I Stopped Loving Him When He Let Me Bleed Out novel Chapter 113

"How do you know about that?" she demanded.

"I have a lot of friends in high places. Word travels fast. Don't worry about how I found out, just tell me—does your hospital need an artist or not?"

Sienna didn't answer.

Isaac definitely needed one.

But... Paxton was one of the most famous young contemporary artists out there. From what Lily had said, his commission fees were astronomical.

Furthermore, he was currently drowning in financial debt.

Was he seeking her out just to secure a gig for himself?

If so, wouldn't he demand an outrageous price?

"We don't have the budget to pay you," she stated bluntly.

"I don't want your money," Paxton replied, his voice humming with suppressed excitement. "I'll do it as a charitable donation. I'll go speak with your hospital directors right now. Actually, I'm already waiting outside Director Harrison's office. I'll tell them you brought me in. You can take all the credit."

"Wait," Sienna stopped him. "Do not go in there."

She took a deep breath.

"Wait for me. I'll be right there."

***

By the time Sienna rushed over to the administration building, Paxton was standing in the corridor.

He wore a pristine white trench coat, his hair pulled back, and held a vibrant bouquet of pink roses.

The visual impact was undeniably striking.

"Dr. Sterling."

Today's Paxton was all smiles, radiating an eager, almost overly attentive charm.

He was the complete opposite of the hostile, arrogant man from The Zane Retrospective.

Sienna stood before him but made no move to accept the flowers.

"Are you really doing this for free?"

"Absolutely free."

"Then what's the catch? What do you want?"

Paxton looked at her, his expression turning dead serious.

"I want your forgiveness."

Sienna remained silent for a few seconds.

"Let's see you get the job done first. Follow me."

She led Paxton straight to Isaac's office.

When they pushed the door open, Isaac was frowning at his computer monitor. He blinked in surprise upon seeing Paxton trailing behind her.

"Isaac, this is Paxton Zane," Sienna introduced. "He's an artist. He says he can take on the mural project."

Paxton stepped forward and extended his hand.

"Director Holloway, it's a pleasure. I heard the hospital is commissioning a mural, and I'd love to take it on. I won't charge a dime. Think of it as a charitable contribution."

Isaac shook his hand briefly before letting go.

His demeanor was cold and distant.

Paxton wanted to offer his services, but Isaac was utterly unappreciative.

She was caught entirely in the middle, trapped in an impossible position.

"Isaac." Sienna finally spoke up, her voice quiet but ringing with clarity. "I took this upon myself. I'm the one who brought Mr. Zane here. It has nothing to do with you. If the administration has a problem with it, they can take it up with me."

Isaac stared at her, maintaining a long, heavy silence.

Paxton looked at her as well. His eyes were wide with a mix of surprise, profound gratitude, and an emotion she couldn't quite decipher.

The office was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"Where's the proposal?" Isaac finally asked.

Paxton blinked for a second before hastily digging a flash drive out of his coat pocket.

"I drafted some initial concepts. Take a look."

Isaac took the drive and plugged it into his computer.

A design sketch popped onto the screen, followed by a second, and then a third.

He clicked through them one by one. His expression shifted from icy indifference to intense focus, and finally, to genuine astonishment.

"When did you put this together?" he asked.

"Last night," Paxton replied. "As soon as I heard about the project, I pulled an all-nighter."

Standing nearby, watching the shift in Isaac's demeanor, the tight knot of anxiety in Sienna's chest finally began to loosen.

At the same time, she was genuinely stunned by the level of dedication and sincerity Paxton had shown.

Her abysmal impression of the artist had just improved by a fraction.