CHAPTER 5: THE MAN IN THE DARK
1068 Words
Ivy saw him in her dreams every night, a faceless man staring at her in the fog and whistling secrets; she could never remember upon waking up.
The strange man smiled cheerfully at her, like he knew her. He stretched out his right hand in a handshake. "Ethan Juergen. Nice to meet you."
She accepted his handshake. "Ivy McDonald."
"You haven't answered my question," she quizzes sharply.
"Yeah, you're right. I'm Mr. J's childhood friend. I was hoping to see him here."
"Oh! He had left. You must have missed him on your way here," Ivy affirmed.
She noticed the young man kept smiling at her. Clearly, his mind wasn't there.
"Hello! Mister, did you hear what I just said?" she waved her hand at his face to jot him back to reality.
"Yeah. I will be on my way now," he replied and turned to leave.
Ivy closed her door. "What a weird man," she whispered.
The downpour dropped from the sky like tears washing away the Earth's worries. Basking the air with its natural fragrance. Its splashes create ripples against Ivy's studio glass window. Like a ticking clock, it drives her closer to a canvas she had tried to ignore.
The faceless man haunted her again—his appearance burned into her like a nightmare.
Ivy's brush swayed, hastily carving broad shoulders, a suited sculpted jawline.
But, she looked up and narrowed her brows in confusion.
"His eyes. Where should I place them?" she asked herself.
Immediately, she nodded as she got an insight into what to do.
She left the eyes blank. A blur of shadow and smoke. Haunting.
She stares in awe at her canvas. It was the most lively painting she had ever made.
Days later, Ivy was in her studio trying to do a cleanup. She was reaching for the mob stick when the loud ringtone of her phone interrupted her. Without a glance at the screen. She picked.
"Hello, Ivy McDonald on the line"
"Hello, Miss Ivy," a sharp male voice rumbled at the other end of the line.
"I'm Adrian Joslyn. Director of The Solace Gallery, we've seen your piece 'The Quiet Man'. We would love to feature it in our upcoming exhibition: Haunting Shadows."
Ivy's eyes widened as she stood still. She couldn't believe what she had just been told.
"Did you just say The So-Solace gallery?" she stuttered.
"Yes, of course, at the end of this call, I will forward you the Gallery's email address. We will be looking forward to seeing your response. Do have a great day."
Ivy looked stunned. This was a miracle. No gallery has ever shown interest in her work before and the first turns out to be a prestigious gallery in California.
She was whistling and swaying her hips in a dance move. When the gallery door suddenly flung open.
"I see someone is in a good mood today," Gina mused.
"Gina! Welcome back," she screamed and gave her a tight hug.
"So, what's the occasion?" Gina asked.
"I just got a call from an elite gallery," Ivy mumbled.
"Okay, what did they say?" Gina inquired.
"They asked, 'If they could feature my work in their upcoming exhibition'," Ivy blurted out.
Gina's face gleamed with excitement. "Wow! This is good news. So, what was your response?"
"I am yet to give them a response," Ivy muttered.
"This could be your breakthrough. Give it a shot," Gina poked her.
"I know," Ivy responded as she walked towards the painting. She had a disturbing look on her face.
Gina arched her brow. "What's the problem?"
Ivy let out a loud sigh. "I really don't know. There's something about this painting that puts me on the edge," she murmured sadly while tapping the painting.
She fixed her eyes on the painting like she was communicating with it. It's mysterious. Erotic and unnerving. Just like the man behind its inspiration. She trembled slightly as chills spread all over her body. She can't seem to shake off the feeling that exposing this painting might reveal something else.
"Ivy! Ivy!" Gina snapped her fingers at her face.
She blinked. "Yeah, I'm with you," she whispered.
"No! You're not." She locked eyes with Ivy.
"This could change your career and put your work on the global map. Please accept this deal," Gina urged Ivy.
"I will give it a trial, but I have a request to ask."
"Okay, what's the request?"
"Do you remember the billionaire? I told you bought my paintings at the Lockwood event?" Ivy asked.
"Yes, I remembered," Gina answered.
"I need you to look him up for me."
Gina raised her brows. "That's a strange request, Ivy."
"I know. But would you do it for me?" Ivy asked. Cajoling her with puppy eyes.
"Do I have a choice?" Gina shrugged. "I will give you feedback in a day or two."
Ivy smiled broadly. "Thanks, babe."
"I got you," Gina whispered.
Immediately, Gina's phone started ringing. While on the call, she signaled Ivy with her hand.
"I have to go. Work calling," she mouthed.
Ivy smiled and waved her goodbye.
Ivy was surfing the internet on her phone.
She didn't know Mr. J had walked into her studio. The moment his eyes caught the painting. He froze.
She had drawn his present look without his mask. But how?
She felt a strong presence. She turned and there stood Mr. J furiously staring at her.
She jerked. He pinned her against the wall. "Where did you see the man you drew?" he asked in a low, stern tone.
Ivy, pale and shaken. She blinked. "I saw him in my dream."
"You shouldn't be drawing a man who is not real, except you're already falling for him." He loosened his grip on her and stormed off.
"You're such a big bully," she screamed at the top of her voice.
Mr. J heard it but he didn't flinch. He kept on walking away.
Ivy's phone, vibrating under her pillow, interrupted her peaceful sleep. She looked at the screen. Gina was calling.
"Hey! Why are you up this early?"
"Ivy," she said in a distressed voice.
Ivy's eyes widened. "What's wrong, Gina?"
"I don't know how to say this. I found something strange about the billionaire you asked me to look up."
Ivy's pulse pounded hard. "What did you find, Gina?"
Gina heaved out a loud sigh. "He doesn't exist."
- Writer
