Chapter 74


    Justin once again stared at Serene’s picture with their children. They happily ate at a family diner in


    New York. He let out a sigh. The photo had been with him for the past two years. Since then, there had


    been no news about her or their children. Justin’s heart tightened. His children were probably four or


    five years old now. He had been longing to see them for the past four years.


    Each day and night he wondered how they were, especially Serene. Did she get married? The thought


    of her marrying another man was a torture he endured every day.


    A gentle knock on the door brought him back to reality. He put the photo back in his drawer before


    saying, “Come in.”


    When the door opened, a tall, modelesque woman came in. Anyone who saw her would describe her


    as sophisticated and beautiful. Anyone but him. Since he knew Serene, no one had evere even


    second to her beauty as far as he’s concerned.


    “Justin,” Crystal Smith shed her toothy smile as she walked towards Justin’s table.


    “What brought you here?” he asked with a slight irritation in his voice, which she simply ignored. Since


    Chester and Bryan had their son through IVF and surrogacy, ina and Nick had bothered him with his


    rtionship status. They used to just leave that part of his life alone. However, since Nick’s terminal


    conditionst year, his parents had taken drastic steps to get him to tie the knot. Crystal Smith was the


    drastic move. His parents forced their engagement in guise of furthering their business.


    The Smiths were the forerunners in the jewelry business, and Rain International had recently ventured


    into this line of business. Having him marry Crystal would strengthen their market foothold.


    “Well, Aunt ina’s new favorite artist and my favorite fashion designer just recently coborated for an


    art exhibit. Aunt and I would like to see the exhibit --”


    “what does that have to do with me?” he rudely cut her off.


    “Well, Aunt ina wanted you to be mypanion,” she said in a saulty voice, and looked at him from


    behind hershes. She knew she looked attractive when she did this trick, she’s yet to see a man who


    could resist it.


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    “Dn can go with you,” he declined.


    His answer surprise and hurt Crystal. She bit her red lips and looked at him. “Actually, Chairman Nick


    had requested it,” she said, name dropping his father. She knew that once he knew his father


    requested it, Justin would give in.


    Justin looked her up and down with irritation but said, “When and where?”


    “Tomorrow night, Hotel Le Grande,” she said, smiling.


    Justin simply nodded and returned to his work. Ignored, Crystal took it as her cue to leave. One day at


    a time, she said to herself. She had known Justin since they were children and had admired him for as


    long as she could remember. He had always been distant to her but now; she had a chance to be with


    him, she just needed to endure his cold treatment, because eventually, he would have no other choice


    but to marry her. She smiled at the thought that one day, her dream wille true, she will be Mrs.


    Justin Rain.


    Seeing her leave, Justin lets out the breath he’s been holding. He hated the guts of that starlet. When


    she could not get what she wanted using ina’s name, she dropped Nick’s name like a bomb.


    The following day, he came to the Rain mansion to pick up ina. To his surprise, Crystal was also


    there. Chester, Bryan and Dn were also dressed to the asion. His and Dn’s eyes met. He


    clenched his jaws and approached his mother.


    “We need so many people for an art show?” he said, not hiding his sarcasm.


    “Oh, shush it. Felicity Pax is a celebrated new artist. She’s a big hit in New York, and it’s really a big


    thing in the local art scene that she’s holding an exhibit here.” she exined to her son, a bit of


    exasperation in her voice. How could she not miss the sarcasm in his tone?


    “Whatever, Mom,” he said, rolling his eyes.


    The group went to Hotel Le Grande in two separate cars. Dn joined Bryan and Chester, while he


    drove for his mother and Crystal.


    True to his mother’s word, when they arrived in Hotel Le Grande, the art world’s bigwigs gathered in


    one of the function halls. Each holding a ss of champagne as they talked to each other while they


    wait for the exhibit to open.


    Through the brief description in their brochure, he gathered the exhibit was called Fabric and Canvass.


    His eyes widened and darted to Dn as he read further. The exhibit was a coboration between New


    York-based artist Felicity Pax and local designer Mary Lewis.


