Chapter 55
Chapter 55
It had been two years since they’d last seen each other. Louisa didn’t want to bring up any bad memories. She pulled Emily aside, asking with genuine concern, “When’d you get back?”
“Over a month ago,” Emily replied, forcing a smile. But after two years of being completely isolated and with those painful memories flooding back, her smile looked painfully strained.
Louisa knew about the Bennetts’ mess and felt for Emily. She still couldn’t wrap her head around it-how Lydia, once so well-liked, had turned into someone people resented.
Louisa hesitated before asking cautiously, “Heard you were overseas for two years. Is that right?”
The Bennetts had made up that story for Charles and outsiders like Louisa-people who cared about Emily. Emily went along with it, nodding.
Louisa was skeptical. “Then why didn’t your school records transfer? I asked the Bennetts a few times. They never suspended you or moved your files. Did you really go abroad?”
She’d suspected something was wrong all along. After all, going overseas wasn’t like dropping off the face of the earth-how could Emily be unreachable for so long?
Just days before she disappeared, Emily had broken down to Louisa, swearing she hadn’t stolen Lydia’s work. She’d insisted The Disheartened Peacock was her own idea and begged Louisa to believe her.
But Emma and the rest of the Bennetts had all stuck to the “abroad” story. No matter how much Louisa doubted it, she was powerless to do anything.
It had bothered her ever since, so much that she’d eventually given up on Lydia, her most talented student after Emily. She’d nearly gotten disciplined by the school for it.
Emily caught the doubt, as well as concern, in Louisa’s voice, and a small warmth sparked in her chest. Still, those two years at St. Gabriel Reform Academy were her secret to keep. She forced a smile and said, “Don’t worry. I did go abroad.”
Louisa still wasn’t convinced. But Emily clearly didn’t want to talk about it, and Louisa knew better than to pry into her personal life. She sighed, “I’m just glad you’re back. What are your plans now?”
Emily hadn’t thought that far ahead. At St. Gabriel Reform Academy, she’d been too focused on surviving to even think about the future.
Now that she was out, all she wanted was to keep going. Rushing around restaurant kitchens every day, she barely had the energy to dream like she used to.
Louisa saw the fog of uncertainty and sadness in her eyes, and it stung. Back when Emily first studied with her-when she was still a Bennett-she’d been so bright, so full of fire for her dreams.
‘How’d it come to this?’ Louisa thought bitterly. She couldn’t help but reach for Emily’s hand. “Honey, you’ve got the best talent I’ve ever seen. Don’t let it go to waste.
“Before you went abroad, I showed your works to Amy. She was really impressed and even wanted to meet you. It’s too bad you left so suddenly, and I never got to share this great opportunity with you.”
Amy Jones was a big name in art. Her work was deeply rooted in traditional styles, and many people had come to understand cultural heritage through her art. In the art community, she was considered legendary.
If it were in the past, hearing that would’ve made Emily ecstatic, too thrilled to sleep. But now, it just made her anxious and
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Chapter 33
on edge. Painting was about the heart, and hers wasn’t the same as it had been two years ago.