He Buried Me But I Painted My Own Resurrection novel Chapter 314

The stench of charred wood still hung heavy in the air around the scene of the fire.

By the time Sienna and Lucas arrived, a crowd of reporters and onlookers had already mobbed the entrance of The Lumina Gallery. Police tape cordoned everything off.

"My dad already made a call," Lucas whispered near her ear, shielding her. "Captain Whitmore's team is inside. We can go in and take a look."

Pushing through the crowd, a young officer immediately stepped forward, escorting them into the gutted gallery.

The interior was a disaster zone, the floor slick with water and ash left behind by the fire hoses.

The second-floor hall took the worst of the damage. The walls were scorched pitch-black, and the spots where paintings once hung were now nothing more than gaping, charred outlines.

A middle-aged man squatted at the absolute center of the burn site, meticulously inspecting the scene. Seeing Arthur's daughter and Lucas arrive, he stood up and pulled off his gloves.

"Captain Whitmore," Lucas gave a nod.

Captain Whitmore looked grim. He pointed to a pile of debris on the floor.

"We've done a sweep. The arsonist climbed in through the second-floor window and dumped an accelerant directly underneath Ms. K's painting."

"The execution was sloppy, with zero anti-surveillance measures. But the target was crystal clear. They came straight for this painting."

"In the entire hall, this piece was burned to absolute cinders. Even the frame turned to ash. Everything else just suffered smoke damage."

"This wasn't a robbery. It looks more like a... provocation. A statement."

Sienna listened quietly, the answer already forming in her mind.

Lyla.

Only she would use such a brainless, spiteful method to vent her bottomless resentment.

This was a declaration of war. By burning a piece of Sienna's past, she was announcing her return.

"Any leads?" Lucas asked.

Captain Whitmore shook his head. "No usable prints or footprints were left behind, and the nearby cameras were intentionally smashed. The arsonist seemed to know the area well, dodging all the main street cameras. We'll track them down, but it's going to take some time."

Sienna knew the truth. If Madeline dared to let a rabid dog like Lyla off the leash, she would have definitely erased her tracks. Finding her through normal channels wouldn't be easy.

As they left the gallery, the reporters waiting outside swarmed them like sharks smelling blood.

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