Chapter 392
When Alvin left the orphanage, he was in a pretty good mood. Bowen had told Aubree to head back to Ellis Heights that evening. He wouldn’t be going back with the two of them.
As the sun began to set, Ethel, who had been lying in bed, sat up straight. Her bed faced a window that overlooked the playground where the kids loved to play.
Just a little while ago, Aubree had been out there, playing with the kids. She was almost twenty, but she still acted like a kid. Noticing a figure at the door, Ethel said, “I gave him a photo. It was taken before Aubree came to the orphanage.
“I’ll 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. If 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 capable.”
“I hope so,” Ethel replied.
“Once you’ve finished settling everything at the orphanage, I’ll have someone take you to the nursing home. I’ve already arranged the best medical team for you there,” Bowen said. For once, he was speaking with genuine respect.
He had been sponsoring Aubree for years, and he knew exactly what kind of person Ethel was.
It was honestly surprising to him that there really were still truly selfless people like her in this world.
“Sorry for the trouble,” Bowen offered a few more words wishing her well before finally turning to leave.
Once he got in the car, Bowen leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. The whole thing about calling a doctor was just a 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, if he gets even the tiniest clue about Aubree, he’ll definitely connect the dots and realize it’s her.
*****
Aubree had been feeling a bit guilty for not spending much time with Bowen lately, so she stuck around Ellis Heights with him for a few days. Just before the new semester started, Birgitte was about to head back to Südlichen Strand.
Before leaving, she sent Aubree a message.
“Going shopping? For what, Paintings?” Aubree replied.
“Yeah, planning to gift some to people,” Birgitte said.
Aubree had studied painting before, and since Birgitte didn’t know much about it, she asked Aubree to help her pick something out.
“Sure, who are you giving them to? Do they have any favorite styles?” Aubree asked.
“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 bit, got the gist of what she wanted, and agreed right away. “Alright, your flight to Südlichen Strand is the day after tomorrow, right? Let’s go 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 the last art exhibition.
Stan had tried more than once to persuade her to start painting again. Aubree couldn’t help but laugh at the thought. She’d always firmly turned down his good intentions, but even so, the two of them had somehow become friends.
When Aubree mentioned buying a painting, Stan immediately agreed and told her about an old friend who was hosting an exhibition. His style was exactly what Aubree needed.
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They set a time, and Birgitte came to pick Aubree up.
Even at an art exhibition, finding a painting that felt right was no easy task.
Since the show was put on by a famous old–school artist, the place was packed. A lot of people were there to buy.
After making a few rounds of the place, Aubree spotted a landscape painting tucked away in a corner. She nudged Birgitte and asked, “What do you think of this one?”
