An Art friend

Chapter 5

Leilani’s pov

I watched as his jaw tightened. I know that by now he must have seen my present, I’d moved him down to the 7th floor.

“It looks like it,” he forced out a smile, his eyes traveled to Nicholas and he held back a snarl that was pulling by the corner of his lips.

“Sorry about your office,” I let go Nicholas and pulled a very convincing apologetic gaze. “I know it’s hard, when I purchased the shares it was already on the market. I don’t mean any harm or malice towards you. I hope we will be able to work and commute together.” My voice was soft like velvet, and I made sure to maintain an eye level stare as well as ease.

It was easier than I’d anticipated. The confidence came off easy the moment I allowed myself to slip into Daphne. The cool and soft side of me.

“Just a moment,” Nicholas kissed me by the cheeks as he strutted away. When I turned back to Cormac he was glaring at him.

“Mr. Bass.” I called his attention and he reverted his eyes back to me.

Unexpectedly our eyes jammed and I almost reared back. I swallowed down a stupid lump in my throat and for a millisecond I saw his hazel green eyes shimmer and I felt the familiar jolt that his eyes always sent down my spine.

He smiled, “like you said we’ll be seeing more of each other. We might as well learn about each other. But now is not the time, if you would excuse me.” He curtsied and strutted into the gallery.

My fist clenched by my side and I felt the bitter taste of hatred melt into my tongue, loathing directed towards no one but myself.

Fuck it!

What the fuck the as wrong with me, a smile and eyes from him and I was rivoting back to the foolish girl I was.

Nicholas was nowhere in sight so I turned and walked into the bathroom. I allowed myself a moment to collect myself and discard every stupid feeling.

I would crush him. I must.

“Sister,” Coleus yelled and I smiled smoothly at him. “How are you?” He inquired and I cursed lowly.

“Well the gallery is about to be open and the pictures will be revealed.”

“Have you seen him?”

By him he was referring to Cormac. I told him I had seen him and gingerly left out the part that his smile and eyes still sent the stupid spark of electricity down my spine.

Guests were arriving. I spotted Mrs. Harries, a friend of mine. A very peculiar and cunning woman. And recently I had taken a liking to her.

“Excuse me brother.” I patted his shoulder as I made my way to her. She owned a big fashion house in the city and she was rumored to have some claws up in politics.

And I also knew that Cormac would be looking to her for help. If not now, but sooner he would.

“Madamé,” I curtsied, a poise smile at the ready. There was nothing she adored more than respect and truth because she dwelled on secrets and presumably found one’s secret to use against them.

“Ah,” she exhaled, quite a lovely sound, “if it isn’t Daphne.”

With a slight crane of my neck she hugged me. “Oh forget about that,” she waved off the familiarities, “we have no use for them child, do we?”

I chuckled, “I still love it, tears of etiquette, something becomes a habit.”

She gave off another chuckle and moaned in adoration. “That’s why I love England. They respect you even if they hate you. Some things just stick.”

We locked hands in a light gesture as we strode down the halls. The rooms were still locked as they were yet to be open. “I heard about your little treasure chest that you hit.”

I grimaced in a curt manner. Of course she knew about it already. “Just looking to expand my father’s business, nothing too grand.”

She took a glance at me, it was swift but I could see her calculating gaze and a blink of approval. “You have a venerable taste in clothes.”

I wore a jumpsuit, black colour with an open back. The design was in the 80s and it was vintage. Took it from my mother’s wardrobe.

“Thank you.”

We walked and talked some more before I turned to her, disconnecting our arms. “I prepared a surprise for you.”

“You did?” She yelped, the skin around her eyes wrinkling.

“You know my husband, so modest and I of course. We will send it over in due time.”

“Oh that is why I love you so.”

She met some important women and I bid her goodbye and turned around. I just had to have her in the clutch of my hand then I would demand what I wanted from her. She should retrieve her assistance from Cormac.

I certainly did not prepare any gift, but I had said it, I would commit to it now.

The more I felt myself soften for Cormac the more I would tighten my revenge reins.

Just as I was strutting down the hallways, I stopped suddenly when I heard a chuckle from the other hallways.

My feet carried me before I could stop, but then when I closed in I saw her——-

Ava.

My heart seemed like it died seeing her again. I felt my chest contrast and the pain roared in my head as the blood in my ears whooshed.

Clenching my teeth but I fought back the tears. She was giggling with… Cormac in her hands.

Feeling another presence, they snapped their necks in my direction and I realized a little too late that Nicholas was standing behind them in one of the sculptures that was veiled with a white material.

I started walking, my feet though heavy, heart hammering that it could break through a wall. I felt her immense eyes and attention on me.

As I stalked closer to them, both their eyes followed me, and as I passed them it felt like the world slowed down, and every second, every step crept like a tortoise.

Just as I passed her, I felt our memories float in my head. Even as I passed them I felt their stare still.

“Daphne,” Nicholas called and I almost let out a sigh of relief when he walked towards me.

He hugged and rubbed my hair soothingly, pulling me closely as he inspected me with curiosity, “I’ve been looking for you.”

“And I you.” I forced out a smile.

“Excuse me,” I heard the familiar voice of Ava.

Nicholas tightened his arms around me and he silently conveyed if I wasn’t ready to face her I could tell him.

But I nodded and turned to face her. She still looked the same. Blonde hair, black eyes like orb.

“Leilani?” She called, uncertain.

“Why do people keep calling me that,” I asked.

“You are not her?” She peered even closer, “it’s you.” I noticed her features tighten and take up a defensive one.

“She has amnesia due to an accident.” Nicholas supplied for her but she didn’t look convinced.

One thing I’d grown accustomed to during my years in my parent’s house was smiling. It rolled off easily especially when I was uneasy.

So I did just that. My eyes dropped to her neck. “I love your necklace.” I reached a hand and caressed it as I looked at her. “It’s pretty.”

That made her relax and she smiled. “Oh thank you, my husband got it for me,” she dragged Cormac by her side.

The sight made my chest flame up.

I offered a clip nod, “I didn’t quite catch your name.”

“Oh, it’s Ava.”

“Ava,” I tasted the name on my lips. “I like it. Tell me, are you interested in collecting arts?”

“Yes, I really do. Thanks to my husband I was invited to this one. I intend to open a little art gallery in the future.”

“I’ll be here for that.” I attempted to turn away when I stopped abruptly. “Were you friends with Leilani?”

“Huh?” She yelped.

“Just, you are not the only person that has called me that. Maybe it’s me, but since my accident I have no memory of it all. If I remember and I am Leilani, I think I would be glad to have such a beautiful friend.”

She smiled, “no, we weren’t really friends, I just knew her.”

I nodded, then I darted my eyes back to Cormac. He was quiet watching me with curiosity. What was going through his head.

I’d only met him in our work space, I was his secretary and I stayed by his side and he dropped me. The branch he controlled before this one, became big due to my help and I would rip it apart.

“The event is starting,” Nicholas tugged my arms.

“I hope you collect plenty of Arts, goodbye, Ava.”

Then I followed Nicholas to the gathering. People pooled up, awaiting the opening.

I and Nicholas climbed up on stage after we were introduced. He held a scissors as he cut through the red ribbon.

“Welcome ladies and gentlemen to my Art Exhibit, titled, TWO EDGED, inspired by my muse,” he looked at me. “My wife.”