James hesitated, uncomfortably aware of how much he was revealing. "It was after a... situation with Victoria."
Liana's eyes widened. "I knew it! You're in love with your boss!"
"I'm not—" James began to protest, but Liana cut him off.
"James, it's so obvious. You're speaking to a soon to be twenty five year old. Even Mom and Dad have been speculating about it for months."
"They have?" James asked, genuinely surprised.
Liana nodded. "Mom said she's never seen you so invested in anyone or anything. Dad thinks you're just ambitious, but Mom knows better." She gestured to the painting. "And apparently, so does your artist neighbor."
James stared at the faceless portrait, disturbed by how accurately both Sophia and his family had read feelings he'd barely acknowledged to himself.
"My relationship with Victoria is professional," he insisted, though the words sounded hollow even to his own ears.
"Sure it is," Liana replied skeptically. "That's why you look like that—" she pointed to the turbulent colors swirling where the face should be "—whenever something happens with her."
Before James could respond, a knock sounded at his door. He exchanged a glance with his sister, who raised her eyebrows expectantly.
"Twenty bucks says it's Faceless Portrait Lady," she whispered as he moved to answer it.
Sure enough, when James opened the door, Sophia stood in the hallway, looking effortlessly artistic in a paint-splattered shirt over dark jeans, her curls wilder than usual.
"James!" she exclaimed, her smile bright. "I was just wondering if you received—" Her words halted as she spotted Liana over his shoulder, and the painting on the coffee table. "Ah, you did get it."
"Yes, thank you for the painting," James said politely. "It's quite striking."
Sophia beamed. "I'm so glad you think so. I was inspired after seeing you that night a month ago. There was something so compelling about the contrast between your usual composed self and that moment of... rawness."
Her eyes held his meaningfully, and James felt uncomfortably exposed, as if she could see through him just as clearly now as she had that night.
"Sometimes we reveal more of ourselves in unguarded moments than we ever do intentionally," Sophia continued softly.
"It's certainly thought-provoking," James replied diplomatically. "Thank you for thinking of me."
"Always," Sophia replied with a warmth that bordered on inappropriate given their actual relationship. "I won't keep you from your family time. Just wanted to make sure you received it." Her gaze lingered on James for a moment longer than necessary before she turned to Liana. "Enjoy your visit! Perhaps we'll run into each other again before you leave."
After Sophia returned to her apartment, James closed the door to find Liana staring at him with raised eyebrows.
"Okay, that was intense," she said. "She practically undressed you with her eyes right in front of me."
"You're exaggerating," James replied, though he knew she wasn't.
"Am I? Because that woman is definitely obsessed with you." Liana gestured toward the painting. "And that's not a normal neighbor gift, James. That's a 'I've been watching you and fantasizing about you' gift."
James sighed, running a hand through his usually perfect hair. "I know. It's been escalating since that night a month ago."
"What exactly happened with Victoria that night?" Liana asked, folding her arms.
James hesitated, unsure how much to share. "It's not important."
"Clearly it is," Liana countered. "It's got your neighbor painting psychological portraits and you refusing to acknowledge what everyone else can see plainly."
James busied himself with adjusting the painting's position on the coffee table, avoiding his sister's penetrating gaze. "My relationship with Victoria is complex but professional. I respect her immensely."
"That wasn't the question," Liana pointed out. "But fine, keep deflecting. Just know that your feelings are written all over your face—or in this case, in the conspicuous absence of your face."
James knew his sister was right. He'd spent so many years professionally managing difficult personalities that diplomatic avoidance had become second nature. But Sophia's painting—the faceless portrait that somehow captured exactly how he'd felt that night—suggested an insight that was both impressive from an artistic perspective and unsettling from a personal one.
"I'll handle the situation with Sophia," he promised. "After your visit."
Liana studied him for a moment, then nodded reluctantly. "Fine. But that painting is seriously disturbing. The whole 'I can see you but you have no face' vibe is straight out of a psychological thriller."
James couldn't disagree. There was something deeply unsettling about seeing himself rendered so accurately yet deliberately obscured—as if Sophia had captured not just his physical form but the emotional turmoil that normally lay hidden beneath his controlled exterior.
"Let's talk about something else," he suggested. "Tell me more about your research. The real version, not the dumbed-down explanation you give Mom and Dad."
Liana accepted the diversion, launching into a detailed explanation of her environmental science project. Yet throughout the evening, James's gaze occasionally drifted to the painting on the coffee table, a tangible reminder of Sophia's increasing fixation—and the complicated feelings for Victoria that he could no longer ignore.
Sunday morning dawned bright and clear, perfect weather for Liana's birthday. James had planned a full day of activities—brunch at her favorite spot, a visit to the botanical gardens she'd been wanting to see, and the exclusive dinner reservation at Altura to cap off the celebration.
"Happy birthday!" he announced, presenting her with a small, elegantly wrapped box over coffee.
Liana's face lit up as she unwrapped the gift to reveal a delicate silver pendant featuring a stylized tree—a nod to both her environmental studies and their family's tradition of planting trees to mark significant occasions.
"It's beautiful," she breathed, immediately fastening it around her neck. "Thank you!"
"There's an engraving on the back," James pointed out.
Liana turned over the pendant to read the tiny inscription: Roots deep, branches high. Love, J.
"It's perfect," she said, blinking back tears before punching him lightly on the arm. "Stop making me emotional before I've finished my coffee."
James smiled, pleased by her reaction. Despite his sister's frequent complaints about his workaholic tendencies, they'd always shared a deep connection. Two years apart in age, they had developed a relationship that had transitioned smoothly from childhood hero-worship to adult friendship, with Liana often serving as his most honest critic and staunchest defender.
As they enjoyed their morning coffee, discussing plans for the day ahead, James felt grateful for his sister's presence. She had always been able to see through his carefully constructed facades, to challenge him in ways no one else dared—not even Victoria.