    Dn’s eyes scanned the crowd for the familiar figure he held in his heart in the past five years. It’s her


    exhibit. They had not seen each other since their breakup, and his heart pounded at the thought that


    he’d see her again.


    The event’s host called everyone’s attention just a few minutes before they arrived. Starting the


    ceremony, the host asked the event’s main artists for a few words.


    Mary’s face projected on stage as she exined the idea behind the show. Dn did not listen to any


    of the words she said, but simply stared at her. She had not changed a bit. The mere sight of her still


    made his heart beat.


    The more Mary exined the story behind the exhibit, the tighter Justin’s chest felt. She and her friend


    had always dreamed about coborating - she as a clothing designer, and her friend as a visual artist.


    Was Serene the friend she mentioned?


    After Mary finished. The host called the artist responsible for the canvases on disy. Justin fixed his


    eyes on the makeshift stage. His heart beating wildly in his chest. His hand holding the brochure


    clenched tightly.


    His heart sank when he saw the tall and slender woman who called herself Felicity Pax. He did not


    recognize her at all. He thought Mary was referring to Serene when she said that it was hers and her


    friend’s dream to have such a coboration, but he was wrong. Clearly, the co-exhibitor was another


    friend of Mary’s.


    After the introductions, the guests walked around the function hall to observe the exhibit. Dn left their


    group to look for Mary.


    ina and Crystal checked each disy while hezily tailed them. Color drained from his face when


    he saw a painting at the end of the hall. The huge painting almost upied half of the wall and to the


    side of it, a mannequin wearing a ballgown. The gown’s color was that of the sunset. Its manyyers


    showed the different shades of the sky during the sunset.


    However, what elicited such powerful feelings from him was not the gown’s fabric design, rather the


    painting behind it. Simr to the gown, it also showed a sunset. This time, it’s reflected through a


    room’s window. And in front of the window was a giant bean bag where a catzily slept. And if one


    were to examine, a man leaving the room reflected from the window’s ss.


    His heart beat wildly in his chest. He could not be wrong, the room in the painting was very familiar to


    him. He visited it each night and had changed nothing in the past five years. Clearly, it’s Serene’s


    studio in Magnolia Crescent. The painting was very detailed, it’s like he stood inside her studio. It’s as if


    one was staring in a photograph rather than a painting.


    “Kitty Cat,” he murmured. It had been a long time since hest said it. Recalling how he used to call


    Serene this way made his eyes water. He cleared his throat, then continued to look at the painting.


    Focusing on the reflection, he couldn’t be mistaken, that’s him. He’s walking out of the room.


    He felt sad at the thought. The painting depicted him leaving the room like the way he left her five years


    ago. Was this painting their story?


    He scanned the room for a familiar figure but did not find what he was looking for.


    “I’m afraid this one’s for disy only and is not for sale,” a soft voice cut off his thoughts. He nced in


    the voice’s direction.


    “Felicity Pax?” he inquired.


    “Uh-hum” she nodded, making Justin arch his brow.


    “It’s such a realistic painting, Ms. Pax. I wonder what was your inspiration for this specific piece.”


    Vivienne swallowed her saliva at the question. She had not encountered such a question in all the


    years she posed for Serene. More often, the spectators would move on to the next frame after she


    mentioned it’s not for sale.


    “There are just random scenes, I’ve conjured. I’m more focused on technique than sentiment,” she


    exined.


    “Right, more on the technique.” he said, nodding and scratching his chin. “Ms. Pax, I’m interested to


    see some more of your work, your studio is…”


    “In New York but I’ve put up a gallery in Coast City two years ago,” she said smiling, relieved that he


    bought the impromptu exnation she whipped up. She made a mental note to ask Serene the


    inspiration for each of her work, in case a simr situation happens in the future.


    “Coast City?” Justin’s brows inched higher.


    “Yes. You can have my card and drop by the gallery should you find yourself in that side of the country,”


    she politely said and offered Justin a business card. As soon as he took the card, she fled the site lest


    he berate him with a bunch of random, tough questions.


    Justin stared at the card he held and at the painting before him. His jaws clenched as he tried to put


    pieces of the puzzled together in his head.