Leap OF Fate

His children were probably four or five years old now. He had been longing to see them for the past four years.

Justin once again stared at Serene's picture with their children. They happily ate at a family diner in New York. He let out a sigh. The photo had been with him for the past two years. Since then, there had been no news about her or their children. Justin's heart tightened. Each day and night he wondered how they were, especially Serene. Did she get married? The thought of her marrying another man was a torture he endured every day.

A gentle knock on the door brought him back to reality. He put the photo back in his drawer before saying, "Come in."

When the door opened, a tall, modelesque woman came in. Anyone who saw her would describe her as sophisticated and beautiful. Anyone but him. Since he knew Serene, no one had ever come even second to her beauty as far as he's concerned. "Justin," Crystal Smith flashed her toothy smile as she walked towards Justin's table.

"What brought you here?" he asked with a slight irritation in his voice, which she simply ignored. Since Chester and Bryan had their son through IVF and surrogacy, Elaina and Nick had bothered him with his relationship status. They used to just leave that part of his life alone. However, since Nick's terminal condition last year, his parents had taken drastic steps to get him to tie the knot. Crystal Smith was the drastic move. His parents forced their engagement in guise of furthering their business.

The Smiths were the forerunners in the jewelry business, and Rain International had recently ventured into this line of business. Having him marry Crystal would strengthen their market foothold.

"Well, Aunt Elaina's new favorite artist and my favorite fashion designer just recently collaborated for an art exhibit. Aunt and I would like to see the exhibit --"

"what does that have to do with me?" he rudely cut her off.

"Well, Aunt Elaina wanted you to be my companion," she said in a saulty voice, and looked at him from behind her lashes. She knew she looked attractive when she did this trick, she's yet to see a man who could resist it. "Dylan can go with you," he declined.

His answer surprise and hurt Crystal. She bit her red lips and looked at him. "Actually, Chairman Nick had requested it," she said, name dropping his father. She knew that once he knew his father requested it, Justin would give in. Justin looked her up and down with irritation but said, "When and where?"

"Tomorrow night, Hotel Le Grande," she said, smiling.

Justin simply nodded and returned to his work. Ignored, Crystal took it as her cue to leave. One day at a time, she said to herself. She had known Justin since they were children and had admired him for as long as she could remember. He had always been distant to her but now; she had a chance to be with him, she just needed to endure his cold treatment, because eventually, he would have no other choice but to marry her. She smiled at the thought that one day, her dream will come true, she will be Mrs. Justin Rain.

Seeing her leave, Justin lets out the breath he's been holding. He hated the guts of that starlet. When she could not get what she wanted using Elaina's name, she dropped Nick's name like a bomb.

The following day, he came to the Rain mansion to pick up Elaina. To his surprise, Crystal was also there. Chester, Bryan and Dylan were also dressed to the occasion. His and Dylan's eyes met. He clenched his jaws and approached his mother. "We need so many people for an art show?" he said, not hiding his sarcasm.

"Oh, shush it. Felicity Pax is a celebrated new artist. She's a big hit in New York, and it's really a big thing in the local art scene that she's holding an exhibit here." she explained to her son, a bit of exasperation in her voice. How could she not miss the sarcasm in his tone? "Whatever, Mom," he said, rolling his eyes.

The group went to Hotel Le Grande in two separate cars. Dylan joined Bryan and Chester, while he drove for his mother and Crystal.

True to his mother's word, when they arrived in Hotel Le Grande, the art world's bigwigs gathered in one of the function halls. Each holding a glass of champagne as they talked to each other while they wait for the exhibit to open.

Through the brief description in their brochure, he gathered the exhibit was called Fabric and Canvass. His eyes widened and darted to Dylan as he read further. The exhibit was a collaboration between New York-based artist Felicity Pax and local designer Mary Lewis. Dylan's eyes scanned the crowd for the familiar figure he held in his heart in the past five years. It's her exhibit. They had not seen each other since their breakup, and his heart pounded at the thought that he'd see her again. The event's host called everyone's attention just a few minutes before they arrived. Starting the ceremony, the host asked the event's main artists for a few words.

Mary's face projected on stage as she explained the idea behind the show. Dylan did not listen to any of the words she said, but simply stared at her. She had not changed a bit. The mere sight of her still made his heart beat.

The more Mary explained the story behind the exhibit, the tighter Justin's chest felt. She and her friend had always dreamed about collaborating - she as a clothing designer, and her friend as a visual artist. Was Serene the friend she mentioned?

After Mary finished. The host called the artist responsible for the canvases on display. Justin fixed his eyes on the makeshift stage. His heart beating wildly in his chest. His hand holding the brochure clenched tightly.

His heart sank when he saw the tall and slender woman who called herself Felicity Pax. He did not recognize her at all. He thought Mary was referring to Serene when she said that it was hers and her friend's dream to have such a collaboration, but he was wrong. Clearly, the co-exhibitor was another friend of Mary's.

After the introductions, the guests walked around the function hall to observe the exhibit. Dylan left their group to look for Mary.

Elaina and Crystal checked each display while he lazily tailed them. Color drained from his face when he saw a painting at the end of the hall. The huge painting almost occupied half of the wall and to the side of it, a mannequin wearing a ballgown. The gown's color was that of the sunset. Its many layers showed the different shades of the sky during the sunset.

However, what elicited such powerful feelings from him was not the gown's fabric design, rather the painting behind it. Similar to the gown, it also showed a sunset. This time, it's reflected through a room's window. And in front of the window was a giant bean bag where a cat lazily slept. And if one were to examine, a man leaving the room reflected from the window's glass.

His heart beat wildly in his chest. He could not be wrong, the room in the painting was very familiar to him. He visited it each night and had changed nothing in the past five years. Clearly, it's Serene's studio in Magnolia Crescent. The painting was very detailed, it's like he stood inside her studio. It's as if one was staring in a photograph rather than a painting.

"Kitty Cat," he murmured. It had been a long time since he last said it. Recalling how he used to call Serene this way made his eyes water. He cleared his throat, then continued to look at the painting. Focusing on the reflection, he couldn't be mistaken, that's him. He's walking out of the room.

He felt sad at the thought. The painting depicted him leaving the room like the way he left her five years ago. Was this painting their story?

He scanned the room for a familiar figure but did not find what he was looking for.

"I'm afraid this one's for display only and is not for sale," a soft voice cut off his thoughts. He glanced in the voice's direction.

"Felicity Pax?" he inquired.

"Uh-hum" she nodded, making Justin arch his brow.

"It's such a realistic painting, Ms. Pax. I wonder what was your inspiration for this specific piece."

Vivienne swallowed her saliva at the question. She had not encountered such a question in all the years she posed for Serene. More often, the spectators would move on to the next frame after she mentioned it's not for sale.

"There are just random scenes, I've conjured. I'm more focused on technique than sentiment," she explained.

"Right, more on the technique." he said, nodding and scratching his chin. "Ms. Pax, I'm interested to see some more of your work, your studio is..."

"In New York but I've put up a gallery in Coast City two years ago," she said smiling, relieved that he bought the impromptu explanation she whipped up. She made a mental note to ask Serene the inspiration for each of her work, in case a similar situation happens in the future.

"Coast City?" Justin's brows inched higher.

"Yes. You can have my card and drop by the gallery should you find yourself in that side of the country," she politely said and offered Justin a business card. As soon as he took the card, she fled the site lest he berate him with a bunch of random, tough questions. Justin stared at the card he held and at the painting before him. His jaws clenched as he tried to put pieces of the puzzled together in his head.