Beyond the Veil

Chapter 2

I walked back to my house, the cheque in my hands and surprise still written all over my face.

I knew I had put my artwork up for auction but I never knew it would attract Adrian's attention—-heck even anybody’s attention.

My phone rang, snapping me out of my delusional state. I picked it up and it was the auction house where I sold my painting for a few bucks, due to rent being due.

“Hello, Miss Joe, this is the Auction officer, Miss Amanda.” The tiny voice boomed from the speaker

“Good evening, I remember you. Is everything alright?” I asked her

“Yes…. It is. Elite Auction House was calling to tell you that all three of your paintings were sold out yesterday at the auction that was held” She gave the good news, which left me frozen on the sidewalk of the city.

“Hello…. Miss Joe…. are you there?” I heard a voice calling to me.

I cleared my throat, “yes…. yes, I am here. Sorry, I was just surprised at the news. Thank you so much for giving my art a chance at your auction.” I said to her on the verge of tears.

“It’s nothing. We were just calling to tell you that our next auction would be in the next month and if you have any……” I wouldn’t let her finish before I interjected.

“I would send them in for inspections, thank you,” I said bowing slightly, even though she was not in front of me.

“Great…. Have a nice day.” She hung up before I could respond but I could care less. Today was the most beautiful day, I was just given a cheque for two million dollars and I had a sold-out at an auction.

“Oh my goodness, I could cry……” I said to myself.

I began to skip down the street with a smile on my lips and without a worry in the world.

I got to my apartment and found the door unlocked, “Ethan is home! Could this day just get any better!”

I pulled my shoe and walked into the apartment. Ethan sat down on the couch with a bottle of beer in his hands and some w**d he was smoking.

“Hey…..babe. I did not know you were coming over.” I said as I walked over to him.

He looked up at me, his eyes half closed and red. Everywhere smelled of smoke but I couldn't care less as I was already used to it.

“Do you have someone else coming over?” he asked, his words coming out his mouth slowly.

He was high—-again.

“Hmmm, no. I was just surprised that you came over. I had not seen you in two weeks,” I bent my face over as a blush crept on my face, “and I missed you.”

He chuckled, “I miss you more but right now babe…. I’m starving!”

“Oh, that's not a problem….” I dropped my bag, phone, and the cheque on the table “Let me whip up something really quick.” I said as I dashed into the kitchen.

The kitchen was a little messy but I did not mind as I made space to begin cooking. I opened the fridge and brought out some stuff but the ingredients were not much.

“f**k…. I need to run to the store.” I came out of the kitchen, “Ethan, babe… I need to run to the store to get….” I paused, Ethan was looking at me with anger in his eyes. He held my phone and was with the cheque.

“Ethan...?” I called out slowly but his eyes were full of rage and the last time it was like that, he had hit me and walked out without coming back for two weeks.

“I'm going to ask you a simple question, Isa and you are going to answer very very very truthfully,” he said to me, his fist clenched. I nodded, trying not to do anything to make the situation escalate.

“Who the f**k is Adrian?”

I swallowed hard, “I…. I, don't know him. I just know he is the CEO of a company.”

“So you are being paid to be his s**t?” he yelled, making me flinch as tears gathered in my eyes.

“No….no babe.” I rushed towards my bag, taking out the letter “He wants me to paint for him and that's the advance payment.” I tried to explain

“Then explain why the location for the meeting should be his house!?” he asked, shoving the phone to my face.

I could only glance at the screen before Ethan could smash it on the wall, breaking the phone into a thousand pieces.

“Ahhhh….” I screamed, frightened about it. Ethan walked over to me and wrapped his hands around my neck as he began to choke the living daylight out of me.

“Your s**t……how dare you try to cheat on me!” He pressed hard on my neck

I struggled to remove his hands as I began to lack air in my lungs

“Ethan” *inhales* “I can't” *inhales* “Breathe!”

“You shouldn't be able to, bitch.” he said as he choked me harder. I was beginning to lose consciousness as my door was pushed open.

“Hey…. stop that! You are going to kill her!” I heard a voice but I couldn't tell who it was, “Stop or I will call the police.” the person said and immediately, Ethan stopped as he flung me like a toy, my body colliding with the table.

I began to cough seriously, as my friend Stella rushed towards me.

“Hey...are you alright?” She asked, as I kept on coughing, “wait here…. let me get you water!” She left and rushed to the kitchen.

“You are very lucky…..” Ethan said as he picked the cheque up.

“Please…. don’t.” I managed to say as I knew what he was thinking. He had a smirk on his lips as he ripped the cheque into pieces.

“Don’t you think for once that you can ever leave me? It’s either you stay with me or I kill you. No girlfriend of mine would be a s**t to a rich man.” He said, picking up the can of beer he drank some. He turned to me and spat the rest on my face.

“Ahhh!” I yelped at the drink that was spat on me

“There…. you look like a s**t. My b***h!” He said as he walked out of the house.