Chapter 27

• ELOISE
• The lights dimmed in the event hall as we took our seats at one of the tables, and silence enveloped the crowd. A spotlight illuminated the first item to be auctioned—a centuries-old painting named "Whispers of the Wildwood" by the artist Edmund Harlowe, donated by a businessman.
• It's a landscape painting that transports viewers into a serene forest scene, lit only by fireflies, portraying a deep, lush woodland with untouched beauty. The auction's proceeds this evening would be distributed to orphanages, children with illnesses, and homes for the aged.