Chapter 34: The Exhibit
Moana

I couldn’t bring myself to avoid Ethan’s exhibit after he had asked me to go so many times. So, after putting Ella to bed, I went to Selina with my hand on my stomach and a frown on my face.

“I’m afraid I might have contracted food poisoning,” I said, feigning illness. “Can you keep an eye on things if Ella wakes up? I’m going to go to urgent care.”

Selina frowned, looking at her watch. “Do you need a driver?” she asked.

I vehemently shook my head. “No. It’s okay. I’ll call a cab.”

“Well… Alright,” she said, pursing her lips. “Be careful.”

After that, I put on a simple dress that could pass for urgent care attire if anyone were to question me, and flagged down a cab outside of the penthouse.

Just as I suspected, the art gallery was packed to the brim when I arrived. As I got out of the cab, I felt a lump rise in my throat; all of the other patrons seemed to be dressed lavishly, which made me feel incredibly out of place.

There was a line with a bouncer to get in. I stood in line, patiently waiting my turn.

“Name?” the bouncer said, eyeing me up and down suspiciously as I walked up to him.

“Moana Fowler,” I replied.

said. His voice was gruff and indifferent, and before I could say

from Ethan,” I replied, clutching my

simply scoffed. “I highly doubt the artist personally invited a human. Quit wasting my time and get out of

said from behind the bouncer, “I did invite her.

a chorus of murmurs making their way through the line of people waiting. The bouncer’s eyes widened, and

me in through the foyer with his hand on my back. “He’s

all of the

“Unfortunately I have to participate in some involuntary networking with a few of the patrons here, but feel free to take a look around.

watching as

courage, I made my way into the gallery so I could get a better look at the

was amazing before in his studio, it was even more amazing now beneath the gallery lighting. A jazz quartet played lively music from a small stage at the back of the gallery, creating an atmosphere that almost made the artwork come alive. Groups of patrons milled about, many of them using sophisticated ‘art speak’ to describe the works when, in actuality, they were

either — with my glass of champagne in my hand as I closely studied each and every piece of artwork. Each piece seemed to fit into a similar theme, which felt reminiscent of the childhood drawings

I did. I felt entranced by the depiction of a young boy, staring out at

from behind me, breaking me out of my trance. I jumped a bit at the sound of his voice,

flush. “Yes.

too,” Ethan replied. “I haven’t given

look at the painting. There was a bit of a silence before Ethan spoke. “Did you remember to bring some of your

did, actually,” I replied, my hands shaking a bit nervously as I reached into my purse and pulled out a single, folded piece of paper and held it out to Ethan. “It’s not much. Just

drawing that I had been working on in my bedroom the night that Edrick told me about the WereCorp wages: a drawing of the cityscape from the view of my balcony at

he finally said after a few moments, “this is stunning.

face go red at the famous artist’s

try to tap

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