CHAPTER 225

The next morning, the sun shone through the villa’s big windows, filling the living room with warm, golden light. Michelle sat at the kitchen table with her sketchpad in front of her, a steaming cup of coffee in her hands. She hadn’t slept much because her mind was so active. After her call with Raymond, she had dug out an old box of pencils and notebooks. She flipped through nearly forgotten sketches and doodles. Her fingers were eager to create again, to bring the characters Raymond imagined to life. Now, she looked at the first page. It was a sketch of two small twins exploring a magical forest. She smiled.

A new chapter. A new dream. It felt like coming home. Michelle picked up a pencil, enjoying how it felt in her hand. She started drawing slowly, but as the lines and characters came to life, she felt herself relax. Pure joy filled her heart. She would do it. She would illustrate their story—not for the publisher, not because she had to—but because it was their story. Something