Chapter 23: Maybe
"God, what happened to this place? Wasn’t it supposed to be the heart of the city’s art scene? Now it just looks... pathetic."
Susanne Hyde wrinkled her nose in disdain, her sharp gaze sweeping over the vibrant street. She turned her head from side to side, lips pursed as if she could smell the decay of what she considered true art.
"Ugh, just look at this mess... Do you think I’ll even find anything worth my time?"
"Why are you even bothering?" a second voice chimed in, flat with disinterest.
Anna recognized it immediately—Rachel Walsh. Susanne’s only so-called real friend, though that word was generous. Rachel was one of the most bitter young women Anna had ever encountered, and that was saying something, considering she had Aunt Lilian in her life.
Rachel was neither intelligent nor talented, nor did she care to be. Her days revolved around spending her family’s wealth on overpriced cocktails, luxury vacations, and clinging to Susanne like an obedient lapdog.
"What do you mean, why?" Susanne scoffed, throwing her arms up in exaggerated exasperation. "This is how people make serious money these days. You buy art from some unknown wannabe, talk it up to the right people, make sure a few rich idiots take notice, and—bam! The artist skyrockets to fame, their work starts selling for millions, and suddenly, you’re sitting on a goldmine."
Rachel let out a dramatic sigh, rolling her eyes so hard it was a wonder they didn’t get stuck.
"But these people aren’t selling their work for dirt-cheap prices," she huffed, placing her hands on her hips as she scanned the street with evident boredom. "Even this kind of art will cost you a few thousand apiece. Where exactly are you planning to get the money?"