Chapter 128: RICHARD
Tearing my eyes away from the painting, I asked, "What’s it called?" walking away, even when it was the last thing I wanted to do.
From behind me, I could still feel the painting calling out to me, my eyes itching for another glance.
"You... you mean the name?" my host stuttered. I was certain my words rang loud and true, so why was she acting dumb?
"What else would I be asking of?" I chided, "every piece has a name, doesn’t it or is theirs a radical?" I emphasized by pointing to the supposed artists.
I didn’t believe for a second that they painted that. And from the way they were shifting closer to their mother who swallowed nervously, I couldn’t be more right.
I just needed the name so that I could look it up, perhaps get to know the real artist and her other works.
"It’s called Garden, Sir" Sofia said, just as her stepmom opened her mouth to speak.
"Oh yes, that’s true" Alicia added, chuckling nervously, "Sofia dear, my late husband’s illegitimate child, helped name it. Her own way of contributing"
Kind, my ass! The woman was anything but. If this was how she went about telling everyone that Sofia was illegitimate, then she was just cruel.
And I guess that’s what vexed me the most, the hiding. The lies. One should never hide his nature, if you are cruel, then let the world know exactly who you are, likewise if you are kind, rather than cloaking one with the other.
"Is that so?" I mused, genuinely surprised that someone so cruel could allow her stepdaughter name something her daughters had created, "Nice name, if not a bit literal, ’Spring’ could have been a better choice, hinting at the setting while maintaining the nostalgia theme figuratively"
The suggestive part had been to spite Sofia. And she knew it, her lips parted to offer a retort or a counter view, but then she remembered her place and kept mute.