As a seven year old boy the one thing that impressed Grant the most about the Ogden mansion was how many video-games were stored within it. Now that he was an adult however, Grant was beginning to pay closer attention to far more things.

The front lawn and garden were flawless. He remembered that the interior smelled like home unlike some of those other fancy houses that had the smells of chemical based air fresheners that left the feeling of the house disconnected from reality. As Grant approached the front door with his parents, he began deciding on whether or not to rub his shoes on the mat before the door. Everything seemed so fancy that he wondered if even the mat was too fancy to defile with whatever gunk was caught on his shoes.

"You should get your brother to buy us a house like this dear," said Martin, Grant's father.

"He helped pay for Grant's college already," said Helen Foreman. "Don't push his goodwill. Besides, the gold Grant found in China has already solidified our financial security."

"Hey I'm just saying he's probably got enough to himself a theme park or two."

Grant's dad brushed back his receding brown hair and sighed. "Maybe he will take us shopping and buy me some new polo shirts."

"Dear!"

"I'm only joking."

Before they could even ring the doorbell the door burst open. There stood Grant's Aunt Alexa in a peach colored dress.

"Oh my you are so grown and handsome now!" Aunt Alexa exclaimed, running to hug Grant by the front door as the servants got his bags.

"Come now dear stop treating our nephew like he's still seven," said Uncle Lain, whose style had not changed since Grant last saw him. Three piece suit and tie. "It's been a long time Grant."

"Pleasure to see you again Uncle," said Grant, wincing as Uncle Lina shook his hand a little too firmly.

"Do you still remember my kids? Sophia and Franklin."

"Yes Uncle I'm not that cold. We used to play together all the time. Franklin and I would spend hours playing video games together."

"Yes and you baked a birthday cake for your aunt here with Sophia as I recall. It really has been too long."

"I guess Franklin and Sophia don't miss me and much as I did," said Grant. "Or are they out?"

"Oh Sophia is just swimming," said Uncle Lain, chuckling. "As for Franklin he's been shut in recently, probably busy watching a movie in his man cave."

Martin grunted as he lifted his heavy duffel bag into the house.

"Ah there is my favorite brother in law!" Uncle Lain boomed. "Do you still play tennis?"

"It's good to see you," said Martin, panting. "And to answer your question, not as much as before. I'm pretty out of shape."

"Yeah that's no easy fix," said Uncle Lain with a laugh. He patted Martin's little pot belly gently. "Alright the servants will take your things from here. Your rooms are on the first floor. If you want to switch to a different guest room don't be afraid to ask. We got plenty of those to spare!"

"Pool is in the backyard," said Aunt Alexa, smiling as she led Grant towards the kitchen, hand on his back. "How was your second year in college?"

"It was great," said Grant. "I'm sure you've read about it in the papers too."

"Oh yes your uncle and I couldn't believe it! The Taiping treasure has really put you and your family on the map. If you ever need help managing your newfound wealth don't be afraid to ask me or your uncle. I was an accounting major in college. I know how to manage accounts just as well as your Uncle Lain does."

"And what is Sophia studying?" Grant asked. "She just finished her freshman year right?"

"We failed to talk her out of being a literature major," said Aunt Alex with a heavy sigh. "But she does love it so much. I'm just glad she is happy. Anyways, we can talk later. Sophia is probably waiting for you at the pool."

Grant exited the house through the glass sliding door by the very modern and spacious kitchen. The ground was all stone tile leading up the gorgeous looking pool which was smaller than Grant had imagined. There under the flawlessly clean clear water was Sophia. She emerged from the water via the ladder and shook the water out of her face.

"Grant!" Sophia exclaimed, noticing him. She quickly climbed up the ladder and brushed back her wet light brown hair. Her wearing a dark purple bikini exposed her toned muscles, which impressed Grant.

"Wow someone has been working out," said Grant, chuckling. "I remember you being a lot nerdier."

"Nerds can be ripped too," said Sophia, grabbing a neatly folded towel placed on a wooden table.

"Where 's Franklin?" said Grant. "Perfect day for swimming and he's still not out? Didn't even bother to come say hello."

Something Grant had said disrupted the genuine enthusiasm that a moment ago made up Sophia's face. It was only for a brief moment but it was enough to put Grant on the alert.

"Hey something wrong with Franklin?" Grant asked. "Is he not feeling well?"

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

"He's depressed," Sophia admitted. "We don't know the cause and he doesn't talk to anyone about it really except the medical professionals he sees. There is this woman he's been obsessed with you see. A woman depicted in an old painting."

"Wait, an artwork is the cause of his depression?"

"It's like a desperate crush," said Sophia. "Like obsessing over a woman you know you can't be with."

"I see," said Grant. "That's....unusual."

"You don't need to tell me twice," said Sophia. "But enough about that you just got here you don't want to listen to my problems."

"Woah there that last bit made me sound real cold," said Grant, frowning.

Sophia laughed. "So what's up with you? You look like you've been taking good care of yourself. My mom tells me you're a psychology major."

"I plan to change out of it," said Grant. "Not really feeling it."

"I suppose finding that Taiping treasure piqued your interest in other fields."

"Perhaps," Grant admitted.

"What about girls. Are you in a relationship?"

"Single as can be," said Grant. "Though I was in one until recently. Don't worry we parted on good terms and for good reasons."

