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Amelia panicked and denied it vehemently.
"No, no, I want to."
She nodded vigorously and leaned in to kiss Connor.
Right in front of the statue that entombed my corpse, their kiss deepened, the wet, noisy sounds of their passion echoing in the quiet studio.
They didn't notice this sculpture was significantly larger than any I had ever created.
Watching Connor step right into the trap,I smiled.
I looked up at the ceiling and thought, just you wait.
The day of the final judging arrived, but I was nowhere to be seen.
"Did he get cold feet?"
"Always said he was a fraud. No guts to face Connor again!"
"Probably too scared of the humiliation!"
The mocking voices rose and fell.
Connor even pretended to defend me.
"Everyone, please, let's be charitable. Maybe Vincent let's be charitable something truly groundbreaking!"
"However, it is a shame that Vincent is wasting everyone's valuable time."
"Allow me to present my piece first!"
Connor walked up to the draped sculpture and pulled the cloth away with a theatrical flourish.
As the curtain fell, the entire venue fell into a stunned silence.
For a moment, everyone was breathless, captivated by the statue's artistry.
It depicted a scene from Greek mythology, the abduction of Persephone.
Persephone, daughter of Zeus and Demeter, was seized by Hades, god of the underworld,while she was picking flowers, taken to be his queen.
The sculpture captured the very moment of "abduction."
The most praiseworthy aspect was the exceptional skill.
The marble seemed soft as skin, the flow of hair and fabric, even the indentation of Hades's fingers on her skin and a single tear on the goddess's cheek were rendered with meticulous detail.
I softly uttered the title.
"Abduction."
This was the first layer of the meaning—represented the wrongs Connor had done to me.
Of course, he was completely oblivious.
Connor stood before the statue, chest puffed out, explaining proudly.
"This piece is called 'Eternal Love,' inspired by my beloved, my muse, Amelia..."
He couldn't finish. A clear, sharp crack echoed through the hall, cutting him off.
All eyes snapped back to the statue. The flawless marble masterpiece was cracking.
The fractures spread like spiderwebs, stone dust falling like rain. As large chunks of the outer shell broke away, a second layer within the statue was gradually revealed.
It was an even more exquisitely carved, its lines fluid and delicate, the surface polished to a jade-like smoothness.
However, when the inner statue was fully exposed, the audience gasped in unison—for the face it bore was unmistakably mine!
Connor's face froze solid. He was rendered speechless.
He had just confidently told everyone the statue was inspired by his "beloved," but now—my face was staring back at them!
At first, the audience was still marveling at the technical brilliance.
"Incredible! A sculpture within a sculpture! What a twist!"
"Now this is meta-art! Dual creation, layered narrative!"
But as more people processed the reveal, the atmosphere in the hall grew strange and heavy.
Someone began to whisper, voice laced with confusion,
"Wait a minute... hold on. Didn't he say the inspiration was his beloved? Why does it have Vincent's face?"
Another voice, tinged with dawning realization, added,
"Does... does Connor have some kind of obsession with Vincent?"
A profound, bewildered silence fell over the venue.
