Chapter 118
Lila lifted her gaze and calmly asked, “Let me just ask you this: if it’s real, can you afford to pay for it?”
Leyla scoffed dismissively. “Show me the receipt first.”
There was no way she believed that old equipment was worth so much. And what was even more absurd to her was how Lila could possibly afford something so expensive.
Lila gave a slight nod. “I don’t have the receipt.”
Laughter erupted immediately from the crowd.
“Serves her right,” Leyla thought. Lila would embarrass herself thoroughly today.
“So what?” Leyla’s smugness was no longer hidden. “Are you going to claim it’s still worth that much even without a receipt? Lila, there should be a limit to exaggeration.
“500 thousand? For this? Ha! Did you come here to tell us jokes because you thought the crew needed some entertainment? You’re killing me!” She couldn’t help but burst into laughter at the end.
A few others in the crew watching the drama unfold also revealed disdainful expressions.
“Dorian must have dumped her because of how shameless she is,” they thought.
Leonard frowned slightly. This was getting troublesome. Should he inform Kieran and let him handle it?
Someone in the crowd called out, “Lila, enough already! If this keeps going, you’ll only embarrass yourself more!”
Lila scanned the faces around her and spotted a familiar figure not far away.
Kieran stood tall, with broad shoulders and a trim waist. His impeccable demeanor and tailored black suit exuded a restrained elegance. His sharp features and deep-set eyes made him captivating.
When their eyes met, his usually cool gaze softened with a touch of warmth.
She blinked, a sense of comfort washing over her. For some reason, he always gave her an unshakable sense of security.
Even though he stood there doing nothing, just looking at him calmed her heart. His eyes signaled her to take her time and handle things at her own pace.
She lowered her gaze slightly, the corners of her mouth curving into a faint smile. She turned to Leonard. “Mr. Lawson, may I borrow someone for a moment?” Without waiting for an answer, she beckoned toward the chief photographer, Ryker Workman. “Mr. Workman, could you help me out?”
Ryker, quietly observing the drama, pointed to himself in surprise. “Me?”
He had wanted to speak up earlier but decided against it to avoid trouble. She nodded and handed him the camera. “Could you appraise this for me?”
The crowd’s expressions shifted.
Ryker was known in the industry for his obsession with cameras he cared more about them than his own son. If anyone could assess the camera’s value, it would be him.
Could Lila actually be telling the truth?
For a moment, Leyla felt a flicker of panic.
“I’ve never seen this lens before,” Ryker said, immediately focusing on the camera lens.
For photographers, lenses were always the most critical element.
His words momentarily eased Leyla’s nerves. She was barely holding back her laughter now.
The others had similar expressions of disbelief.
What was Lila trying to pull? She really knew how to stir things up.
Someone in the crowd sneered. “Lila, we all know you used to be Dorian’s favorite, but now that he’s dumped you, you’re just looking for ways to cash in, huh? This is just you making outrageous demands!”
The scorn in their tone reached its peak.
Jamie had been quietly observing Lila, convinced by her composure. Upon hearing those words, she couldn’t hold back anymore.
“What nonsense are you spouting? Were your ears clogged during that live stream? It was Dorian begging to get back with her, not her! Anyway, Mr. Workman only said he hasn’t seen the lens before there are other components to check, aren’t there?”
She didn’t understand much about cameras, but she trusted Lila.
Teddy chimed in as well, “Exactly! At least let Mr. Workman finish looking before jumping to conclusions.”
Leyla was visibly annoyed that people were speaking up for Lila. Perhaps out of impatience, her tone came across as almost scolding. “Mr. Workman, are you done yet?”