[Chapter 64]
The Vyrus belonged to Garrett and it was the kind of motorcycle used for serious racing.
With her face blushing, Natalie inched backward and tightened her coat.
The rest of the ride wasn't bumpy. When they arrived at the so-called boss's villa, Sebastian led her to the front door.
Unbeknown to Natalie, this villa was owned by her allegedly poor husband. It wasn't decorated because he had never lived there.
"Welcome!" A woman who looked about forty years old answered the door at the first ring. She introduced herself as the wife of Sebastian's boss and guided them into the villa.
"Hello, ma'am. What style of wall painting do you want for this villa?"
The wall the woman pointed out wasn't so wide. Thus, Natalie calculated that she could finish painting it today.
"Nothing too complicated. Just make it simple but unique. It should be in grey. I would settle for any style that you choose to paint the rest." The woman took a sip of tea and glanced at Sebastian. She then continued, "I've already bought the buckets of paint and the tools you would need. I'm going shopping with my neighbors later. You just take your time."
She left after showing Natalie the buckets of paint and all the tools.
'Let's get to work!' Natalie charged up herself. She was only free on weekends, so she decided to finish the painting today.
She first tied up her hair into a ponytail. Then, she rolled up her sleeves and put on an apron. She mixed the paint skillfully and began to paint.
"Aren't you going back to work?" she asked curiously after sensing that he was still there.
"No, I took the day off. Let me help you here. I can pass you whatever paint you need." Sebastian took off his jacket and squatted beside the paint buckets.
"Thank you, but there would be no need for that. I can do it myself."
Natalie wanted to be left alone, but she didn't drive him away either. She just concentrated on painting. She didn't even bother to rest for a while.
Some hours later, the sun began to set and the dark rays fell into the room through the window. Everything became orange. It also warmed up Natalie's skin a little.
She stopped painting and swung her right arm which was already aching at this time. When she looked back, she saw that no one was on the sofa.
It seemed that Sebastian had left.
Natalie pouted her lips and lowered her head dejectedly. A second later, she let out a laughter of self-mockery. 'Natalie, you are such a fool. Were you expecting him to wait until you were done? Weren't you the one who declined his help? Tsk-tsk!'
A strange noise suddenly came from the door. She looked up and saw that Sebastian was standing there with some takeout bags in his hands. There was an inexplicable glint in his eyes and a warm smile on his face.
"Were you looking for me? Anyway, I went to get dinner. You have been painting for a long time. I'm sure you must be tired and hungry by now. Come down and eat first."
"Oh, you are still here. I thought you already left," Natalie commented indifferently in a bid to hide her joy. She averted her gaze and continued to paint despite her aching arm.
Sebastian smiled without saying anything. He just opened all the takeout bags and set the table.
The soup was steaming, and the desserts had a strong creamy fragrance.
"Hey, come and eat. You need to rest and refuel your energy. I'll help you paint while you are at it," Sebastian said as he walked to her and grabbed the brush.
It was easy for him to do so because he was taller than her. He raised the brush high when she tried to take it back. She saw his perfectly sculpted jaw as she looked up. The closeness of their bodies gave her butterflies.
At this moment, Natalie had no choice but to go and eat quietly.
While munching on the food, she stole glances at him as he painted.
'How does this man feel about me?
Does he love me? Sometimes he behaves indifferent, but other times, he's so caring like a loving husband. Gosh! How can someone be so hard to read?' she pondered.
Natalie had a small appetite, so she didn't eat much. Sebastian later wolfed down all the leftovers as if he hadn't eaten for a week.
At nine o'clock in the evening, the so-called wife of Sebastian's boss returned to the villa and immediately checked the work Natalie did.
An deep frown appeared on her face as soon as she set her eyes on the wall.
Noticing the woman's unhappiness, Natalie cautiously asked, "Ma'am, are you not happy with the work?"
The woman sat cross-legged on the sofa with a grumpy look on her face. She glanced at the painting on the wall and snorted coldly. "I don't like the colors. Didn't I ask you to keep it simple? Why have you made it so fancy and complicated? And the patterns here don't match the style of my villa. I don't understand what you were thinking. I didn't ask you to fill in random colors. My villa is going to be occupied soon. You're delaying us from moving in."
Natalie explained anxiously, "I have painted according to your requirements. The colors are white and gray, which compliments your villa style. Ma'am, if you're dissatisfied with any aspect of the design, I can change it for you."
The woman sitting on the sofa took a sip of coffee and glanced at Sebastian, who was standing beside Natalie. Her stomach clenched with anticipation.
She didn't know if she had gone too far.
The girl in front of her was the wife of her boss, while she was a mere employee who was called to act in the play. If she weren't arrogant enough, she wouldn't be able to achieve the desired result. Meanwhile, if she were too arrogant, she feared Sebastian might take it personally and get offended.
It was like walking on thin ice.
The man frowned and witnessed everything, without uttering a word.
"How can you change it? I don't like it one bit, and it doesn't meet my requirements. How are you going to change that? Your portfolio looked excellent. I never expected you to do such a terrible job. Now I wonder if the previous works you'd done earlier are authentic or not. It makes me think if you had really drawn them by yourself. This is a disaster! I don't know what to say. Get out of here!"
The woman pointed at the painting on the wall and continued to indicate non-existent faults on purpose. She looked dissatisfied, exhibiting all her acting talent.
Enraged, Natalie began to pack her things. "No one has ever suspected the authenticity of my work. If you are not satisfied with my painting, you better find someone else."