Chapter 18 - The Art Exhibit

Flashback ended.

As Cormack drinks the wine, he thinks of Penelope.

"Why did he leave me?" He said to himself, grabbing his head.

He had no clue why she suddenly left him.

"If she comes back, will you come back?" Arnold asked,

"I can't answer you yes or no, right now, I don't want her anymore, she hurt me, and one more thing,

She is not coming back, she is now a famous author," said Cormack.

"That's right, forget about her, you will find a woman for you too,"

"Yes, the woman in the painting, she is for me!"

Cormack said emphatically.

…

Next days…..

Night of Drake's art exhibit.

Drake is so busy taking care of the guests that he has made amazing paintings.

They lined up in the long hallway on each side.

And in the center, is the painting of the woman he says is his girlfriend.

This painting makes people stop to stare at it.

Many people wanted to buy it, but it was the only one not for sale at the exhibit.

"How come you didn't sell it?" Tiffany asked Drake.

"This painting is my master piece, and that is mine!" Drake said.

"But you can paint another like that?" Tiffany said.

"I know, but this one is different,"

"How can you say it's different if you can do something new?"

"I actually drew that painting,"

"So? You can do that again, right, since that girl is your girlfriend?" Tiffany scoffed.

Drake didn't move, it was like he was hiding something that he couldn't say.

Denise arrives.

"Drake, they love this painting and Edward, wants to buy it," Denise said, cheerfully.

"No! As I told him earlier, this is not for sale!" Drake insisted.

Edward came later.

"Has your mind changed, Drake?" It said.

"It's mine, I'm not selling it, it's just a display here, the main attraction of my exhibit," Drake replied.

His mother approached.

"What is special about that painting?"

"I don't know," Tiffany answered as she shook her head.

"Well, we have to ask Edward," said their mother and looked at Edward.

"Why are you eager to buy this painting, like anyone else?" She asked Edward.

"When I first saw the painting, while I was staring at the woman's face, it was like she was alive, suddenly her face was smiling, that painting is very unique," said Edward.

"That sounds scary, huh?" Denise chuckled.

"But for me its wonderful! I can display it in the lobby of my building! So everyone who will see it will be amazed!" Edward said.

Tiffany and Denise looked closely at the painting, and while they were staring at it, they noticed that the woman's face was smiling slightly, but instead of being afraid, they were amazed.

"Oh no! It is true!" Tiffany said with astonishment on her face.

"This is so unusual, how did you do that?" Denise exclaimed.

Their mother was curious so she looked at it too.

And like them, she also saw it.

"That's why Cormack is going to fall in love with that girl, anyway where is the girl in the paintibg, is she your girlfriend right?" Said their mother. And when Edward heard Cormack's name, he felt angry.

"Where's that Cormack, he's in arrears with my daughter!" Edward said, feeling upset when they mentioned Cormack.

"What! What did my son do to your daughter?"

"He devirginized my daughter Daria!" Edward retorted.

"I want him to. Arry her!"

Edward said angrily.

Later their father came and heard what Edward said.

"Calm down my friend, you can't force Cormack!" His father said.

"And why not?"

"Unless he want it?"

"Well, I think he'll like my daughter!"

"What if not? You will force him?"

"What about the feeling of my daughter, since they stopped seeing each other, my daughter is sadder, she is only looking for Cormack,"

"She's not the only woman like that, everyone who has a relationship with Cormack is like that,"

"But my daughter is different!" Wdward retorted as they started to exchange words.

Drake restrained them.

"You should not fight here at my exhibit, please stop it," said Drake.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not done with Cormack, and if you won't sell me the painting,

that's it, I'm leaving!" Edward said and he left.

Their father shook his head.

"Well, Tiffany and I will go to the lounge first," said Denise and she invited Tiffany.

After a while, some friends approached their parents and they went in the middle to chat.

And Drake stared at the painting.

After a while, there was a noise around, because Cormack was coming.

When it entered the exhibit gallery, people fussed around.

And when Drake saw this, he felt jealous.

People admire Cormack more than Drake, since he is the painter in that exhibit.

Many people take pictures with Cormack.

Meanwhile…..

Peyton and her two friends May and Jillian are in the lobby.

"We're here, my gosh I'm so excited, I hope we can see Cormack here," said Jillian, feeling excited.

"I'm sure he will come, this exhibit is his brothers," May said.

"But, we're not going to buy painting, paintings are too expensive here?" Peyton said.

"No, Drake's paintings are not expensive, since he is still a new painter, his paintings are not yet valuable," May said.

"That's right, can the credit card be used here?"

"Sure," Jilian said.

They went inside and saw a crowd in the middle.

"Oh no! I think Cormack is already there!" Jillian said excitedly.

"Let's get closer!" May said,

"But, Drake is the one we should approach and get to know, he is the one we came here for," said Peyton

"Yes, but, people like Cormack than him, it's our chance to meet him!" Jillian chuckled and they walked closer to Cormack.

"Wait!" Peyton said, but the two were already in a hurry to approach the people who were gathering around him.

Peyton didn't go with them anymore, because she saw that she couldn't get along, and that there were rich women talking to him.

"I'll see you later too, but not this time, there are many people around you," Peyton said and she walked and looked at the paintings.

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