Mr. Hephephobias

CHAPTER 170 - Who is Lotus ?

Today has finally arrived the big day where the painting auction market event is held. Lucia and Rayn come with a strict escort by Arka and 2 other bodyguards. Lucy looks very beautiful with a red dress that shows a bold and sexy side at once. Red dress modeled off shoulder with soft makeup makeup and low updo hairstyles. Not only that, Rayn also looks very charming like a noble.

Lusia and Rayn have reached the parking area of Psithurism Art, but the parking lot still looks lonely. The exhibition should be underway for VVIP guests. However, seeing the quiet parking lot shows no guests coming. Lucia looked left and right, wondering if there was really no one coming to the event.

Rayn looked unconcerned whether anyone would come or not, all she needed to do right now was hold her hand to make her comfortable and able to last as long as she was there. Arka escorted Rayn and Lucia by walking in front, while 2 other guards were behind.

Arriving at the lobby, an officer welcomed their arrival. Lucia asked the officer to get an answer to her curiosity. All the banners about the activity have been neatly arranged, this event looks well prepared but the building is so very quiet. Other than them, there were only a few staff at their respective positions. Are there really no guests? That's the question that Lucia posed.

An officer said the new exhibition will open 2 hours from now, exactly one hour before the auction starts. Currently, the exhibition will only be open to guests who receive VVIP invitations. Lucia really just found out if it turns out there is a special clock for VVIP guests.

Hearing the officer's statement, Arka immediately showed the VVIP ticket to the officer. Seeing the ticket in the hands of Arka, the officer bowed and apologized for not being kind and informative in welcoming those who turned out to be special guests.

The male officer immediately called a female staffer who would escort Rayn and Lucia to the floor where the exhibition was held. The female staff greeted the two kindly and allowed them to follow suit.

"Are you Mr Rayn and Mrs Lucia? Please follow me" he said.

The woman could already know the names of Rayn and Lucia. It was because only the two of them were on the special guest list. Lucia felt overwhelmed and in disbelief that she and Rayn were the only lucky special guests.

"Rayn, are you sure you don't know each other with Lotus?" whiskey Lusia.

Rayn did not give an answer to the question, she was as close as holding onto Lucia's hand. "Don't let go of your hand. I don't want to feel restless in this precious moment" Rayn said.

They continued walking and arrived on the second floor. The elevator doors opened, they were immediately greeted by a row of paintings by Lotus neatly displayed. David who was already there warmly welcomed Lucia and Rayn. Although they know each other and are very familiar, but David still treats both of them like VVIP guests.

Lusia's eyes seemed to focus on looking towards the end of the room where there was one painting on a wooden board that was still covered with white cloth on the podium. Lucia approached and asked David. "Why closed? Will this be the main painting of the exhibition?" ask her.

David said if the painting was specifically displayed and not included in the list of paintings that will be at auction. Lucia also began to observe one by one another painting in front of her. Of the fifteen paintings available, there are three paintings marked with gold ribbons as a sign of the work to be auctioned. There will be five paintings auctioned, but there are only three signs, which means there will still be two more paintings that are not yet known.

Lucia's steps stopped at one painting that stole her attention. A painting of a dimly-lit yellow lamp from a house covered in fog. The painting really looks like real. At the bottom corner of the painting is inscribed an initial inscribed with Lotus.

Rayn also seemed to enjoy the painting in the room. He was seen standing staring at a painting in front of him seriously. Lucia approached her, wondering what kind of painting had stolen her husband's daily life. Lucia was also amazed when she saw a painting of bluebell flower clusters that filled a foggy Forest. There is a dirt path that divides a collection of bluebell flowers. There was a figure of a small child visible from behind tracing the path.

"Age is not everything, you can still set your own life goals. There is no place like heaven, because there will always be a way to worry you. You have to decide to stay where you think you're safe or go find out what's at the end of the road" Rayn said, staring at the painting.

Rayn then turned to look at Lucia who was standing right by her side. "That is the meaning of this painting" he said.

"Excellent, you can see it" said Lucia who felt admiration for her husband.

Lucia then saw several other paintings accompanied by Rayn walking beside her. "Lotus was a great painter. It seems that among the paintings of his work there is a story of his own that he devoted. Do you think he's the one who's the tenth?" ask Lucia to Rayn.

"Why do you think that?" ask Rayn back.

"I just feel like most of his work portrays sadness. Maybe it was just from my point of view that I didn't understand about painting" Lucia replied as she untangled a smile.

David lifted both shoulders. "As we know, Lotus has held many exhibitions in several countries and he never once did. But, this time it will be different, I will only tell you because we are so close. From the agenda, all guests will get an incredible surprise from Lotus" David whispered to Lucia.

"What surprise is that? Will he be present?" tanya Lucia immediately showed her curiosity.

"Just wait, if I say it, then it won't be surprising anymore" David said chuckling.

"Yes...!!!" gertak Lucia's. "You said you were going to tell me, you fraud" he continued.

David laughed again, satisfied with Lucia's reaction. After quite a while, a staffer told David that the exhibition had to be opened in ten minutes. The guests are there and waiting. Knowing this, David asked Lucia and Rayn to come with him to the prepared room. They can wait there until the auction show starts.

David returns to the exhibition hall after dropping off Lucia and Rayn as he has to greet the guests and open the event. Although Rayn and Lucia are in separate rooms, they can still watch the exhibition activities through the screen that has been prepared.

Guests began to arrive, most of them immediately focused on the three lukasisan that will be at the auction and one closed painting that makes them very curious. They asked each other why there were only three paintings marked while there would be five paintings auctioned.

David began to open the event and give his word as a representative of Psithurism Art to the guests who attended. David began reading out the agenda and said if the proceeds from the sale of the painting would be donated all to a Foundation. The name of the Foundation is written on the card on the envelope in his current hand.

"As the son of the owner of Galery, I do not know. My dad's a stingy man, isn't he?" david chirps deliberately invite the laughter of the guests to make the atmosphere more relaxed.

"But if there's no mystery, it's not Lotus" David added.

Davin explained that guests can casually view Lotus paintings until before the auction begins. David also said that there were currently sixteen paintings in the room, but that only five of them would be auctioned. Three paintings can be seen from the ribbon marks on the painting. Then there will be two paintings of the thirteen remaining paintings.

"Maybe the guests are very curious, where are the two remaining paintings that will enter the auction.But, before it is announced, is it possible that you have all glanced at which paintings are expected to be at the auction? Then is a painting covered there also a painting that will be auctioned?" ask David.

David looked at the faces of the invited guests who were already very human. He then announced a very surprising thing where the famous painter with the pen name Lotus would be part of the event in person. David's statement was greeted boisterously happy and curious from the guests.

"You'll all definitely feel like you're the luckiest guest right now. That's why we've really chosen people in particular who have always been loyal to Lotus and are fans of his work" David said.

"Are you ready to welcome Lotus into our presence today?" ask David.

Lucia, who was also David's statement, stood up from her seat with round eyes. "Rayn, he's not gonna lie, is he?" tanya Lucia turned her head towards Rayn. Rayn simply responded with a smile.

.

.

.

*** to Be Continued ***