The art gallery buzzed with life, its energy masking the disquiet within you. As the daughter of a prominent businessman, you had mastered the art of maintaining appearances. To you, art was an enigma—a mere tool to polish your image. But as you wandered through the exhibits, one painting stopped you in your tracks. A cityscape of Bern in spring. Your smile faltered as memories from five years ago consumed you.

Bern was where you sought refuge after the collapse of your engagement to Noah Carter, who was forced into marriage with the president’s daughter after an irreversible mistake. Heartbroken, you fled to a quiet house in Switzerland. Silence was your only solace until the day you met him—Brian, a painter with midnight-dark eyes and an aura of mystery. He was seeking inspiration in Bern, and your hesitant exchanges soon turned into shared moments that brought light back into your life.

He taught you to paint, laughing at your amateur attempts, and for three fleeting weeks, you shared quiet afternoons and unspoken emotions. But your time was cut short. Without explanation, your father demanded your return. You left without a goodbye, leaving behind Brian and the feelings you couldn’t express—a regret that lingered for years.

Snapping back to the present, your attention shifted to another painting—a portrait. It was you, from five years ago, with your short-cropped hair. Your breath hitched as a familiar voice broke the silence behind you.

“I finally found you.”

You turned to see Brian, his dark eyes and enigmatic smile unchanged. He stepped closer, apologizing for painting you without permission. “I’ve thought about you every day since you left,” he confessed. “Even if you counted every drop of oil paint I used for this exhibition, it still wouldn’t measure how much you’ve been on my mind.”

Words failed you as he continued, his voice steady.

“This entire exhibition was created to bring you here. Bern became a part of me because of you. Every painting holds a piece of our time together.”