Hearing her father’s name, Adele’s face looks even colder, it’s a dark past she never wants to remember, a humiliation of her family. The superior police officer helping the criminal to swap the suspect, what made it even worse, he was being caught and being exposed by the media, how stupid.

“I don’t know why my dead father had anything to with this.”

“You will know why, soon, but before that…are you going to invite me to your house?”

Adele stares at Faye Buckley with suspicious, but eventually, she steps aside and lets the old woman in.

“Thank you.” The senator smirks.

“You better be quick,” The younger woman ignores her, closing the door with a loud bang. “I don’t have all day.”

“Sure, you have,” Faye Buckley puts her bag on the couch as if it was her house, she even wanders around the room without host’s permission. “I’ve heard that since you were accused of sexual harassment to your assistant, the movie company discharged your contract and the movie you were working on, they simply let another person take your place, did they? And after that, no one wanted to work with you, the sponsors back off…you haven’t had any film contract since then, have you?”

Adele looks motionless at the senator, her appearance is calm and cold, but her eyes are burning with anger.

“You can leave now, Ms. Senator, if you were coming only to mock on my career.”

Faye Buckley’s attention is on the paintings hanging on the wall, the elder woman silently praises for all these drawings. She’s not an art expert, but anyone can see the collections in Adele’s place are all astonishing. The depths of color saturation are perfect mixed as if the paintings were alive, there are souls in each of the drawings.

“On the contrary…” Faye stops in front of one of the paintings, she can’t help but take a long look at the amazing work. “I’m here to help you with your career.”

“How can you help?” Adele laughs bitterly. “They held strong pieces of evidence, how could you possibly prove I am innocent?”

“I control the media, that’s why, as long as the public believes you are innocent, regardless of how the judges think, you are a victim.” The elder woman snaps her fingers. “Like this, when the news spread out, no more than a few days later, you can get your position back.”

With a cold sneer, Adele pours herself a drink from the wine bottle on the table.

“And what‘s the price? You’re doing this not because you suddenly become so generous, aren’t you? What do you want from me?”

Senator laughs grimly, like father like daughter.

Indeed, the elder woman came for a reason.

“You’re even smarter than your father.” Faye Buckley smiles. “I think we will make a great team.”

“Cut the bullshit.” Adele lights up her cigar and puffs out a full mouth of smoke. “Tell me what you want.”

Faye Buckley stares at the painting in front of her, using the blue and red pigments to build up the tension, it is the most outstanding oil painting among all, as if the ocean was soaked with blood.

“I want to know everything you knew about Tina Kennard…Her past, her family, friends…everything.” The elder woman touches the painting, turning her head to the brunette. “Then, you can get everything back, your money, your career, your fame…and mostly, the revenge for your father.”

-CJ-