Lena was returning to the apartment after picking up breakfast when she noticed an envelope in their mailbox. The envelope was plain, with nothing written on it but Nalani's name on the back. Curiosity piqued, she took it inside. Once in the apartment, Lena set about preparing the table for breakfast, arranging pastries, fruit, and coffee.

Nalani emerged from her room a little later, her fluffy cat Nini following closely behind. "Good morning!" Lena greeted her cheerfully. "Breakfast is ready."

Nalani stretched and sat at the table, eyeing her friend. "You're up early again today. Got another date or something?"

Lena blushed, rolling her eyes. "No, not a date. Just have some errands to run. You know, for Amelie" She poured coffee for both of them.

Nalani smirked, teasing, "Oh, sure. Well, it's fine if you want to go out. I'm meeting Anais today anyway."

"Just make sure you're prepared to give me a status report later," Nalani teased and Lena gave her a sarcastic 'ha-ha' but Nalani knew she was blushing. 

They enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, chatting about their plans for the day. Once she finished eating, Nalani got up to shower, leaving Lena to tidy up. As Lena was cleaning, she remembered the letter and called out to Nalani, but the sound of the shower drowned out her voice. Lena decided to place the envelope on Nalani's bedside table, intending to tell her about it later.

Afternoon with Anais

Nalani dressed quickly and left the apartment, anxious not to keep Anais waiting. They spent the day exploring various galleries and meeting artists Anais knew. Anais seemed particularly keen to introduce Nalani to places that could spark inspiration.

Later, they attended a musical, Anais admitting she didn't want to go alone. During their walk out of the theater, Anais turned to Nalani and said, "You remind me so much of Malina, in some way."

Nalani stammered, feeling a mix of pride and sadness. "I-I get that a lot."

Anais smiled warmly, taking both of Nalani's hands. "Well, I hope today was helpful for you. I'm really looking forward to seeing your final piece."

Nalani squeezed her hands back. "You've been a great help, Anais. I can't thank you enough."

Anais gently stroked her hair. "You have so much potential, just like Malina. I can't wait to see you grow into a talented artist like her."

As it got late, they parted ways. Nalani drove home, feeling a mix of inspiration and exhaustion. The apartment was dark when she arrived; Lena wasn't back yet. After washing up and changing into her pajamas, Nalani settled into bed, Nini curling up beside her.

Nalani texted Lena to let her know she was home and ready to sleep. As she was about to set her phone down on the bedside table, she felt something slide off and hit the floor. She picked up the envelope, seeing her name written on the back. Opening it, she found a letter inside.

The letter read:

Dear Nalani,

My name is Viviane Blanche. I was your mother's secretary in the past. I have something important to tell you and would like to meet as soon as possible. Please come to the address below.

(Address attached)

Sincerely, Viviane Blanche

Nalani stared at the letter, feeling a mix of curiosity and apprehension. She didn't know whether to trust the contents or the sender. To ease her mind, she sent a text to Zephyr, asking if he knew anyone named Viviane Blanche. She then drifted into an uneasy sleep.

The Next Day

The next morning, Nalani woke to a reply from Zephyr:

Viviane Blanche worked for your mother as her PA and secretary since her debut as an artist. Why do you ask? Did something happen?

Nalani replied with a simple "Thanks," deciding not to worry Zephyr with the details. She then resolved to meet this woman and find out what she had to say.

Later that day, Nalani got ready, feeling a strange mix of anticipation and nervousness. She made her way to the address provided in the letter. It led her to an old, but well-maintained building. She hesitated for a moment, then knocked on the door.

A middle-aged woman with kind eyes opened it. "You must be Nalani," she said, smiling warmly. "I'm Viviane Blanche. Please, come in."

Nalani stepped inside, taking in the surroundings. The walls were adorned with artwork, some of which she recognized from her mother's collections.

Viviane led her to a cozy sitting room. "Would you like some tea?" she offered.

Nalani nodded, sitting down on a comfortable armchair. "Yes, please."

Viviane returned with a tray of tea and biscuits. They sat in silence for a moment, the air thick with unspoken words.

"I knew your mother very well," Viviane began, her voice soft. "She was an incredible artist, and an even more incredible person."

Nalani listened intently, her heart aching with every word. "Why did you want to meet me?" she finally asked.

Viviane took a deep breath. "Your mother left something for you. Something she wanted you to have when you were ready." She reached into a drawer and pulled out a small, ornate box. "This belonged to her. She said it would guide you when you needed it most."

Nalani took the box, her hands trembling. "Thank you," she whispered, opening it slowly. Inside was a delicate necklace with a pendant shaped like a crescent moon and a small key.

"Your mother felt bad.. for leaving you alone at such a young age," Viviane said. "She wanted to teach you a lot of things for the possibility that you could follow in her footsteps, but she also wanted you to find your own path."

Nalani felt tears welling up in her eyes. "I miss her so much."

Viviane placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "She is always with you, in your heart."

"But that's not the only reason why I wanted to meet you," she said to her in a serious tone.

"I'm not sure if you know, but this is Malina old studio, a building she bought in the past before she rose to fame. This is were she mostly did her art, where I met her," Viviane started. 

"But I inherited my mother's assets and I didn't see this building on the list", Nalani said with her brows furrowed as she looked at Viviane. 

"Well, the building is to be inherited by you but she put it under my name, for safekeeping," she replied.

"A month before she... passed, she told me that an unreleased collection of paintings that she kept here and had told me to keep it from the media's prying eyes until I could finally meet you," she continued.

"But why would mom want to keep those paintings here?," Nalani asked her.

"I wondered about that too because she never told me the reason. But when I saw those paintings and had them all appraised in secret, they were quite worth a.. lot and apparently those paintings were only showcased once or twice and Malina had kept them all here for some reason," she added.

"What are those paintings exactly?," Nalani asked her, getting curious as to why would her mother keeps such things here instead of showing it off to the world like how they should be. 

Nalani's eyes followed Viviane as she suddenly stood up from the sofa. "Come, I'll show you."