The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Simone Lerman glanced at the paintings hanging on the wall.

She was surprised to find that each one was signed, "Summer."

Two of these paintings, she recalled, had hung for years in her eldest brother's study back when she still lived with the Lerman family. The images were familiar, though she'd never paid them much mind before-art was never really her thing.

But now, standing in Leonard Lerman's study, Simone found herself lingering over the painting she and Aurora Williams had seen at the auction, the one titled *Nightfall*. She hadn't expected Leonard to bring those old paintings from the Lerman family estate to his new home as well.

Clearly, Leonard cherished them.

When it came to discussing things he cared about, Leonard—usually so reserved and cold—became unexpectedly talkative. The somber air about him seemed to lift, if only a little.

He told her, "The first time I saw Summer's work, I just knew this artist would be someone exceptional one day. Back then, he was barely known, and his work wasn't expensive. I hadn't inherited the Lerman estate yet, so I couldn't afford any of the truly famous pieces."

anyone who loves art, collecting paintings is almost inevitable. Leonard

he was constantly overlooked and mistreated by his own family. His life was

to snatch it up. But as things changed and I became embroiled in the family's power struggles, I no longer had the time or energy to keep up with the art world. It wasn't until I finally became head of the family that I started searching again, trying to find every

all this, Simone suddenly understood why her brother valued Summer's paintings so highly-they'd

mentioned wanting to meet him someday,

flickered in Leonard's eyes as he replied, "I've looked into Summer's whereabouts for

a quiet sigh. It was only at moments like this that her brother

Leonard asked, "What was

truth is, I'm the one who revealed Stella Cameron's parentage. Aurora said Stella's about to be brought back into the Williams family. But of Stella returns, people will start questioning Aurora's place there. The Williams family is planning to release some ambiguous statements before Stella comes back, but I figured instead of letting them dance around the issue, I'd help Aurora out and bring everything into the open. I've played the villain

was telling the

much trouble. And I