Roxy didn't respond other than glancing at Rian. In city B, she was in an Elite school for less than six months. Only that period of time she wasn't bullied or bad-mouthed by anybody and she respected those classmates greatly for that. Hence she thought Rian doesn't know how the world treats people like her.

Soon enough, Teacher Sherman, a middle-aged man reached the hall and his eyes gazed over the students who were sitting and anxiously waiting for him. He didn't waste time in the introduction and directly jumped to action ignoring the pleasantries.

​​

"Guys, it's 9 in the morning now, I am giving you twelve hours time, you can use it completely or finish in an hour, that's your wish, I will check at evening nine. Your first task... Any art style portrait. Get going."

Many were disappointed immediately whoever expected him to give statues or objects to paint. Whereas Rian closed his eyes to think whom to paint and the first one came to his mind was Roxy's confused face and he threw his eyelids open in horror, 'What the hell!'

Roxy who saw teacher Sherman leaving was about to turn to Rian but heard a loud voice, "Ms.Stephen! What are you doing here?" The voice carried a hint of surprise.

Excluding Rian, all were surprised to discover George Sherman knew Roxy's name. Roxy stood up and responded clearly, "Teacher Sherman, I would like to participate too."

George nodded and remarked as he moved out, "You don't have a choice of teacher other than me so don't stress out." His stern voice faded as he walked further away but the other students started gasping or exclaiming or speaking about her that raised a frown on her face.

Rian pulled her down to sit and saw her gaze wandering on the ground, "Don't bother about others."

Roxy hummed with faint smiling before picking up the paint palette. She looked at her left and decided who she is going to paint - Rian.

Whereas Rian smirked remembering Aria's smile. He was so well adapted to paint Aria that he could easily make out the different expressions of her face.

Rian soon got to know Roxy was painting him and she got to know he was painting Aria. She wasn't jealous but she looked forward to seeing if he could really outstand himself without Aria by his side.

She had once tried to paint Aria but always found flaws in her painting so she anticipated how well he could make out and how many trials he needed to perfect his painting.

---

Roxy grabbed lunch for both and ate in the hall taking a short break whereas some ate and finished their painting and a few continued paint without taking a break.

It was in the evening seven, Rian stretched himself completing the painting, and turned to Roxy's painting. His jaws dropped looking at four portraits of him in a single canvas. There were serious, curious, laughing, and funny faces that he makes around the Fourie. She hadn't focused on the background focusing on his facial expression.

Roxy was stunned looking at Rian's completely detailed painting. Hair, eyebrows, eye, eyelashes, or the curve of Aria's lips felt like Aria was sitting in front of him and smiling instead of thinking of it as a painting.

She saw him taking pictures and sent it to somebody. She was thinking he might have sent it to his friends but his mobile rang soon and heard him say, "Bro, want it?"

[Lamborghini's new edition hybrid sports car.] Roxy heard the faint yet serious tone of Alan who was ready to get the painting at any cost by pleasing his own younger brother.

Rian chuckled hearing him, he just loves how his elder brother wants everything related to his little devil. [You exactly know what I want. I will courier soon.]

If somebody unknown hears them speaking they might think like Rian pants Aria for getting expensive things or favors but Roxy knew well that wasn't the case. Rian loves his brother and Aria way too much.

'Will I be able to get the same importance?' She thought to herself and sighed deeply. Even if she gets ten percent of it, she would be delighted.

Rian looked at his painting in satisfaction. Before he learned to paint, he was sketching Aria, and after he learned and practiced he still liked to paint her. Aria might have beaten him for drawing her ugly but she never said no whenever he wanted a model to paint. If not his family, the strong unwavering support is his Little Devil.

---

Both had dinner before going to the hall at nine where the teacher Sherman went to check on the paintings. All the paintings were arranged on the wall for easier display.

All noticed that the teacher was just sparing a glance at the painting and moved without watching or selecting one. When he saw Roxy's painting, he paused and checked it without knowing it as Roxy's painting and cued his assistant to call the artist behind it.

