Chapter 183

183 The Painting Was Incorrect

“What do you need me to contribute with?” Lucien asked in confusion.

“You will see,” Ronan replied mysteriously.

While the other visitors were still marveling at the recreated third painting, Ronan led Lucien out of the exhibition room and went into a narrow corridor at the other end of the floor. There was a private elevator at the end of the corridor.

Ronan took out a card from his pocket and swiped it against the card reader in front of the elevator.

The door opened with a soft ding sound, announcing, “Welcome, Mr. Ronan Silverback.”

Lucien stared at Ronan.

When they got inside the elevator, Lucien saw that there were four floors altogether, not counting the ground floor.

“So mysterious,” Lucien commented. “Where are you taking me to?”

Ronan adorably tilted his head. “You will see.”

.....

After a short trip with the elevator, they arrived at the fourth floor.

The elevator door opened up with a soft ding sound and led them to a pitch-black room. While Lucien fumbled at the walls, trying to find some buttons to switch the light on, Ronan clapped twice and the room lit up almost instantly.

Impressed, Lucien whistled. “Fancy.”

It was largely empty, but Lucien could see what the room was. It was an art studio.

An easel stood tall and mighty in the middle of the room, covered by a cloth. Shelves containing art-related books stood on one side of the wall. Behind the easel was a desk with some sketchbooks stacked on top of it. Opposite the wall with the shelves were huge windows that could be opened at different angles. Long purple curtains that extended to the floor were tied at each side neatly.

At the backside of the room was a small bathroom that also functioned as a washing area.

Ronan walked ahead of Lucien and stood next to the easel. He then pulled the cloth off the easel, exposing the fourth painting in the “The Place Where Our Time Stopped” series.

So Ronan also got his hands on his fourth painting after all, Lucien thought.

The man gave Ronan a quizzical look.

“If you have the fourth painting in your possession, why don’t you display it along with the others?”

Ronan pulled his lips into a thin line. “Because this painting is incorrect,” he said, sounding a lot like a client who had been wronged by the artist.

“...”

How could a painting even be incorrect?

Lucien stepped closer to the painting and examined it. He did not see any glaring flaws at all.

Seeing that Lucien did not understand the reason for his utter dissatisfaction with the painting, Ronan pointed at the two brown-red wolves that were playing with each other in the grass field.

He then asked with a tone full of grievances, “Why did you replace me with Annalynne???”

Lucien gaped at Ronan for a while before he broke into laughter.

“Hahahahahaha...!!!”

The impatient Alpha pulled a long face and jabbed at Lucien’s torso viciously.

“Are you laughing at my expense? Hmm?”

“No, not at all... Hahaha, stop it,” Lucien begged, protecting his soft spots when Ronan started tickling him.

“Well? Are you not going to correct the painting? Hmm?”

Lucien raised his arms and hooked them around Ronan’s neck. He then leaned forward, shifting his weight onto the taller man.

His gaze was brimming with endless amusement.

“Really, Ronan? You already starred in three paintings. You cannot even spare the fourth and let Anna take your place?”

“No,” Ronan said, loud and clear. “Now fix the painting so I can put it out there.”

Lucien giggled. Ronan Silverback must be the first art collector ever to demand the artist to alter a finished painting.

“Oh, Ronan,” he whispered. “You are such a jealous man. What should I do with you?”

Ronan pulled at Lucien’s neck and kissed the breath out of his lover before giving Lucien the answer

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“You must love me and only me. You are not allowed to even look at another man. Or woman,” he added meaningfully.

Lucien bit into Ronan’s lower lip for fun.

“Do you really want me to fix the painting?”

“Yes.”

“Fine, I will do it later.”

“No, do it now.”

“...”

Lucien slumped forward. What a demanding customer.

“Alright,” he said in exasperation.

“How do you want me to fix the painting? I don’t have any ready painting materials in here.”

“Oh, fret not...”

Ronan pointed at a huge cupboard in the other corner of the room.

“You will find whatever you need in there.”

Lucien threw Ronan a quizzical look before he approached the cupboard and inspected its content.

Stacked neatly on multiple levels was everything that Lucien had in his studio back at the South Bedford City Art College.

“...”

Lucien went to grab one of the sketchbooks on top of the desk. As he flipped through it, he discovered that they were full of his sketches. The sketches that he drew back in the art college.

“Were you in my art studio again? When?”

“When you went missing, I searched for you everywhere,” Ronan confessed. “I went to your house, then the art college. I needed to find some clues about your whereabouts.”

A soft sigh escaped Lucien’s lips. He clapped the sketchbook shut and approached Ronan.

Caressing Ronan’s cheek lovingly with the back of his hand, Lucien sincerely apologized. “I am sorry. It must have been hard for you.”

Lucien did not want to talk too much about the painful interaction between them in the past. After all, the actions could not be undone, the words could not be retracted. All he could do was apologize, and hope that Ronan would forgive him for his stubbornness and foolishness back then.

Fortunately, the Alpha shared the same sentiment.

“It was worth it,” Ronan replied with a smile. “I don’t regret it.”

In fact, searching for Lucien allowed Ronan to discover the truth about Lucien’s feelings toward him.

He was glad that he found the four paintings.

He was glad that he found Lucien.

He was glad that he did not give up.

He was glad that they managed to arrive to this day.