Anyone who had seen Stella Sterling’s art would find it hard to believe that Kiana Sterling could paint sothing like *Sea Mist*.
Stella Sterling’s artistic style was already well-developed.
Anyone with a discerning eye could tell at a glance who the artist was.
Of course, Owen Rhodes could say this with such certainty because he knew Stella Sterling a little better than most.
At this thought, Owen Rhodes suddenly asked, "Stella, have you ever considered holding a solo exhibition soday?"
Stella Sterling paused, slightly taken aback.
She honestly hadn’t thought about it.
After all, her plans didn’t extend that far into the future.
She shook her head honestly, and Owen Rhodes didn’t press the matter.
He smiled, his lips curving, and placed a gentle kiss on Stella’s forehead before getting up and heading to the study.
After simring all afternoon, the video of Everlake Resort’s unveiling ceremony went completely viral.
It was like soone had left a cryptic ssage at a cri scene, compelling everyone to try and solve the mystery.
After an initial attempt to suppress it, the hype exploded to an even greater height.
By evening, the Sterling family was the first to issue a statent refuting the rumors.
They claid the incident with Kiana Sterling’s painting was a malicious act and that the Sterling family would investigate it thoroughly. They also asked the public for any potential leads.
The Sterlings also announced they would offer a reward for any valuable information.
As soon as the news broke, netizens who had just been casual observers suddenly transford into an army of amateur sleuths.
While no useful leads had surfaced yet, people did unearth a comnt from a netizen who had previously pointed out the "similar styles."
At the ti, only a small portion of Zion Shawcross’s album cover had been released, but that small glimpse was enough to raise suspicions.
Netizens searched for the na "Umi" online and quickly found news that Umi had been a finalist for the Jason Will Painting Prize.
With that, netizens were finally able to find a complete work by Umi.
When *Tidal Reverse Flow* and *Sea Mist* were placed side by side, it beca clear that their artistic styles were beyond "similar."
The news quickly caught the attention of Kiana Sterling’s fans.
Over the years, with the help of a PR firm, Kiana Sterling had beco a major influencer on social dia with millions of followers.
When *Sea Mist* broke sales records, her fans were largely responsible for the online frenzy.
Now that people online were starting to question Kiana, her fans imdiately turned into keyboard warriors, fighting to defend their idol.
The admin of her fan group chat contacted Kiana Sterling to ask what they should do.
Kiana Sterling replied: [Sorry, I’m not online much, so I had no idea this was happening. Thank you all for your support and trust. I promise I am absolutely worthy of that trust. Please focus on your own lives and don’t worry too much about . All these conspiracies will fall apart on their own. I love you all.]
The admin forwarded Kiana’s reply and added that she’d heard Kiana had been hospitalized due to poor health. Imdiately, people in the fan chat began to voice their outrage on her behalf.
Soon, so fans realized that Ethan Rhodes, Kiana Sterling’s fiancé, had yet to make any public statent.
’What was that supposed to an?’
’Is he just going to stand by and watch his fiancée get bullied?’
’Is he even a man?!’
So, on their own initiative, fans started sending private ssages and leaving comnts on Ethan Rhodes’s social dia account, demanding that he step up and make a statent.
One fan, moved by their own bravery, posted a screenshot of their private ssage in the group chat, while also venting their dissatisfaction with Ethan, this "inadequate fiancé."
This single act prompted everyone in the fan chat—both true fans and trolls—to swarm Ethan Rhodes’s account with ssages.
At that mont, Ethan Rhodes was picking Kiana Sterling up from the hospital.
Out of nowhere, his phone began to vibrate uncontrollably.
When he opened the app, he was stunned.
But after a mont of scrolling, he couldn’t help but let out a cold laugh.
Kiana Sterling heard his soft chuckle and turned to ask, "Ethan, what’s wrong?"
Ethan Rhodes uninstalled the app without a word, shoved his phone back into his pocket, and picked up Kiana’s things to head out. "Nothing."
Ethan’s attitude had been cold all day, so cold that Kiana’s heart was pounding with anxiety.
They left the hospital wearing masks. It wasn’t until they were in the car that Kiana finally couldn’t help but ask, "Ethan, are you in a bad mood today?"
Ethan gave a dismissive "No" and focused on driving.
He had seen most of the posts online since the incident.
How could he put it? He knew he should trust Kiana. After all, their interests were now intertwined.
But a part of him fought against it.
He kept wavering between belief and disbelief.
He knew he should trust Kiana.
’But what if?’
’What if Kiana really is hiding sothing?’
Even with this nagging doubt, he knew he had to present a united front with Kiana to the public.
But it felt like planting a ticking ti bomb.
When that bomb finally went off, it would be both of their families that got caught in the blast.
He glanced at Kiana. "Kiana, that painting... you did paint it, right?"
Kiana’s heart skipped a beat, and she turned to look at him.
But Ethan kept his eyes fixed on the road, refusing to et her gaze.
Kiana clenched her fists. "Mm," she mumbled.
"You know if sothing goes wrong, you won’t be the only one to suffer the consequences. So if there’s sothing you’re not telling , tell now so I can figure out a plan."
The coldness in Ethan’s voice was sothing Kiana had never heard before.
For a mont, she wondered, ’Is this really the Ethan I know?’
Just as she was thinking this, he suddenly turned back and smiled at her.
It was the familiar face, the familiar smile.
She figured she was probably just on edge and overthinking things.
She collected herself and said, "Okay."
The online discussions about Kiana Sterling and Umi were soon buried by a new wave of trending news and gradually died down.
Strangely, Everlake Resort, the party that had suffered a loss, made no statent on the matter.
And because Everlake Resort remained silent, public interest in the incident waned.
The current situation was exactly what the Sterlings had hoped for.
During dinner with the family that evening, Kiana said, "The internet has a short mory. As soon as a new story breaks, the old one is forgotten."
Gavin Sterling didn’t comnt on that, rely offering a few token inquiries about Kiana’s health.
「anwhile, at Jandor’s Caelus Airport」
A travel-worn figure had just stepped off a plane.
Breathing in the air of Jandor, a city that should have been unfamiliar, he caught a strangely familiar scent.
Jasper Jennings, standing outside the crowd, spotted the unusually tall man in an instant.
He waved at him. "Young Master, over here!"
Ryan Shaw strode over, closing the distance in a few steps, and tossed his suitcase to him. "Jasper, long ti no see."
Jasper Jennings, though nervous and respectful, couldn’t help but size him up.
After more than two months apart, the sharp intensity about Ryan Shaw seed even more pronounced.
He was much tanner than before, but his eyes were brighter.
Ryan Shaw’s pretty-boy looks, which used to make people do a double-take, now seed overshadowed by the sheer force of his presence.
Jasper Jennings smiled. "Why not rest for a while before coming? President Shaw said things in Jandor weren’t urgent."
Ryan Shaw scoffed at that. "He’s not in a hurry. I am."
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