10. The Forbidden Portrait

“I’m going to the office now. Never go anywhere without supervision. I haven’t agreed to that proposal about you,” Zean said after his breakfast was finished. “Tonight, I will bring one of my friends from yesterday to assess your qualifications for staying here,” he continued while rising from his seat.

“Okay. No problem,” Helga replied.

Zean left the dining table without Helga following him. But the girl made sure that Zean had already gone. Because Helga had made a plan today.

After her breakfast was finished, Helga asked the servant to clear the table. Starting today, she would become the queen in that house.

***

That afternoon, the sun hung high, illuminating the entire vast yard of the luxury house where Helga now lived. After Zean left for his office in a jet-black car and a convoy of guards, the house atmosphere returned to silence. Too silent, to the point that the ticking of the clock in the living room was clearly heard.

Helga stood on the upstairs balcony, staring at the yard below with a glass of tea in her hand. However, her mind was not still. Zean’s words this morning were still ringing in her ears.

“Something that can make you die in an instant… .”

Helga closed her eyes for a moment. Not out of fear, but because that curiosity was increasingly gnawing at her. Who exactly was Zean? What did he mean by ‘buying you from your father’? And, why was she guarded as if she were more than just a wife?

She placed the cup on the table, she walked towards a room on that second floor. A room whose door was tightly closed, and that room was Zean’s workspace. There was something bothering Helga’s mind, about an object beneath a pile of documents.

With cautious steps, Helga opened that door, it was unlocked. She looked around, keeping her surroundings safe before entering that room and closing the door tightly, even locking it so that no one would enter and catch her in there. She would not forget Zean’s warning not to enter his workspace. And Helga remembered the last time when Zean choked her for entering that room without permission.

But, as if not afraid, not deterred, here Helga was now, in front of the large desk in Zean’s workspace which was neater than the last time she saw it.

She looked around. There were no cameras in the corner of the ceiling. No sound. Turning to Zean’s desk, Helga pulled the drawer located in that desk, looking for something. A picture she had seen yesterday. She also searched between the piles of documents, inside the drawer but that object was not there.

“Where is it? Even though it’s just a piece of paper that made me almost unable to sleep. Just because of that damn picture, my mind is not at peace,” she grumbled after letting out a long breath, very tired after rummaging through that desk.

Not finding what she was looking for, Helga threw herself into Zean’s grand chair, spinning it slowly. She quite enjoyed that freedom even though it couldn't be denied she felt tense too.

“Hey … usually, like in mafia action movies, they have a secret room that keeps many secret documents. Maybe, Zean has one too?” Helga thought with a thin smirk on her lips.

Helga stood up again from the comfortable seat, this time launching an action to search for that secret room there. She continued to search from the desk, moving to the shelf standing firmly there. Her hands kept feeling around, looking for one spot she believed was the door to that secret room.

“Ah, damn! Nothing,” she complained letting out a harsh breath. “I really want to know what picture that is?” she thought.

Glancing at the clock joined to the wall, Helga thought it was impossible so she decided to end her search. But, just as she was about to turn, she instead caught something on top of the shelf, tucked between large books that she thought were just for display.

Her steps surely brought Helga to that shelf which was only a few steps away. Her hand then lifted to pull the picture that made her enter that dangerous room. Helga even risked her own life there because when Zean found out she entered that room, she would surely be finished.

But, her search was not in vain. That picture was indeed what she was looking for. However, she instead fell silent when finding the portrait there. Two people who looked to be smiling broadly and warmly. Helga was frozen at the portrait of a woman who was in Zean’s embrace. That face … .

“Why does it look alike?” Helga thought with a hand lifted to touch her own face.

The nose, eyes, even the shape of the eyebrows were very similar to her face. Helga had never once performed surgery on that face of hers. However, her shock did not last long because the sound of footsteps was heard outside. Hurriedly she put the photo behind her dress, hiding it well. Then she scanned around to make sure nothing was messy.

The sound of footsteps grew closer, quickly Helga opened the door and went out from there and closed the door slowly before a soft voice was heard calling her. Helga hurriedly walked towards her room then turned back, pretending to have just come out of her own room.

“Mrs. Helga?” The servant’s voice called.

Helga regulated her breath. “Yes?” she answered, walking to the living area of that 2nd floor room with a book in her hand. She had randomly taken one from the shelf in the 2nd floor living area near her room. “Why?” Helga asked when facing that servant.

“There is a phone call for you, Ma'am,” she said.

“A phone call? From whom?”

“Young Master,” she answered.

Suddenly Helga’s body went tense. How would she answer if Zean turned out to be watching her?

“Ma'am?” The servant called again because Helga seemed silent.

“Okay. I will go down,” she said.

“No need. You can take it from here,” the servant said directing one hand to a corner in that 2nd floor living area. “There is a house phone there, you just pick it up, it’s already connected,” she continued.

“Ah, I see. Okay. You can go back to your work,” Helga said as kindly as possible even though cold sweat flooded her body.

The servant bowed for a moment then left Helga there who walked toward the telephone set there.

Sitting on the sofa, Helga repeatedly exhaled. Fear gripped her, receiving what Zean might say on that phone line? Ah, even though, earlier she was very brave with all the consequences but now, she was suddenly terrified.

“Damn it!” Helga cursed, uncomfortable with her nervousness.

Picking up that house phone, Helga pressed the end of it to her ear, receiving the call that was already connected.

“Hello?” Helga greeted softly, waiting for a response from Zean.

“Why did it take so long to pick up? Where were you?” That cold voice replied, making Helga even more nervous.

“I was reading. Why?” Helga tried to hide her nervousness.

A sigh was heard from the end of the line. “Hey, you, can't you just stay still?” Zean snapped on the other end.

“I —”

“My friend will be coming to the house shortly. I will be home in the afternoon. Don't mess around,” Zean said without waiting for Helga’s defense first. “Do you hear me?” Zean asked with a loud tone.

“Yes. Do you think I'm deaf?” Helga grumbled.

“Fine then. I’m hanging up. Remember, don't mess around!”

“Yes!”

After Helga said that, the connection was instantly cut off making Helga curse that caller.

However, her feelings suddenly became uncomfortable.