Chapter 249

Chris's POV

I never thought that one day I would stand in an art studio with working canvases and the smell of paint. Yet, here I was, standing next to Megan as she was engrossed in the scene unfolding before her, with Max putting finishing touches to his latest piece. Very representative, it portrayed Megan in a way even I had not seen, laying her strength and vulnerability bare on the canvas.

Megan turned to me; her eyes had softened. "What do you think, Chris?"

I turned back to the painting, then back to her. "It's beautiful. He really captured you."

She smiled, and something shy was in the expression. "I think so too. It's like he sees parts of me that even I didn't know existed."

Max stepped back from the canvas, wiping his hands in a rag. "It's easy to see when you look hard enough. Megan, you have layers. And Chris, you've got your own story to tell."

I nodded, feeling a little self-conscious. "Thanks, Max. Your work is inc