The assistant checked his entry and called the name "Roxy Stephen." which caused the teacher to turn to her in appreciation. He selected three more in them one was Freya Reid who snorted looking at Roxy standing in the same row.

Rian was afraid Teacher Sharmon might not react to his painting when George Sharmon was passing nearing his painting, he started to pray so that George Sharmon would take him as his apprentice.

George Sharmon paused and the painting and a surprising glint passed on his face. He didn't queue his assistant but said, "Rian Morgan?"

Including the assistant, all gasped, and turned to Rian who was frozen. There was no name on the painting and he couldn't understand how George knew his name. Another student pushed him to front, seeing him unreactive.

George nodded, moving his finger indicating Rian to join the selected students' group while others were damn curious to know how the top artist knows a novice painter.

Roxy guessed saying it in low voice to lost Rian, "I think he must have seen your hundred million worth painting." Rian shook his head in denial coming out of his daze. George wasn't somebody who would check on paintings of a young artist who barely made a name nationally.

Freya who stood on the other side of Rian smiled shyly swaying her body. Rian hated one who tried to act cute to get his attention and Freya was exactly doing it causing him to repel more and more.

Roxy rolled her eyes and remarked in the lowest voice possible, "I am creeping out now."

Freya lost her cool in no time mishearing, 'she creeps me out now.' and her voice raised grabbing everyone's attention "Who the f**k do you think you are? Just because Teacher Sherman and Rian are good with you doesn't erase the fact that you are just a stray cat. You are rich parents' daughter is just a rumor and you think I can't get it."

Freya had asked her rich father to gather information about Roxy Stephen when she got to know Rian's girlfriend is Roxy. Since the report said she doesn't have rich parents and she is an orphan.

If she was a boy, Rian would have punched on her face yet he was about to react, 'Pak'

Roxy didn't hold back and slapped her without a second thought when all the students started murmuring about her. She had thought nobody would care about her and she wouldn't be bullied in the name of parents but when this leaked, she was sure now all will join in soon.

George who was checking the painting had turned to the trio by Freya's shrill tone and witnessed everything. "What is going on?" His overbearing tone silenced everyone but Freya started crying, breaking off her blazing glare at Roxy.

"Teacher Sherman, she slapped me. She is bullying me." Roxy almost rolled her eyes looking at how fluently Freya acted.

Before George, his assistant spoke, "Ms.Reid, we don't entertain your loose tongue or act of frail. Mind what you speak and respect others if you don't want to be expelled from here."

George understood the situation and warned, "You- whoever you are, this is the last warning. If I get to a single complaint, I will make sure none of the teachers consider taking you under them." It was very obvious he was protecting Roxy who pursed her lips and lowered her head.

Her guardian in country A was George Sherman who knew about her parents and signed the required papers as her guardian for the admission process. But they didn't reveal it to anybody because society and people easily think of her as his sugar baby or assume as she is giving him physical favors.

Freya looked at teacher Sherman and glared at Roxy before running out in embarrassment. Now, even if she wanted to hurt Roxy, it became difficult to avenge.

Rian rubbed Roxy's back looking at her down, "It's alright. Ignore them. We meet every kind of person but we have to learn to handle it." Then he doubted his own words, 'From when did I start talking all these?'

Amused, he patted her back and stood silently until a total of ten students were selected and the rest left in disappointment.

When all thought George was going to seriously speak about the upcoming classes, he asked Roxy pointing to Rian, "Do you love Rian Morgan?"

Roxy glanced at Rian and nodded, "I do."

George nodded and turned to Rian, "And he loves somebody else."

Rian's lips twitched. They were talking about the love between man and woman so he cared to respond, "The girl in the painting is my little devil and my sister-in-law. Roxy is my..."

George brows rose higher hearing Rian and cut in, "No doubt they tortured me for a year now."

'They?' All were confused after hearing him. Rian and Roxy looked at each other.