Chapter 14  Realizing this, anger surged through my chest like a raging storm. People often say that after death, some transform into vengeful spirits seeking payback, but that seems like nothing more than a fairy tale. It’s as if an invisible force field surrounds me, keeping the from doing anything, even with my enemy standing right in front of me.  All I can do is watch as she effortlessly claims the fruits of my labor, soaking up all the praise that was never meant for her. Those artworks weren’t made for applause. They were my therapy, my solace.  For the past two years, thanks to Nicole, my mood has been in the dumps. I even saw a therapist who diagnosed me with severe depression. The meds could only dull the edges, not fix the core. He suggested I either distance myself from the sources of my misery or find a way to heal.  I knew that Nicole and Chase were at the heart of it all, but back then, my fixation only dragged me deeper into the abyss. Before I left the Kennedy family, I would often hide away in my basement studio, painting. Each brushstroke was a wound, each completed piece, a  alm.  And now, Nicole stole even those lifeless objects from me.  When someone stumbled upon the hidden signature in my paintings, it was like they had discovered a new world.  Back in middle school, I entered a design competition under the alias “S” and became an overnight sensation. My parents had such high expectations for me. I didn’t want them to know that I was wasting my time with art, so much so that I didn’t even show up to accept my award.  The social media account I secretly set up started buzzing with followers eagerly waiting for more. Each year, I would release one piece a secret even Chase didn’t know. Two years ago, I accidentally posted from the wrong account, and my new work went viral overnight. Fame never interested me, so I let the fans speculate without setting them straight. The debate about my identity was heated, with some saying I was S and others accusing me of leeching off the fame. Without my clarification, the issue faded in less than a month. Fast forward two years, and Nicole had unearthed my hidden works. My habit of tucking my signature into the paintings meant seasoned fans could easily spot my style, and mistakenly credited Nicole as the true artist.  The blunder from two years ago came back to haunt me. Some blasted me, while others lavished praise on Nicole. Nicole, now hailed as a prodigious young talent, basked in a reputation for beauty and kindness.  The story spread like wildfire online, with a chorus of accusations against me for pretending to be S, while Nicole reaped the credit for all the charitable work done under S’s name.  Chase, watching it all unfold, had a conflicted look in his eyes. Even if he didn’t know I was S, he recognized my style. “Nicole, did you really paint these?” he asked.  Nicole’s eyes brimmed with tears. “Chase, if not me, then who? Didn’t you always say my work was great?”  “I just feel the style is different from your usual work.”  “People grow, No one sticks to a single style. I have many styles, Chase. You’ll see over time.”  As she spoke, her fingers drifted down from Chase’s chest, growing bolder by the second. Chase didn’t want to make a scene, and quickly brushed her hand away. “The auction’s starting. Let’s head over.”  I found myself trailing after them to the auction venue, packed with art lovers. Many were there because of the buzz about S’s work online making the place a hive of activity.  As Chase weaved through the crowd, someone brushed past him. “Sorry,” came a voice, rough as if it had been through a smokehous His figure was hunched, and his face partly hidden.  The second the man lifted his head, his bloodshot, sinister eyes met mine.  Boom!  It felt like a sledgehammer to my heart.  It was him! The murderer who took my life was right there!