"Mr. Lerman, the artist ''summer'' has agreed to paint for you. He or she said they would like to gift you a few pieces to thank you for your early support."


    Leonard looked around his study, where meticulously framed paintings covered the walls. Eighty percent of them were signed ''summer.'' His eyes drifted to the empty space in the center of the main wall, and a self-mocking smile touched his lips. He had given his favorite piece to Aurora.


    In the time since, aside from a few asional text messages, he had heard nothing from her. He had been searching for ''summer'' with the intention ofmissioning a few portraits of Aurora. Now, the idea just seemed hollow.


    He had never believed that every action demanded a reward, but the irony was bitter. Aplete stranger, whose gender, age, and identity he didn''t even know, was willing to repay him for buying a few paintings years ago. Meanwhile, Aurora, for whom he had given everything, offered nothing but a few half-hearted words of concern. When she didn''t need him, he was cast aside. Only when she needed a weapon to eliminate Joshua did she remember his existence.


    Leonard found it all deeply pathetic.


    "Good," he said coolly. "I understand."


    After hanging up, Leonard decided it was time to pay Joshua a visit. This time, however, it had nothing to do with Aurora. This was about the grudge between him and Joshua. He knew that as the head of the Gardner family, Joshua wasn''t an easy target. If he were, the Williams family wouldn''t have resorted to using someone else to do their dirty work.


    ...


    That day, as Ste returned to the hospital with a new canvas and paints, she was surprised to see a tall, familiar figure at the main entrance.


    After Joshua had been moved to a regr ward, she, Harold, and Jake had been taking turns watching over hint. Seeing the man being blocked by security at the door, Ste''s expression hardened.


    "Leonard. What are you doing here?"


    Leonard turned, his gaze falling on the art supplies in her bag. He raised an eyebrow, ignoring her question. "Canvas and paints... Ste, you paint?"


    Ste had no interest in discussing hobbies with him. "What are you doing here?" she repeated coldly.


    A smirk yed on his lips. "I heard Joshua was badly injured. I came to see if he was dead yet. And if not, whether I might have a chance to finish the job."


    Leonard had always been arrogant, so his words didn''t surprise her. But she caught a key detail. "You heard? Who told you?"


    "Why, your delightfully blunt brother, Israel, of course," Leonard said without hesitation. "He knew Joshua and I had a score to settle, so he did me a favor."


    The news didn''t faze Ste in the


    didn''t


    slightest. It was exactly the kind of thing the Williams family would do But she had already ced the entire hospital under strict


    vel


    lockdown, with security checks at every entrance. Her own kidnapping from a hospital had taught her to plug every possible loophole, teaving no room for opportunists. Dangerous individuals like Leonard and Sellers were barred from even


    setting foot inside.


    Leonard didn''t seem disappointed, as if he had expected this. Instead, he seemed


    more interested in her art supplies.


    "Ste," he said with a


    condescending smile, "and you say


    you''re not jealous of Aurora. Must you copy everything she does? what, you found out she can paint, so now you''re taking it up too?"