painting’s true value will finally be revealed."
She tightly gripped the edge of the frame.
"If everything goes well..."
"It could sell for enough money..."
"To save my family’s company."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"But..."
"I don’t have an invitation."
"And without one..."
"I can’t even enter the banquet hall."
She looked at Lucas with pleading eyes.
"So..."
"I was hoping..."
"You could help me get inside."
"I don’t need anything else."
"I only need..."
"A chance."
After saying those final words...
Gold slowly lowered her head once again.
The office became completely silent.
She quietly waited for Lucas’s response, afraid that the last hope she had been desperately holding onto would disappear before she even reached the auction.
After listening to Gold’s entire story, Lucas rubbed the bridge of his nose.
He let out a quiet sigh.
Another banquet...
Another family crisis...
It seemed everyone around him was carrying burdens far heavier than they appeared on the surface.
To be honest...
This wasn’t exactly good news for him either.
The biggest problem was...
He didn’t even know anything about tonight’s banquet.
Looking back at Gold, Lucas smiled reassuringly.
"Don’t worry."
"I’ll handle it."
"I can’t promise anything just yet..."
"Because I honestly don’t know much about tonight’s banquet."
"But I’ll figure it out."
"If I can arrange it..."
"I’ll personally take you there."
The tension in Gold’s shoulders immediately eased.
Her anxious expression softened, and relief filled her beautiful eyes.
"Thank you, Chairman Lucas."
"You’ve already helped me more than enough."
She smiled sincerely.
At least now...
She finally had hope.
Seeing that dazzling smile up close...
Lucas suddenly felt a little embarrassed.
After hesitating for a few seconds, he scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
"...Um..."
"Can I ask you for one small favor?"
Gold blinked curiously.
"What is it?"
Lucas coughed lightly before speaking.
"...Could I take a picture with you?"
After all...
She had once been one of his favorite celebrities.
Meeting her in person already felt unbelievable.
If he missed this chance...
He would probably regret it for years.
Gold was momentarily surprised.
Then she couldn’t help smiling.
She never imagined...
The chairman of Bellagio Grand simply wanted a photo with her.
Without the slightest hesitation, she nodded.
"Of course."
"It would be my pleasure."
Just as Lucas happily picked up his phone and was about to stand beside her...
His phone suddenly began vibrating.
Buzz...
Buzz...
The caller ID flashed across the screen.
That bastard Mason.
Lucas twitched at the corner of his mouth.
"...He really knows how to ruin the timing."
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