My eyes widened in disbelief as I stared at the painting before me, which depicted a younger version of my grandmother. Or should I say grandmothers, because the resemblance was uncanny. There were five alluring women in the painting, each bearing shiny blonde hair and a mesmerizing set of green eyes that seemed to peer deep into my soul.
The combination of their features was both attractive and rare, with only a 0.08% chance of being born with such a combination. Red hair and blue eyes were considered the rarest of them all. It was evident that these women were sisters, their striking resemblance making them appear almost like quintuplets.
The painting captured the essence of ancient Greek art, with the women dressed as noble ladies adorned in peplos and chiton. The chiton, a lighter garment made of linen or light wool, was draped over their bodies, while the peplos, a dress fashioned from a large sheet of fabric, was wrapped around and belted at the waist. The attention to detail in the painting was exquisite, turning it into a true masterpiece.
I couldn't help but desire it, longing to possess this artwork and unravel the mystery behind it. Moreover, I needed to consult my grandmother about this. I knew she possessed substantial wealth and had once mentioned her estranged sisters, with whom she hadn't spoken in years. My knowledge about them was scarce, except for the fact that they harbored deep animosity towards one another.
"Keep it," Sei said abruptly, interrupting my thoughts.
I scoffed at his suggestion. "I can't simply keep it because you said so. That would be stealing."
He looked at me with an enigmatic gaze. "Trust me, it belongs to you."
Trust him? I was far from convinced.
Reluctantly, I let go of the painting, aware of the consequences of indulging in vandalism and theft. Besides, I needed to focus on unraveling the mystery of my sleepwalking and the near-fatal encounters associated with it.
"Trust me, you'll find a use for it when the time comes," Sei assured me cryptically.
I rolled my eyes in response. Trusting him was out of the question.
Sei picked up the painting that I had relinquished. "Let's head back. It's getting late."
"It's about time! But you're not taking that painting back to my house, are you?" I inquired, wary of the potential trouble it could cause.
He smirked. "I think you should carry it yourself."
"No!" I whispered angrily, careful not to draw attention in the eerily silent surroundings. It seemed as though everyone in the house was asleep.
Long story short, Sei won the argument of taking the painting home with us. I questioned him about how I got no answers on our little useless trip but yet a million more questions to the already ten thousands of brewing questions in my mind.
Praying fervently not to get caught, I followed Sei's lead as we made our way out of the mansion. A sense of relief washed over me as I emerged unscathed from the house, grateful to have evaded any potential trouble.
The following day proved to be utterly unbearable. As I opened my eyes, the first thing that greeted me was the sight of the painting from the previous night, its smiling women seemingly fixated on me. Overwhelmed by guilt, I questioned my own judgment. What possessed me to accept this painting into my house? And now Sei had audaciously adorned my room with it.
I couldn't help but wonder how Sei had managed to enter my room, considering that I distinctly remembered locking the door in annoyance. Pushing the thought aside, I decided to take a refreshing shower in an attempt to alleviate my throbbing headache. Descending the stairs, I noticed the absence of any sound emanating from Sei's room, suggesting that he was likely still asleep or hopefully gone!
But no, he had made himself at home, firmly planted in a room of his own despite my insistence that he was not needed. My words fell on deaf ears, and he simply refused to leave.
Proceeding to make myself breakfast, I gazed at the enticing heart-shaped coffee awaiting me.
"Awww. Did Sei make this for me?" I thought out loud, the mere thought feeling me with joy. But my always active brain said otherwise, he probably made it for himself and somehow got occupied.
Still, I couldn't let the chance of having a beautiful coffee like this go to waste, now can I? Just as I was about to indulge in a slice of toast, a sudden realization struck me—I had left my phone upstairs in my bedroom.
Hurriedly, I made my way back upstairs, only to be greeted by the incessant ringing of my phone. Samantha's beaming face flashed across the screen, and a groan escaped my lips.
"Hello?" I greeted wearily.
"You lousy brat! When will you ever learn to be grateful? Do you have any idea what I'm dealing with right now?" Samantha's voice filled the air with her incessant ranting, but I found myself paying little attention. Sensing my lack of engagement, she demanded a FaceTime call, hoping to better capture my attention. As the call connected, she continued her tirade, complaining about this and that, but my focus was elsewhere—I couldn't help but notice the prominent bags under my eyes.
"Alora Smith, you're impossible!" Samantha's voice reached an infuriated crescendo, almost bursting my eardrums.
"Can you please let me get back to my food? I haven't been eating well, and I actually have an appetite now," I lied, feigning enthusiasm. As expected, Samantha fell for it and reluctantly allowed me to enjoy my meal while promising to check on me once she finished work.
Returning downstairs, I found an empty plate and a once-filled cup that had contained my toast and coffee.
That bastard!
I took a deep breath, attempting to calm myself and gather my thoughts. It took several moments of focused breathing to regain my composure and think clearly.
If I claimed that it was the worst day of my life, I would not be exaggerating. Police vehicles seemed to patrol the area incessantly, and each time I heard a siren, fear gripped me so intensely that I felt as though my life hung in the balance. Even though I knew I was not the one who had stolen the painting, the fact that it was now in my possession made it highly unlikely that anyone would believe my pleas of innocence.
Meanwhile Sei sat there, seemingly unfazed, while I frantically raced around the house, desperately searching for the best hiding spot for the painting. I was still young and innocent, and the mere thought of imprisonment filled me with terror.