<b>Chapter </b><b>392 </b>
When Alvin left the orphanage, he was in a <b>pretty </b>good mood. Bowen <b>had </b>told Aubree to head back <b>to </b>Ellis Heights <b>that </b>evening. He wouldn’t be going <b>back </b>with the <b>two </b>of them.
<b>As </b>the sun began to set, Ethel<b>, </b>who had been lying in bed, sat up straight. Her bed faced a window <b>that </b>overlooked the yground where the kids loved to y.
<b>Just </b><b>a </b>little while ago, Aubree <b>had </b>been out there, ying with the kids<b>. </b>She <b>was </b>almost twenty, but she still acted like a kid. Noticing a figure at the door, Ethel said, “<b>I </b><b>gave </b>him a photo. It <b>was </b>taken before Aubree came to the orphanage.
“<b>I’ll </b>sort out the information on the people in the photo, and you can do your thing with it.”
“Thanks for your help,” Bowen replied.
“I’m not helping you. I’m helping Aubree<b>. </b><b>If </b>what you said is true, I don’t want her life to be disrupted again. That child has already suffered enough,” Ethel said.
Bowen chuckled softly. “Don’t worry. She’s strong now. She’s <b>capable</b>.”
“I hope so,” Ethel replied.
“Once you’ve finished settling everything at the orphanage<b>, </b>I’ll <b>have </b>someone <b>take </b>you to the nursing home<b>. </b>I’ve already arranged the best medical team for you there,” Bowen said. For <b>once</b><b>, </b>he <b>was </b><b>speaking </b>with genuine respect.
He had been sponsoring Aubree for <b>years</b><b>, </b>and he <b>knew </b><b>exactly </b>what kind of person Ethel <b>was</b>.
It was honestly surprising to him that there really <b>were </b>still truly <b>selfless </b>people like her in this world.
“Sorry for the trouble,” Bowen <b>offered </b>a few more words wishing her well before finally turning to <b>leave</b>.
Once he got in the car, Bowen leaned back in his <b>seat </b>and closed his <b>eyes</b><b>. </b>The whole thing about calling a doctor was just <i>a </i>front. He’d actually had the guy tailing Alvin send him an update.
Alvin had already tracked things down to the orphanage. Bowen thought, ‘With how sharp Alvin is<b>, </b>if he gets even the tiniest clue about Aubree, he’ll definitely connect the dots and <b>realize </b><b>it’s </b>her.
*****
Aubree had been feeling a bit guilty for not spending much time with Bowentely, so she stuck around Ellis Heights with him for a few days. Just before the <b>new </b><b>semester </b><b>started</b>, Birgitte <b>was </b>about to <b>head </b>back to Südlichen Strand.
Before leaving, she sent Aubree a <b>message</b>.
“Going shopping? For what, Paintings<b>?</b><b>” </b>Aubree replied.
“Yeah, nning to gift some to people<b>,” </b>Birgitte said.
Aubree had studied painting before, and since Birgitte didn’t know much about it<b>, </b><b>she </b>asked Aubree to help her pick something out.
“Sure, who are you giving them to<i>? </i>Do they <b>have </b>any favorite <b>styles</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>Aubree <b>asked</b>.
“It’s for an older couple. They’re really into antiques and traditional paintings,” Birgitte replied.
Aubree chatted with Birgitte on the phone for a <b>bit</b><b>, </b><b>got </b>the <b>gist </b><b>of </b>what she wanted, and agreed right away. “Alright, your flight to Südlichen Strand is the day after tomorrow, right? <b>Let’s </b><b>go </b>check out some paintings tomorrow.”
Even though Aubree knew a thing or two about paintings, she didn’t really know anyone in the art world. After hanging up, she thought for a moment and decided to reach out to Stan Frazier. They exchanged contact info after thest art exhibition.
Stan had tried more <b>than </b>once to <b>persuade </b>her to start painting again. Aubree couldn’t help butugh at the thought. She’d always firmly turned down his good intentions, but <b>even </b><b>so</b><b>, </b>the two of them had somehow be friends.
When Aubree mentioned buying a painting<b>, </b>Stan immediately agreed and told her about an old friend who was hosting an exhibition. His style was exactly what Aubree needed.
5923)
They <b>set </b>a time<b>, </b>and Birgitte came to <b>pick </b>Aubree up.
Even <b>at </b>an art exhibition, finding <b>a </b>painting that felt right was no <b>easy </b><b>task</b>.
Since <b>the </b>show <b>was </b><b>put </b>on by <b>a </b>famous <b>old</b><b>–</b>school artist<b>, </b>the <b>ce </b>was packed. A lot <b>of </b>people were there to buy.
After making <b>a </b><b>few </b>rounds of the <b>ce</b><b>, </b>Aubree spotted <b>a </bndscape painting tucked away in a corner. She nudged Birgitte and asked, “What do you think of this <b>one</b><b>?</b><b>” </b>