As Sharmaine passed by the big painting again, her thoughts were braiding all over her brain. Her rationality was pretty much decreasing as ridiculous ideas popped into her mind. One of these ridiculous ideas were the fact that the big canvas painting might have another painting behind it. The truth about this house remains a mystery, therefore it was not impossible if there was another family portrait behind the family portrait.
"But why?" she asked herself, "Why would mother not paint over the mural if the whole house was renovated a few months ago? Could it be that there's a reasoning behind it?" Her mind perplexed around the thought of the possible, impossible and plain absurd. With a house big and minimal like theirs, surely, they would have removed it.
She stepped closer to the massive painting; she was blindly struck by the details up close. It was not clear if the paints were oil or acrylic, however, it was surely hand painted by someone. It must've taken years for that painter to paint this masterpiece, she thought, gently touching the surface.
"My dear daughter, you shouldn't touch that painting."
She jerked back as she glanced to the side. She saw her mother, Iris, with her cold eyes and strict posture, standing a few steps up the stairs. Sharmaine's heart beat loudly; her mouth was not able to produce any words.
"I-I'm s-sorry, mother." The were no words she could reason out as she prepared herself for a good scolding, however, Iris stepped down and stood beside Sharmaine, her eyes locked at the canvas portrait.
"I wonder what has sparked your interest upon this work of art."
Sharmaine stared at her for a second. "N-Nothing much."
"This took so long to make, my dear daughter," she spoke with her rarely-shown soft voice, "It took around five months of work for me to be somehow satisfied with this portrait." She looked at Sharmaine with warmer eyes and smiled.
It was not a great and comforting smile, however, Sharmaine cherished it as it was the first time her mother had smiled at her—after her six-month sleep that is.
"You made this...?"
"Is that not what I had just said?"
Sharmaine felt her face burn; she felt slightly embarrassed because of the way she acted. She was about to apologize when merry suddenly called for iris' attention. Merry seemed panicked and was out of breath, probably because she also got lost around the identical hallways.
"Miss, your presence was being summoned by the board members."
Iris' face was calm as she already knew what their reason was—they wanted to ask why she let her daughter join another company.
"I'll be on my way. Surely, they must've caused such loud ruckus at the office," she said before turning to Sharmaine, "I have to go, my dear daughter."