Chapter 53

Peeling back the layers of cloth, two paintings were revealed simultaneously, one depicting the early morning and the other high noon.

Looking at the uncovered canvases, Aneta struggled to calm the emotions that surged within her, just as she had the first time she discovered his artwork.

Her heart pounded as if she had committed an unforgivable sin.

“I hope you like them.”

“They are exquisite paintings. I do like them.”

After much effort, she managed to utter a brief compliment. Although she appeared composed, there was a subtle tension in her voice.

‘So the feeling I had while looking at Dawn was not an illusion. Can this be possible? ‘

His paintings resembled Elena’s so much that it was almost believable that they were created by the same person.

Aneta refrained from revealing the thoughts that had yet to fully surface and instead began to share her impressions of the paintings one by one.

Ellen responded to her remarks and added explanations, continuing the conversation naturally. He seemed to genuinely enjoy their dialogue.

The discussion naturally shifted from appreciation to various techniques and subject matters, which Aneta was able to engage with comfortably, having acquired knowledge to match her role as a patron.

The two conversed for quite some time until the sky had turned a deep crimson.

Ellen, who had been chatting animatedly, suddenly let out a small exclamation.

“Ah!”

Pausing momentarily to moisten his dry throat, Ellen glanced out the window and saw the setting sun, hastily placing his cup down. Before the clinking sound had even faded, he abruptly rose from his seat.

He seemed too flustered to realize his behavior was impolite.

“Oh no, it’s already this late.”

“Is something wrong?”

“I need to return and start painting, but I completely forgot about the time.”

Ellen’s eyes, filled with dismay, turned to Aneta in response to her question.

Seeing the usually delicate-looking man so perplexed and at a loss, Aneta couldn’t help but feel sympathetic.

“Now that you mention it, you always seemed to leave before the sunset. Is that because you paint at the same time every day?”

Aneta knew well the peculiarities of those in the art world. Having met numerous artists, she was aware that some could only concentrate if they painted at the same time every day. She thought Ellen might be one of them.

However, Ellen’s response was unexpected.

“The time I work depends on what I’m painting.”

“And what are you painting now?”

She wondered what he needed to paint at dusk. A fleeting thought crossed her mind, but she dismissed it.

However, the subject she avoided came from Ellen’s lips.

“Twilight. Since arriving in the capital, I’ve been painting the twilight at this time every day.”

Twilight. The familiar word made Aneta pause momentarily. It was an instinctive reaction.

Ellen, unaware of this, pleaded with an anxious look.

“If it’s alright with you, I’d like to return to my quarters immediately. Is that okay?”

If he hurried, he might catch the right moment. He repeated his request with a face filled with urgency.

“I don’t want to miss it. I want to complete the painting as soon as possible.”

When he added that he had his own rules for painting and didn’t want to break them, Aneta nodded.

She had a responsibility to provide the optimal environment for her protégés and had no reason to stand in his way.

“There’s no reason you can’t. Go on, hurry back.”

The moment Aneta’s permission was granted, Ellen ‘s expression brightened considerably. The anxious look he had worn earlier was nowhere to be seen.

“Thank you. I’ll come visit again next time.”

With that, Ellen quickly said his farewell and turned to leave. His steps out of the sitting room were hurried, as if something were chasing him.

Aneta let her carefully maintained, calm façade crumble as soon as the door closed.

Her unmasked emotions were a whirlwind of confusion.

Ellen was painting the same subject that Elena had left unfinished before passing away.

Aneta wondered if this was some twist of fate, but she soon revised her thoughts.

Twilight was a subject matter that anyone might attempt to capture. As proof, even in the galleries of Lefevra, there were several paintings on the theme of twilight.

“So it must be a coincidence. Again.”

Aneta murmured wearily, leaning back against the chair. The shadows in her eyes reflected the tangled state of her mind.

The lack of certainty was evident, but she still wanted to believe.

It was merely a coincidence.

***

The news that the Marquis of Adenauer, who had previously only patronized female artists, had suddenly begun sponsoring a male painter spread quickly.

Those who loved to gossip about other people’s affairs immediately began circulating unsavory rumors about Aneta.

They speculated that the sponsorship was just a cover and that she had taken a liking to the young, handsome artist, making him her lover.

Thoughtless words spoken by someone had become the foundation and origin of the scandal, and by the time they reached Aneta’s ears, they had only grown more embellished.

“I’ve heard all sorts of things.”

Having heard the news through Isabel, Aneta smirked.

She had lived through too many tumultuous events to be flustered or enraged by such gossip.

Having witnessed all manner of sordid behavior from her father, she found these rumors hardly worth reacting to. She laughed at the ridiculousness of the slander.

“How amusing.”

The nonchalance in her posture as she rested her chin on the desk was genuine.

Seeing Aneta remain unfazed, even amused, by the situation, the ever-present Isabel couldn’t help but heave a deep sigh.

The mistress she had served for so long remained as steadfast as ever.

“Well, people only see what they want to see. Their level is quite apparent.”

The common thread among the baseless rumors being spread was the assumption that Aneta was now pouring unprecedented support into the young painter to keep him as her lover.

Their so-called “evidence” was not worth listening to, as Aneta had always treated all her protégés equally, regardless of gender.

They had shown no interest when the patronage involved only female artists, but now that the gender had changed, they were quick to pounce.

Aneta clicked her tongue at the ridiculous behavior.

“If they’re so interested in other people’s affairs, they should at least make the effort to properly investigate and verify before spreading rumors.”

Such people were beyond help.

Noticing Aneta’s exasperation, Isabel asked with a worried expression.

“What do you plan to do, My Lady?” ”

Aneta tapped her cheek lightly, her fingers propping up her chin. After repeating this meaningless gesture several times, she finally answered.

“Well, let’s just wait and see how far this goes.”

Rather than feeling troubled, Aneta was simply annoyed by the growing number of issues to deal with. She was inclined to simply ignore the situation.

However, Isabel was not one to let it slide so easily.

Quietly contemplating a solution, she soon voiced a name that had come to mind.

“That might be difficult, as Duke Baltimor’s name has also been mentioned.”

“Carlos as well?”As soon as Carlos was mentioned, the annoyance vanished from Aneta’s expression. This was exactly what Isabel intended.

Aneta frowned and demanded an explanation.

“What do you mean by that? ”

“Hasn’t the Duke been visiting your residence frequently? And Ellen has also been summoned here every time.”

“That’s true.”

“Because of this, rumors are spreading that Your Grace is leading a promiscuous life by inviting both of them to your residence. This is not something that can be ignored, not only for your honor but for the sake of others as well.”

Aneta, who had been listening calmly, withdrew her hand from her chin upon hearing this particularly vile rumor. People who couldn’t say a word to her face seemed to have no problem spreading malicious gossip behind her back. Such duplicity was always tiresome.

“It seems I can’t just let this slide.”

The idea of waiting to see how far it would go had to be abandoned. It had already gone too far. Those who crossed the line needed to face the consequences. Aneta immediately reversed her decision.

“First, find out who started these rumors. And send a message to Alex as well.”

“Yes, My Lady.”

At the mention of Alex, her trusted agent, Isabel nodded as if she had been waiting for this command.

Aneta knew that Isabel had intentionally brought up Carlos to provoke a legal response, but she didn’t hold it against her. She understood that it was done for her sake and chose to overlook it.