"I see," said Sophia. "Well I'm going to get dressed. Come to my room. Let's continue to catch up there."

"Do you still play with barbie dolls and dinosaur toys?"

Sophia shook her head. "Donated them to charity four years ago."

Grant had to admit he thought Sophia's room looked like how every guy imagined a typical girl's room to look. It was neat and well organized with movie posters and lots of pictures with friends decorated with strings and other art trinkets that Grant had forgotten the names to.

"At least you kept the books you liked to read as a kid in your bookcase," said Grant, bending down to examine the books. "Other than that your room is nothing like it was. Kind of boring."

"Gee are you always this rude?" said Sophia, closing the door behind her and locking it.

"Wait don't you want me to wait outside first?" said Grant.

"Just turn around," said Sophia, with a laugh. "Besides you've seen me naked before."

"Sophia that was when we were in elementary school. Boys didn't care about girls. Boys and girls hated each other and thought each side was disgusting."

"I got along just fine with boys," said Sophia. "My mom always told me I matured fast even for a girl."

Grant mockingly patted his back rapidly with both hands. "Yes I'm Sophia and I'm rich and mature and smart and perfect and all that. Let me just pat myself on the back a little. Uh!"

Sophia shook her head. "Ok ok alright. We rich people aren't like that."

She stepped in front of her drawers, back turned to Grant. Her hand went up to the knot to undo her bikini.

"So how's school for you?" Grant asked. "Enjoying college so far?"

"I love it," said Sophia, slipping off her top. "My parents were hoping i'd be an entrepreneur or a successful lawyer though. But I love literature. I actually keep books in my walk in closet."

"What about social life. Are you seeing someone?"

"Never have. I focused on school and my girlfriends. I turned down every guy who asked me out until senior prom. That was with a good friend who wasn't interested in me romantically too. Not really that interested in college dating life at the moment either."

Grant looked away briefly as Sophia began to slip off her bikini bottoms. "I see."

"You know I crushed on you when we saw each other at your father's niece's wedding. Franklin and I were excited to see you even if it was for a short moment. You exceeded my expectations at the time. I think you were thirteen or something."

"Yeah I was," said Grant. "I'm afraid I don't remember you or anything much about the wedding at all. But hey if you looked anything like you do now I'm sure I would have crushed on you too had you been some girl at my middle school."

"Yeah? And did you feel something along those lines when you first saw me at the pool?"

"Come on Sophia. We're cousins. You're like the little sister I never had. I don't really think of you that way."

"I guess that's the proper thing to do." said Sophia. She sounded a little disappointed though Grant was sure he was imagining things. She put on a pink shirt and jeans before continuing. "I need your help Grant. You know a lot more about this kind of thing than I do. You see Franklin is desperate for the original painting he obsesses over. Right now he feels he only has a long distance relationship and has never seen his lover in person."

"Can't your father just buy it? How do I come into play?"

"The original painting was lost," said Sophia. "It was travelling with an art collector and painter named Hugh Trenton aboard the Duchess of Scotland. He and the painting went down with the ship. The artwork itself is valued at around 3 million dollars."

Grant whistled. "That's a lot of money. But anyways, if the painting has been destroyed then isn't there...no hope?"

"Well I didn't say destroyed, just lost," Sophia corrected him. "What if the painting is water resistant or something. Maybe it was locked in an airtight case or put in a safe on board the ship. There were rumors that the painting actually made it off the ship, which explains why faithful and accurate reproductions of it emerged from anonymous creators over the years since."

"So you want me to help you find this painting so Franklin can obsess over it some more?"

"It might at least save him from his current state. He talks about the woman in the painting like she was his fiance or something. Finding the painting would be like bringing her back from the dead."

"This is all very bizarre...." Grant muttered. "Look I'm no expert on art history or lost historical artifacts. I got lucky with the Taiping treasure. I had a lot of help too."

"I'm only asking you to consider it," said Sophia, the pleading tone of her voice tugged at Grant's heartstrings. "Our whole family is hurting because of Franklin's emotions deterioration for lack for a better word. Besides, you're not the only one I've asked for help."

"Oh thank god," said Grant. "I'm glad you have real professionals in this case."

"Well my parents aren't the least bit interested in finding this painting," said Sophia. "They just want their son cured through medical or therapeutic means. I don't have much money compared to my parents but I've been using my savings to hire people that might be good at this kind of stuff. Freelancers are so easy to find on the internet."

"Come one Sophia you can't possibly trust these internet strangers. They could scam you just like that."

"Relax I'm not paying an arm and a leg. Besides they agreed to no payment until the job is done. I hired only two so far, Estelle Burnette, a French American woman who graduated with a degree in forensic science and Brock Sanderson. He has experience with underwater salvaging."

"Do I get paid too?"

Sophia folded her arms. "I was hoping you would do this for family and out of the goodness of your heart but if you will be compensated if you'd like."

"I was kidding," said Grant with a laugh. "Alright I'll look into it. I'm worried for Franklin too. Sounds pretty serious."

Sophia walked up and hugged him tight. "Thank you Grant," she whispered, before planting a kiss on his cheek.

"May I see a picture of the painting?"

Sophia nodded. "We bought a reproduction of it of the same size and scale. It's in the library downstairs."