Find The Most Beautiful Version of Yourself

The next morning, Scott surprisingly prepared breakfast.

“Since your hand isn’t up for much, I made something simple. Try it out.”

It felt like the sun had risen in the west.

Normally, I was the one up early making breakfast, while he slept in well past noon.

“Thanks,” I replied coolly, taking it as repayment for my previous efforts.

I sat down and ate the rather bland meal, the silence between us stretching like an endless divide.

“Do you need to go out today?”

Scott finally broke the silence.

“Yes, I have to discuss rehabilitation training.”

Scott immediately seized the opportunity.

“I’ll drive you.”

I looked up, meeting his gaze.

“Aren’t you worried about being seen by fans?”

Back when I worked my previous job, arriving and leaving were routine.

Occasionally, if I worked late or had an urgent situation, other women had family pick them up.

I used to envy them and had asked Scott to do the same for me.

“Lillian, I’m a public figure. What would people think if they saw me going in and out of the police station with you?”

I knew it was just another excuse.

He had taken Hannah to all sorts of public places without a second thought.

Even when people mistook them for a couple, he never bothered to clarify.

“No need, I’ll just take a cab!” I insisted.

Scott, in a huff, snatched my phone and stopped me from calling a taxi.

“Fine, let’s take my car then. At least it’s less noticeable,” I suggested.

Scott silently accepted the compromise.

At the hospital for the rehab consultation, Scott stayed by my side the whole time.

As the appointment was wrapping up, the doctor joked, “So, is this your boyfriend? He’s so considerate and patient.”

I smiled.

Patience was the one thing Scott had never shown me.

He could spend days without eating or drinking for a piece of art, but his patience with me barely lasted a minute.

“He’s just a friend,” I said.

Scott’s expression faltered for a moment.

I remembered a time when we were out for dinner, and one of his long-time fans spotted us.

He had been quick to clarify then, “Just friends!”

I was just mimicking his past behavior. There’s no need to make a fuss.

With a wave of complex cases, Sheriff Chase ordered me to work through my injury.

Each day was consumed by sifting through case files and analyzing evidence.

The only respite came during meals.

“Wow, this artist is incredibly gifted. At such a young age, he’s already made a significant mark in the art world.”

“I had no idea he and his girlfriend were college sweethearts. That’s such a juicy detail! I’ll show this to my wife and see if it curbs her habit of buying his paintings now that their relationship is public.”

I glanced at the screen, where Scott’s art exhibition was being live-streamed. His works were selling like hotcakes.

Towards the end, Hannah appeared on stage holding a painting.

The piece depicted a serene moonlit scene, with a young woman, almost angelic, gazing at a white gardenia in the painting.

The title read “Love.”

The crowd was captivated, eagerly bidding on the painting.

But Hannah simply smiled and looked affectionately at Scott.

“Not for sale, no amount of money can buy it!”

The livestream went wild, with people speculating about Hannah’s identity.

Soon, the news of the artist’s relationship was trending.

I glanced down at my meal and smiled quietly to myself.

After all, these sentimental paintings couldn’t compare to the real value of my work: giving a voice to the voiceless and seeking justice for the dead!

Hannah updated her social media with a new post:

“From now on, no matter how high the mountains or how long the roads, you’ll always be my warm harbor. That’s what love must mean!”

I deleted Hannah’s account without a second thought.

Late that night, Scott called me.

“Lillian, where are you? Why aren’t you home yet?”