My Soul card is a Reaper

"Since Miss Sky Blue has said so," Adonis Raven continued slowly, raising his brows with faint curiosity, "then I am a little interested to hear more. If you have any thoughts, why not share them? Perhaps you can enlighten me."

His tone carried a trace of teasing.

Because he was a painter she deeply admired, Isabella Cruz felt a slight sting in her heart when she heard that tone.

However, she had encountered similar attitudes many times before. After thinking it through, she forced herself to relax.

After all, Master Jason Smith was still human. If he doubted her judgment, that was only natural.

"I wouldn't dare say I'm offering enlightenment," she said calmly. "And I certainly wouldn't claim to give advice. If Miss Penelope and Mr. Raven don't mind, I can only share some of my own immature thoughts. If they are wrong, please treat them as the ramblings of someone inexperienced."

Penelope Steele, who had always liked Isabella Cruz, immediately became interested.

She had already recognized the girl's talent.

If Isabella Cruz could demonstrate her insight in front of Adonis Raven today, it would greatly increase her chances of becoming his disciple.

That opportunity was extremely rare.

Moreover, if the girl truly became Adonis Raven's student, Penelope Steele would have many more legitimate reasons to invite her over in the future.

Of course, Isabella Cruz had no idea what Penelope Steele was planning.

She simply looked at the painting quietly and began explaining what she had observed.

"In truth," she said slowly, "because I admire Mr. Jason Smith very much, I've made an effort to study his works whenever I have the chance. Recently, during the exhibition, I also had the opportunity to observe several authentic pieces."

She paused briefly before continuing.

"Mr. Jason Smith's paintings are rare not only because of his artistic influence and the unique style he established, but also because he has always insisted on producing only the highest quality work."

"When I say 'high quality,' I mean everything involved in the process. The pigments, the brushes, the canvas frames, even the preparation of the surface, all follow very strict standards."

She gently gestured toward the painting.

"If you observe carefully, you'll notice that the ink used here is different from the materials Mr. Jason Smith usually purchased from Italy. Instead, it appears to be a relatively inexpensive ink."

"There are also slight abrasions in the brushwork. That typically occurs when the brush quality isn't very high, which results in uneven strokes."

Her voice remained calm and steady.

"Furthermore, according to Miss Penelope, this painting was created before Mr. Jason Smith's style matured."

"If that's the case, then the pigments should have aged significantly by now. Over time, ink develops subtle changes in texture and gloss under light."

"The older the painting, the more careful one must be when displaying it. Museums often adjust the lighting to reduce brightness, preventing long-term damage to the pigments."

She glanced at the artwork again.

"But this painting… appears far too new for something that should be at least forty years old."

"So I made a bold guess."

Her eyes lifted slightly.

"This painting was likely created by someone who imitated Mr. Jason Smith's style."

"However," she added thoughtfully, "the level of imitation is astonishing. It isn't a simple copy. Instead, it recreates the spirit of the original style so convincingly that most viewers would immediately believe it to be an authentic Jason Smith."

She paused.

"And without question, the person who painted this work must be an extremely skilled artist."

Although her explanation was long, it was organized and logical.

Even Adonis Raven listened carefully.

When she finished speaking, he slowly set down his teacup and clapped his hands once.

"Miss Sky Blue truly lives up to Penny's praise."

There was genuine admiration in his voice now.

"You are indeed very talented."

He smiled slightly.

"And your evaluation of the unknown painter…"

"…matches exactly what I thought of him back then."

Adonis Raven's gaze softened with a trace of nostalgia.

"That young man amazed me."

"It's just unfortunate that he himself never admitted he had talent in this area."

Adonis Raven shook his head lightly.n"I once sincerely hoped to train him as a painter."

Isabella Cruz blinked in surprise. "Mr. Jason Smith… you actually know the person who painted this?"

Adonis Raven only smiled.

But he did not answer.

Hector Raven suddenly set his teacup down and smiled faintly.

"Father," he said lightly, "it's been so many years. Why bring that up again?"

