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“Has it sold?” Naomi asked anxiously

Jeff chuckled “Has it ever! To avia phone You know, I thought those no longer existed Anyway, he’s bought your little fantasy thing—they say that billionaires often have eccentric tastes, don’t they? Maybe this one is a Harry Potter fan”

Naoh Jeff seeht one of his carefully curated collection, there was a breathlessness in his voice that made her pause

“Howherself firmly that she’d have to be content with three hundred She’d be able to pay her rent and look for another shitty retail job She couldn’t demand more

“Twenty thousand,” Jeff crooned through the phone

“Fuck,” Nao black for a ht

“You’re joking,” she then said, realizing that there was no way in hell that anyone would pay so s “Fuck you, Jeff, if you kne desperate I am”

There were tears in her eyes, and she was glad that he couldn’t see her through the phone She was just so exhausted She’d worked a twelve hour shift today, and she’d barely slept at night because herup with new horror scenarios of eviction and homelessness

“Baby,” Jeff purred, “I wish I were joking because I seriously have no idea what he sees in that trite sentions aren’t art Still, twenty thousand, now that is art Especially since I’ll get that commission”

Naomi blinked tiredly It felt impossible to process all these news Hadn’t Jeff told her benevolently last week that of course he wouldn’t ask for a cut and he’d take her painting as an act of charity?

She didn’t have that pro, she realized She really should have known better But still Twenty thousand?

“You’re not kidding?” she asked quietly, her heart pounding in her chest

“I wish I was” There was a hint of jealousy in Jeff’s voice “You ets toin person”

Nao like this happening Everyone she was still in contact with from art school was happy to just make ends meet

“Twenty thousand?” she asked again, her voice cracking “For twenty thousand, I’ll wrap it all up with a bow for him”

“To, baby Don’t be late”

Chapter Two: Gregory