Carol broke through the escalating tension with a disapproving glance.

Today was her birthday celebration, not a venue for public disputes.

Was this how the Wheeler and Adams families intended to display their discord for everyone to see?

At that moment, Carol felt deeply troubled. What was supposed to be a joyous occasion had devolved into conflict, and the only solace she found was in Katelyn’s presence. Carol’s intervention brought a palpable sense of relief to the room.

Both Vincent and Neil, as CEOs of leading companies, commanded attention, their presences overwhelming to others.

Even Katelyn felt concern creeping in.

With the Wheeler Group gaining strength—especially if the rumors about the oil field held any truth—Neil would undoubtedly escalate his challenges against the Adams family.

Carol coughed lightly, turning to Katelyn with a warm, affectionate smile. “Katelyn, just focus on your painting. Ignore them.”

Katelyn nodded in acknowledgment.

The watchful eyes of the audience didn’t faze her.

She positioned herself in front of the canvas, brush in hand, determined to create a piece that would silence her critics and perhaps vindicate her against Neil and Lise’s skepticism.

Lise smirked, eagerly anticipating Katelyn’s failure. Should Katelyn falter, she was ready to distract everyone with an even more dramatic scandal.

Public attention was fickle.

To cover one incident, all it took was something more captivating and sensational to divert attention.

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Katelyn’s eyes sparkled with resolve.

She then picked up her brush and began to paint.

The piece she created for Carol’s birthday was a time-consuming oil painting.

However, sketching and rapid drawing were quicker techniques.

With a clear vision, Katelyn worked briskly, her audience watching intently as she transformed the blank canvas into a layered sketch.

She began outlining the figure. The interplay of light and shadow soon revealed a discernible form.

Her strokes were bold and confident.

Lise, observing the emerging sketch, scoffed.

“Katelyn, I know you’re no painter. Don’t strain yourself. Even if you admit the previous painting was computer-generated, no one would mock you.”

Without turning her head, Katelyn continued painting, coolly replying, “Carol, next time you host a birthday party, consider hiring extra security to keep the undesirables out.”

Her calm yet cutting remark struck Lise hard.

Lise clenched her fists, frustrated, having broken several of her meticulously manicured nails.

“Damn it,” she muttered under her breath.

Katelyn’s wit had certainly sharpened, and Lise was now more determined than ever to eliminate this thorn in her side.

Aside from Lise’s seething, the venue fell silent, punctuated only by the soft sound of Katelyn’s brush on the canvas.

The audience’s initial skepticism shifted to astonishment as Katelyn’s drawing evolved. With each stroke, the figure on the canvas gained depth and dimension.

The likeness was unmistakable.

The cold, deep-set eyes, the pronounced bridge of the nose, and the well-defined lips left no doubt—Katelyn was painting Vincent. For more chapters visit Find[?]ovel.net

Vincent watched intently as Katelyn worked, recalling something a friend had once said: painting for a loved one is the most romantic gesture, for their features are etched in your heart long before the brush touches the canvas.

What stood out most was how Katelyn hadn’t once looked up at him while painting— a testament to how well she knew him.

Samuel had ensured that Katelyn had a robust supply of art materials, providing everything commonly available on the market, which proved helpful for her process.

Katelyn blended colors on her palette and began adding hues to the sketched outlines.

Her concentration was absolute, and even after more than half an hour, there was no sign of fatigue in her wrist.

She applied color with precision to every feature, even capturing the black suit Vincent wore that day. At that moment, there were no snickers or scoffs—only admiration and disbelief.

When Katelyn finally set down her brush, she exhaled a sigh of relief.

“Done.”

She stepped back to allow everyone a clear view, and the room erupted in collective gasps of awe.

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