Chapter 66

AUTHOR'S POV

Scene – Art Authentication

The dim light of the private studio cast long shadows across shelves stacked with art supplies and unfinished canvases. The smell of turpentine and varnish lingered in the air.

Eleanor’s former manager, clutching a wrapped canvas tightly under his arm, entered quietly. The art expert,a man in his late fifties with spectacles perched low on his nose—stood ready with gloves and tools.

“Thank you for seeing me on short notice,” the manager said, carefully unwrapping the painting.

The expert raised his brows at the sight.

“A piece by that artist? Rare. Let’s take a look.”

He adjusted his glasses, bringing the canvas closer under the light. His eyes narrowed as he examined the brushstrokes, then ran his fingers lightly over the edges. He tilted it against the lamp, scrutinizing the texture.

Minutes passed in silence, broken only by the sound of the expert’s magnifier clicking into place. Finally, he set the painting down with a faint, almost disappo