Chapter Eight

Bella

"What did you two talk about, Bella? You seemed deep in conversation with Daniel," Mary asked as soon as I returned to her, and on hearing Daniel’s name, my mood worsened.

"Well, Mary, I was hoping to talk to you alone," I replied, leading her away from the other guests.

"What's going on, Bella? You seem upset. Did something happen with Daniel? Did the talk about your work not go well?" Mary asked, looking concerned.

"Yeah, something happened, and I got to confirm that he's exactly the kind of rich prick that I try to avoid. He was so full of himself, and I had to hold myself back from putting him in his place because you know me, Mary, and you know precisely the type of people I don’t like," I said, feeling frustrated.

"I don't understand Bella; what exactly did he say or do that was so bad?" Mary asked, confused.

"After you left, I explained one of my paintings to him, simply because he said something about wanting to understand art, and all that bullshit. Okay fine, I explain to him, and you won’t believe what the man had the audacity to do. He immediately offered to buy the painting just seconds after my explanation, and he insisted, even after I told him it wasn't for sale. He repeatedly asked me to name my price," I explained.

Mary burst out laughing. "Bella, I'm sorry, but I don't see how that's a bad thing. He liked your work and wanted to support you," she said, still chuckling.

"I don't find it funny at all, Mary. It's disrespectful and manipulative. He was just trying to use his money to get me to sell my work," I said, feeling frustrated.

Mary's laughter subsided. "I understand how you feel, Bella, but try to see it from his perspective too. He probably saw something special in your work and wanted to own it. It doesn't mean he was disrespecting you," she explained.

"I apologize for laughing earlier, Bella, but I find what you just said quite amusing. I never thought I would meet someone who would get so upset when someone offered to buy their work at any price they wanted. I understand that his persistence might have gotten on your nerves, but I did warn you that Daniel can be difficult to deal with, and his persistence is one of the things that make him so challenging," Mary said, and I almost rolled my eyes.

"I'm surprised that he's even offering to buy your work. He's never offered to buy any of my other students' or artists' work, and when he bought mine, it was only out of courtesy for our friendship. So, forgive me if I can't see why you're upset," she added, and I couldn’t believe her.

I was astonished that Mary, of all people, didn't understand why I was upset. She knew that none of the paintings were for sale, and Daniel's persistence was disrespectful, especially after I told him that I wasn't interested in selling my work. He had flaunted the fact that he had enough money to purchase it, which was insulting as it felt like he saw me as someone desperate enough to accept his offer.

"How can you not comprehend how I'm feeling, Mary?" I exclaimed. "None of the paintings on display are for sale, remember? When he first asked to buy them, I explained that they weren't for sale and that the paintings that were going to be sold were not yet on display. But he persisted. He even hinted at me that he was someone who liked to get whatever he wanted, which was both threatening and foolish,"

"I don't know what to say to you, Bella," Mary sighed, frustrated.

"I'm afraid you might be offended, but you need to learn how things work in business and this part of the world," she continued. "I understand that Daniel's persistence was upsetting, and he should apologize for that, but you will eventually have to sell your work. The best thing you could have done was simply explain to him that it can't be sold at the moment because it still has to be displayed. But once the exhibitions are over, you can sell it to him,"

"If he still insists on buying it after your explanations, you can apologize and walk away, telling him that you need to see other clients. I don't think you should be upset because somebody wants to buy your painting. It is something that you will likely experience as an artist, and no artist should be upset when someone wants to buy their painting," Mary advised.

"I understand what you're saying, but it still doesn't excuse his disrespectful behavior toward me," I replied, frustration evident in my voice.

"I completely understand that, but the reality is that as an artist, you'll most likely encounter people like him again. People who may not understand or appreciate art but still want to purchase your work. It's important to learn how to handle these situations professionally, Bella" Mary responded.

I took a moment to consider her words and realized that she had a valid point. It was frustrating, but ultimately, a potential sale was a good thing.

"You're right. I should have handled the situation better and not let my emotions get the best of me," I admitted.

"Exactly. And don't worry, I'll introduce you to other clients and I hope that your behavior towards them is different if they offer to purchase your work," Mary said, flashing me a smile before leading us back to the event to meet with some of her other friends.

As we walked, I made a mental note to keep my emotions in check in the future and to remember that even if someone wasn't necessarily an art lover, it didn't diminish the value of my work and that I couldn’t afford to get upset and jeopardize my career.