Chapter 1 A swirl of brush

Some moments don't whisper. They crash into your life like a storm, leaving nothing the same. Lily Collins didn't know it yet, but tonight would be one of those moments. She had stepped into the grand Arthouse City Exhibition as a struggling artist, a quiet dreamer with nothing but her paint-stained hands and a heart full of hope.

By the end of the night, she would be standing at the edge of a scandal. By the end of the night, she would meet a man who could either save her or destroy her. By the end of the night, the world she knew would never be the same again.

Lily dipped her brush into a swirl of blue paint, blending it with just enough white to mimic the hazy sky she daydreamed about. Her hand moved instinctively across the canvas, her thoughts far away. Her painting, titled "Lost Horizons", felt like her soul spilled out in colors. Each brushstroke reflected her emotions: hope, fear, and longing. The painting was her soul laid bare, It captured the desires she could never put into words, the ache for something greater, for a life beyond the familiar streets of her small town.

"Lily!" Alexa's voice broke through her daydreaming. Her best friend stood at the studio door, waving a fragile white envelope. "You're not going to believe this."

"What is it?" Lily asked, wiping her hands on her apron.

Alexa handed her the envelope with a grin. "An invitation. They want your work at the annual Arthouse City Exhibition. This is huge!"

Lily stared at the letter in disbelief. The exhibition was famous, drawing wealthy sponsors, collectors, and analysts from across the country. It was a chance most artists could only dream of.

"I don't know, Alexa," Lily said hesitantly. "I'm not like those big-city artists. What if they laugh at me?"

Alexa grabbed her shoulders and shook her gently. "Stop doubting yourself! Your work is incredible, and you belong there. You have to go."

A week later, Lily stood in the grand exhibition hall, holding a small glass of sparkling water to steady her nerves. The space was breathtaking, with high ceilings adorned with complex chandeliers and walls lined with priceless art. The air buzzed with the sound of laughter, chatter, and clinking glasses.

Lily glanced at her display: "Lost Horizons", hanging proudly with her name on a plaque beneath it. Yet, as proud as she was of her work, she felt out of place. The other artists mingled effortlessly with the crowd, dressed in designer clothes and oozing confidence.

"You've got this," she whispered to herself, though the words felt hollow.

"Is this your work?"

The voice startled her, smooth and deep. She turned to find a tall man standing beside her. His smoky black hair was perfectly styled, and his sharp suit fit him like a second skin. His dark eyes seemed to see straight into her. His name was Jake Mcdernaunt.

Jake McDernaunt wasn't just a man of wealth, he was a force. At only 29, he had built one of the most successful tech empires in the country. His name was spoken with admiration in boardrooms, whispered with envy among his competitors, and plastered across financial magazines as one of the youngest billionaires in the industry.

From the outside, his life was something most people could only dream of, luxury, power, and influence. He owned a penthouse that sat atop the city's skyline, a stunning glass fortress with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the world beneath him. His garage housed a collection of rare sports cars, each one worth more than the average person's lifetime salary.

But beneath the surface, Jake's life wasn't as perfect as it seemed.

Yes, he had everything money could buy private jets, exotic vacations, access to the world's most exclusive events, but none of it filled the emptiness inside him. His days were dictated by board meetings, endless calls with investors, and battles with rivals who would do anything to bring him down. His nights were even lonelier.

His bed was large, but always empty. His world was filled with people, but never true friends. Every woman he dated had an agenda, whether it was money, status, or the chance to be seen on his arm at a prestigious event.

Jake wasn't bitter about it; he had accepted it as part of his life. Love, real love, was a fantasy. Something that existed in movies and books but not in the real world, until the night he met lily. Jake hadn't been looking for anything when he walked into the Arthouse City Exhibition.

He had gone because of a business contact, an investor who was interested in funding an art-tech initiative. It was supposed to be just another event. Another night of pretending to care about people he had no real connection with.

But then, he had seen "her".

She stood in front of her painting, looking so "out of place" in the world of wealth and prestige. She wasn't like the other artists, who were either drowning in arrogance or desperately seeking approval from the elite.

She looked "nervous".

Intrigued, Jake had walked closer, his eyes landing on her painting, It was breathtaking

The brushstrokes, the raw emotion, the way the colors blended into something that felt "alive" it was unlike anything he had ever seen. It stirred something in him. Something deep, something he couldn't explain.

And when he looked at Lily, he realized something even more shocking. She had no idea how extraordinary she was.

She wasn't like Carmela, who walked into a room expecting the world to bow at her feet, the ideal woman his society and mother would have loved him to have as a partner. Carmela was everything a billionaire's girlfriend was expected to be; stunning, sophisticated, and ruthless. She came from a wealthy family, the daughter of a real estate mogul, and had been raised to believe that power and influence were the only things that mattered in life.

She and Jake had been together for almost three years. Their relationship had been built on convenience rather than love. She fit perfectly into his world, and he fit into hers.

At first, it was exciting. They attended glamorous galas, partied on yachts, and traveled to private islands. The press adored them. Together, they were a power couple, the perfect picture of success.

But as time passed, Jake began to see the cracks beneath Carmela's flawless exterior.

Although Carmela is now his ex-girlfriend, he couldn't help making the comparison the moment he met her "Lily Collins". Lily was different. She was humble. She wasn't trying to impress anyone. And in that moment, Jake thought to himself " I must have her".

"Yes," she replied, her voice soft.

"It's incredible," he said, his gaze never leaving the painting. "The emotion, the detail, it's as if the horizon itself is calling out. I've never seen anything like it."

Lily blushed under his praise. "Thank you."

"I'm Jake," he said, extending a hand. "Jake McDernaunt."

The name rang a bell, though she couldn't place it. She shook his hand, feeling the warmth of his touch. "Lily."

Jake's smile deepened. "Lily, have you considered showcasing your work beyond this exhibition? I know people who would be interested in something as extraordinary as this."