He glanced at Isabella Cruz with an almost apologetic expression.n"It was just a random doodle from when I was a child. I'm sorry if it made Miss Sky Blue laugh."

Isabella Cruz's eyes widened. "This painting… was painted by you?!"

Her voice rose before she could control it.

Adonis Raven, however, seemed completely used to this kind of reaction. He laughed warmly.

"Hector painted that when he was ten years old. Back then, it was actually one of my favorite works of his."

He looked at the painting with a trace of nostalgia.

"Unfortunately, when I later went to the orphanage to adopt Hector, this painting had already been lost by someone."

He smiled and looked toward Isabella Cruz.

"I didn't expect fate to bring it back into our hands through you today."

Penelope Steele was also clearly surprised.

She turned to look at Hector Raven with a new expression.

"Hector! You're unbelievable," she said half jokingly. "You actually know how to paint, and you hid it from Miss Penelope for all these years?"

Hector Raven only smiled modestly. "It's been many years since I've touched a brush," he said calmly. "Recently, my father has become quite interested again and often spends time painting."

He shrugged lightly. "As for me, I'm too busy with work now. Sometimes, even if I wanted to paint, I simply wouldn't have the time."

Adonis Raven laughed heartily. "What's difficult about that? If you really wanted to paint, you would find time."

Penelope Steele immediately seized the opportunity. "Since we're talking about painting," she said enthusiastically, "I'm planning to let Sky Blue become your father's disciple."

She looked between the two men. "How about this? Since you also have talent in painting, why don't you guide her a little as well?"

Her eyes were full of expectation.

"I really like this child. She's a good seedling. With proper guidance, her future will definitely be bright."

The sincerity in Penelope Steele's voice almost made Isabella Cruz tear up.

The more kindly Penelope Steele treated her, the more uneasy she felt about hiding her true identity.

It was exactly like the saying people often repeated.

Once a lie begins, it requires countless other lies to maintain it.

And once it starts…

It becomes extremely difficult to end.

"Miss Penelope… actually I…"

She opened her mouth, intending to refuse.

After all, she had never believed she could truly become a disciple of Master Jason Smith.

But before she could finish...

Adonis Raven spoke. "Penny, since you've already said so, what reason would I have to refuse?"

He looked at Isabella Cruz. "Miss Sky Blue, is that right?"

He smiled calmly.

"When you have time, come to my studio. I would like to see you paint in person."

After speaking, he glanced briefly toward Hector Raven and gave a subtle gesture.

Hector Raven nodded slightly in response.

Isabella Cruz didn't even notice their silent exchange.

Her mind had already gone blank.

From the moment she heard that Jason Smith had agreed to accept her, everything felt like a dream.

She barely heard the rest of the conversation.

It wasn't until Penelope Steele walked over and held her hand warmly that she finally returned to reality.

"Sky Blue, this is wonderful," Penelope Steele said with a smile.

Isabella Cruz forced herself to nod and smile back.

But inside, she still felt dazed.

Lunch ended in a pleasant atmosphere.

When she walked out of the Imperial Cuisine Garden, it still felt as though her feet were stepping on clouds.

Everything that had happened today felt unreal.

Penelope Steele offered to drive her back, but she politely declined.

She wanted to walk alone for a while and sort through the chaos of emotions in her heart.

Too many things had changed in just a few days.

However, fate rarely allowed people peaceful moments.

She had only walked two blocks when a silver-gray Audi slowly stopped beside her.

The window rolled down.

Hector Raven's familiar face appeared.

His expression was calm, but his gaze remained fixed on her.

"Are you interested in talking?" he asked lightly.

Isabella Cruz remembered the moment earlier when Adonis Raven mentioned adopting him from the orphanage.

For a brief moment, her impression of Hector Raven had softened.

But in the end, he was still just a stranger.

No matter how complicated his past might be, it had nothing to do with her.

She looked at him calmly.

"If I say I'm not interested… will you disappear from my sight immediately?"