I Walked Away And He Lost His Mind (Zephyra and Steven) novel Chapter 317

Even if Oliver was a playboy, his name carried weight. If he promoted my work, my own value would skyrocket. The money from the painting was secondary. Building my own brand, my own power—that was what truly mattered. That was sustainable.

Oliver looked at me, completely taken aback. He had approached me thinking I was just another beautiful object to be bought, but I had turned the tables on him, effectively offering him tens of millions of dollars for his friendship.

His gaze, which had been flirtatious before, was now filled with genuine respect.

“Alright. You’ve got a deal. What’s your name?”

“Zephyra.”

A huge grin spread across his face.

“Beautiful. I’ll make the payment right now! And I’ll make sure that jewelry gets the best promotion you’ve ever seen. I guarantee you’ll be satisfied.”

I smiled, a glint of determination in my eyes. A woman needs her own power. Without it, she’s a target. With it, she’s a partner.

I handed Oliver the ONEIRA piece I had designed for the competition, the one I had originally intended to give to Jonas. He took it, expecting some random trinket, but his eyes widened in surprise as he opened the box. “Wait, isn’t this from the Dream series? I remember reading about it. The designer refused to sell, wouldn’t even meet with anyone. It’s practically a collector’s item. How did you get it?”

Linda looked from the jewelry to me, her expression a mixture of envy and awe.

“Isn’t it obvious? It’s because she…”

I quickly put a hand on her arm, stopping her from revealing my identity. I gestured for Oliver to complete the transactions, and he happily paid off the original owner and transferred the rest to my account. He then scurried off, clutching the painting and my jewelry like precious treasures.

Once he was gone, Linda pried my hand off her arm.

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