BuzzNovel“You've got the code. Your fingerprint’s in the system. Yet | never see you around here.”
Eddie set his tea down on the table, matching Alessia’s choice-black tea, fragrant and warm.
The aroma drifted softly through the room. Alessia took a breath, sipped, and smiled.
“Except for Mae, no one makes a better cup than you.”
Eddie recognized the attempt to steer the conversation elsewhere but let it slide. His gaze shifted to Ivan, who
was staring at a painting on the wall.
“Ever tried your hand at painting, Ivan?”
Ivan broke his gaze from the artwork and shook his head.
“I've got all the supplies here. Want to give it a try?”
Ivan glanced at Alessia, who gave him a reassuring nod. Only then did he turn back
to Eddie and nod as well.
“The easels and paints are all set up in the next room. My art studio's a real gem-normally, | don’t let anyone
else in.” Eddie always made a point of looking people in the eye when he spoke. With his gentle features, it was
disarming, almost as if you couldn't help but follow his lead.
But Ivan’s guard was up, more than Eddie expected. When Alessia didn’t move, Ivan avoided Eddie’s gaze and
looked back at the painting on the wall.
Eddie exchanged a quick look with Alessia, who immediately understood.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt
“Con,” she said, her voice full of certainty, gently patting Ivan on the back of his head. “I designed that
stumyself. You're going to love it.”
Ivan blinked a few times but eventually followed them.
Eddie led the way, pushing open the door to the studio. Alessia gave Ivan a gentle nudge, sending him in first.
Sunlight poured into the room, flooding it with warmth. Shadows of tree branches outside danced across the
easels and bookshelves, swaying in the breeze. Even before a single line was drawn, the whole place felt like a
living painting-light and shadow, glass windows, the scent of wood from the shelves. Everything felt just
7/2
14:48
Chapter 114
right.
Ivan stood frozen, eyes wide, blinking as he took it all in. Alessia rested her hand on his shoulder but didn’t look
at him.
“Told you, didn’t I? You'd love it here.”
She'd known from the moment she'd described the view outside that Ivan would fall for this place.
“Everything's ready for you. It'd be a shnot to paint something while you're here, don’t you think?” At some
point, Eddie had already set out the supplies.
He crouched down, offering Ivan a paintbrush. This time, Ivan didn’t refuse. He took it and sat in the chair Eddie
had set up for him.
He didn’t hesitate. After a brief, absent-minded gaze out the window, he began mixing paints.
Though the scene outside was bright
and cheerful, Ivan covered the mn
canvas in black paint Therrhe'added
spammed bellow, seemingly at
random, the brushstrokes twisted
and restless. The content is on
novelenglish.net! Read the latest
chapter there!
At spoint, Alessia had slipped out, savoring her tea in the hallway. Eddie sat beside Ivan, watching, a slight
furrow in his brow.
It wasn’t until lunchtime, when Alessia called them out to eat, that Ivan finally put down his brush.
By the tthe others had nearly
finished, Ivan's bowl was ol
Eddie shot Alessia dok:s e
uhdétstood instantly, packing the
leftovers into a takeout box. The
content is on novelenglish.net! Read
the latest chapter there!
“Can you stay here by yourself for a
while? I'll be over 1ergyscaméing
Te fyad need Gv ing. You'll be
able to seefrom here.” The
content is on novelenglish.net! Read
the latest chapter there!
Ivan glanced in the direction she pointed and nodded.
“Good boy.” Alessia ruffled his hair, her smile full of warmth and praise.
As she walked away, she waved, and Ivan, making sure he could still see her, finally relaxed and began to eat.
“So?” Alessia turned, her smile fading.
“There's no question-he’s a genius with a paintbrush. But...”
2/2
Visit our social media platform to read fascinating stories every day and connect with the community!
