Montgomery Manor


    M spent the entire day at the old manor, staying close to her mother-inw, Felicity, apanying her in everything she did. They chatted,ughed, and painted together.


    Felicity was a renowned artist, known especially for her breathtakingndscape and animal paintings. Her works were so vivid and dynamic that they seemed to transport viewers directly into the scenes she depicted.


    In the spacious studio, the white curtains swayed gently in the breeze, and sunlight streamed through the ss. Amidst this serene backdrop, two vibrant and graceful women sat at the center of the room. Before them stood an easel with a rectangr canvas, where shades of white, gray, and ck came to life under Felicity''s brush.


    M watched quietly as Felicity painted with concentration. Before long, a winterndscape emerged on the canvas-a lonely, Western-style turret standing amidst a barren forest. The leafless trees were filled with nests, and numerous crows perched on the branches, their wings poised as if ready to take flight.


    As M''s gaze dropped to the corner of the canvas, she noticed a single crow lying lifeless in the snow, its dark eyes staring into the gray-white sky. The painting captured a delicate bnce between vitality and mncholy.


    M instinctively furrowed her brow. She understood art, and her skills and intuition rivaled many. She could easily discern the emotions and struggles behind each painting. Over the years, M had thought Felicity''s state had improved significantly—sheughed, yed, and maintained a rare childlike purity for her age. It was hard for anyone meeting her for the first time to imagine that this beautiful, gentle woman had battled years of depression.


    Yet, Felicity''s artwork remained unchanged. The fine line between life and oppression revealed a persistent struggle.


    "Mom, your animals always look so alive," M remarked, her fingers hovering over the canvas where the crowy, tracing its form in the air. "Why not try painting people?"


    Felicity had such a gift for capturing life, yet M had never seen her mother-in-w paint a human figure. She had been curious for a long time.


    Felicity gently set down her brush and gazed at the crow in her painting, a soft smile gracing her lips. "I never understood people, so I could never paint them."


    M was taken aback. She hadn''t expected this reason. Just as she was about to speak, Felicity took her hand, which felt slightly cool to the touch.


    "It''s been a while since you''ve stayed. Why not spend a few extra days here with me, keep mepany?" Felicity asked.


    "Of course," M agreed naturally.


    Lately, with Adrian away from home, M found sce in the old manor, avoiding being alone with Lysander and savoring the extra time with Felicity. She knew this opportunity to converse with her mother-inw would be scarce once she left for abroad.


    ...


    That evening, the dining table was upied only by the inws and M. During dinner, Lysander asionally ced food on M''s te, much to Felicity''s delight and satisfaction. In front of her mother-inw, M did not refuse and ate a little.


    When bedtime arrived, at M''s suggestion and with Felicity''s desire for herpany, the two women left the men behind and retreated to a single bedroom to chat into the night.


    Conrad, standing outside the bedroom, shot a re at his son before huffing off to the guest room. Lysander could only smile wryly as the grand vi gradually darkened, lights flickering off one by one, leaving the night in peaceful silence.


    However, in the early hours, the sharp ring of a phone shattered the tranquility in one of the bedrooms. Lysander picked up the phone from the bedside table.


    No sooner had he connected the call than Mrs. Harvey''s breathless sobbing filled the line, apanied by the shrill cries of a child in the background.


    The sound was so piercing that it hurt his eardrums, prompting Lysander to pull the phone away slightly. "Mrs. Harvey, please calm down. What happened? Can you pass the phone to someone nearby?"


    Lysander spoke soothingly, trying tofort her. Over the line, he heard Adrian''s heart-wrenching sobs, "Dad, Giselle-she, she identally fell... fell down! No matter how much I call her... she won''t wake up. I''m so scared..."