Simone looked up at Leonard. "Those flowers... I think they''re from the garden behind The Williams Group headquarters. The species is extremely rare; you wouldn''t see them just anywhere."


    As if struck by an idea, she pulled out her phone. "I used to walk through the Williams family''s back garden all the time. I thought the flowers were so beautiful, I took a lot of pictures." She scrolled through her gallery and showed the photos to Leonard. "Look, brother. Doesn''t the scenery look just like the painting?"


    Simr flowers could be a coincidence. But if the surrounding scenery was also identical, it was something more. Leonard swiped through Simone''s photos and saw that she was right. The flowers, theyout, everything was a perfect match, just shot from different angles.


    Leonard''s dark eyes narrowed. He was certain now: the scenery in his painting was indeed the garden at the Williams estate.


    "Brother," Simone asked, "do you think this ''Summer'' artist knows someone in the Williams family? Or... what if they *are* a member of the Williams family?"


    For some reason, an image of Ste painting by a window shed through Leonard''s mind. He dismissed it just as quickly. Even if Ste could paint, she couldn''t possibly possess the skill of Summer. It was a level of talent that even Aurora couldn''t reach. How could a mere housewife possibly achieve it?


    "It''s probably a friend of someone in the family," Leonard concluded aloud.


    "Well, if you want to find Summer, you could try starting with the Williams family," Simone suggested.


    "Yes, I know," Leonard replied. "But they seem to value their privacy. I won''t bother them for now."


    Having offered her insight, Simone soon departed.


    In the following days, Ste took Joshua to see Mr. Burton for several check-ups. When they received confirmation that Joshua had made a full recovery, Ste finally breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Haynes and Keen both left Solmaris; Haynes had apany to run and Keen had to return to school. As for Foreman, there was still no news of him.


    One day, while Ste was replying to


    work emails in her office, she noticed a new message in her private inbox. It was from ''L.'' The


    ???


    email was simple: "I have a piece I''m working on, but I feel like something is missing. Everyone! show it to


    says it''s fine. I was wonderingu Summer had time to take a look at it for me?"


    An image was attached. Ste had just wrapped up a major task and


    had some free time. She


    downloaded the image and erged it. It was a photograph of a painting of a mountain range. The reguntains, shrouded in mist, wei majestic and imposing, áll interconnected with a sense of


    energy and rhythm. The brushwork revealed an artist with a profound technical foundation.


    Ste had assumed ''L'' was merely an art enthusiast. She was surprised to learn he


    was a painter himself, and a very skilled one at that. His work radiated a seriousness and love for the craft that she deeply respected. Every dedicated artist deserved respect.


    She examined the painting closely. From its overallposition to the finest details, it was wless. The atmosphere it conveyed was deep and profound. And yet, just as ''L'' had said, something felt... iplete.


    Ste pondered for a moment and thought she had identified the issue. She studied the picture onest time before replying to the email.


    Half an hourter, Leonard received a reply from Summer.


    "Although the sun isn''t depicted, the shading in the corner suggests a sunrise. But the light itself feels absent from the peaks. The soul of a sunrise is the light, not just the hint of it. Without that warmth, the mountains, however majestic, feel cold and lifeless."