Painting for surviving

"Tell me I am not imagining things?" Liana laughed in excitement, handing Calliope a steaming mug of coffee. "You completed your assignment before the deadline?" 

"Hey, I work pretty hard," Calliope rolled her eyes. 

Liana eyed her with pouty lips and burst into laughter. "Try again." 

Three years ago, Calliope was discovered by an art agent named Brody Cartwright. He was an American citizen who came to the Meisean Empire on vacation. She was selling her paintings at an art fair under her alias Calli.

Who would have thought that an eccentric American would appear out of nowhere and declare that he would be her agent as she was wasting her talent on the streets? She wanted to decline because she was the duchess of Orin at that time but Jane convinced her that making a name out of a hobby wasn't something everyone could do.

And that was the best thing that had ever happened to her. Now that she wasn't a duchess anymore and a criminal on the run, she appreciated the money she made from her paintings. 

Although it wasn't a lot, it still was enough for her to survive. 

Three months ago, Brody called and announced that he had enough of her laid back attitude and he expected her to complete at least ten pieces by the end of the ninety days. 

And what could she say in reply?

Beggars couldn't be choosers. 

There was no life without money. 

She needed money fast. 

She needed to paint to survive any unforeseeable situation. How long would she live here? One day, she had to leave this place for another and moving costs money. And only her paintings could solve her money problem. 

"How many pieces are ready?" Liana questioned, looking at the messy room.

"Twelve," Calliope answered with a huge smile as she glanced at her stained clothes.

Speaking of stained clothes, she remembered that she hadn't bathed for a week now. Her eyes widened with realization. No wonder she was feeling sticky and dirty and it wasn't the paint on her clothes and skin. It was sweat and her body's requested that she clean it as soon as possible. 

Oh, Calliope could you be more lazy and dirty! 

"Oh my God, you are genius," Liana squealed in excitement but looking at Calliope's condition, she groaned. Don't mind her but she liked to surround herself with non-stinking people, unlike Calliope.  "Why don't you take a shower? You haven't left your room in a week and have been eating that frozen food. I will clean your room and you go clean yourself!"

Calliope laughed and nodded. "Don't touch that canvas." She pointed at a corner. "I don't know what I am painting but I am sure I will figure it out anyhow." 

Was it just her or did every artist have that one project that left them awed but had no idea as to what it actually was? 

Yes, she had that one project. And she could tell that there was this sweet intuition in her heart that was saying - this piece is gonna be her masterpiece. 

And she was so badly waiting for this masterpiece of hers to complete. 

After a long and hot bath, Calliope felt lighter and fresh. She was dressed in a black knee-length dress and her hair was tied in a scarf. Her dressing style was simple and plain. But this was how she was supposed to dress as she was an unfortunate widow. 

When her husband died in a plane crash, she was only nineteen years old. They had not been married for long and she was already a widow. She was expected to only wear black conservative clothes for a whole year to mourn for her late husband. Since she was the wife of a late duke, the mourning period extended. Although she could wear other colours too after a few years, she still was expected to dress conservatively. 

Calliope, who never cared about fashion in the first place, now got used to dressing in a conservative method. It saved her the time and effort to choose clothes because she knew wearing black daily was easy. 

Since she was stuck inside a room for more than a week, she decided to take a stroll in the garden. The garden looked more lively than before. She saw the woman who lived and worked with the shelter running in excitement. She wondered why they were cleaning the already cleaned area. 

Then, she saw Mary, the director of the Rosemary woman shelter, imparting instructions. Mary raised a brow of doubt as she saw her standing in the garden. She could already smell Mary's disdain for her. She sighed wondering what she did to get on Mary's bad side. 

...

Author Note: It is my first time writing a good girl. Wish me luck. XD. If you read my previous books, you know I can't write cliche heroines. Zhenyi, Persephone and Melody all were lit! And so would be Calliope!