Renaissance Moon

Chapter 1

I sat at my desk, surrounded by the little arts and crafts that cluttered my office. Paintings, sculptures, and other works of art filled every nook and cranny, competing for space on my already cluttered shelves. Was I really into art? I don’t actually know, but I have no choice.

As an accountant for Express Your Art Company, I kept things organized and running smoothly. Although my own life seemed unorganized. Well, I've always had a soft spot for art and I've never been able to resist the temptation to collect pieces whenever I could.

I picked up a small sculpture of a woman's head and turned it over in my hands. It was a beautiful piece, with delicate features and a serene expression. “Pretty,” I said, and I could almost imagine the artist, lost in thought as they carved away at the stone, trying to bring their vision to life.

My thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the office door opening. Who is it this time? I almost complained and I turned to see Victoria, my best friend and the owner of the company, walking in with a big smile on her face. What’s with the happy face early in the morning?

"Good morning, Luna!" she exclaimed. "How are you today?"

"I'm good, thanks," I replied, setting the sculpture back on my shelf. "What's got you in such a good mood?" I asked, forcing myself to smile as well.

"We just sold Atticus' painting 'The Womb' for $200,000!" Victoria screamed, practically bouncing with excitement. "I knew he was going to be a hit with our clients!" she continued and I agreed, and a smile came out of my face.

Atticus is one of our best painters, specializing in Renaissance art, and his latest work has been a huge success. "The Womb" was a stunning piece, with dark undertones and a complex narrative that draws you in. It’s a painting of a pregnant woman. Inside the womb was the whole life of the baby from birth to death.

"Well, that's incredible news," I said, feeling proud of our little company that was just starting to flourish. "We should celebrate!" I suggested, clapping my hands in excitement.

"Absolutely," Victoria agreed. "And we have Atticus coming in later today for a meeting, so I want you to be there too since you're the one who handles all the finances. We need to make sure we can afford to keep him on board," she said.

I nodded, excited to finally meet an awesome artist like Atticus. I should probably get an autograph as early as now if he becomes super popular and the autograph would be auction-worthy. Haha! Atticus is a fascinating artist, and I really can't wait to meet the man behind the masterpiece. I actually don’t know what he looks like, but I just hope he'll look good.

“By the way, how did you sell it?” I asked, since there were no actual exhibits lately, so it was a mystery how Victoria sold it.

Victoria grinned mischievously. "Well, let's just say that my charm and beauty came in handy. I was at a party last night, and this wealthy guy was hitting on me. I showed him some pictures of our paintings, and when he saw 'The Womb', he just loved it. He wanted to show off his wealth and impress me, so he bought it."

I raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Wow, you never cease to amaze me, Vicky. You certainly know how to work your magic."

"Haha! Thanks, Luna. But it's not just about being charming. We have some amazing artists in our company, and their work speaks for itself. It's just a matter of finding the right buyer who can appreciate their talent."

I nodded in agreement. "You're right. I'm just glad we have Atticus on board. His Renaissance-inspired paintings are truly one-of-a-kind."

Victoria clapped her hands together. "Well, enough chit-chat for now. We have a meeting to prepare for. Let's make sure we're ready to impress Atticus and convince him to stick with us for a long time to come."

Vicky was truly amazing. She really knows when to use her beauty. I hope I can be as beautiful and as confident as she is. I’m not saying that I’m not beautiful. It’s just that, I don’t meet the standard of beauty nowadays. I’m not skinny, I’m more of a chubby type. I’m not very good at wearing make-up, I’m not that tall, and I’m just an ordinary girl. But I can say that my self-esteem has actually got better in the past few years. When I was in middle school and high school, I had the worst days. I never felt pretty and I really worked hard on making my self-confidence better. Up until now, I’m still in that process.

"You know what, Vicky, you certainly know how to use your beauty and I admire that. You always remind me that I am beautiful in my own way, and I hope I can learn from you. Your confidence is infectious, and it rubs off on me."

"I appreciate that, Luna," Vicky responded, her smile widening. "I love you too! I need to deliver that painting to the buyer, who wants me to come to his house. I guess I'll get to see his mansion and decide if he's worth my time." Vicky said with a playful tone.

"Haha! Well, don't forget to take some pictures of the house for me. I'm curious to see how wealthy that guy is."

"Of course, Luna. I'll make sure to take some snaps and show them to you when I get back." Vicky winked at me before heading out the door, leaving me alone with my thoughts about Atticus and his incredible artwork.

“OK! Go and be rich!” I said, waving my hand.

“Wait, you call the painter and tell him that we’ll have the party tonight. Okay?”

“Got it!”

After Vicky left, I checked out the files and looked for Atticus’ file. Hmm… here it is. So his full name is Atticus Wyatt. Interesting. I think it suits his career as a painter or an artist. “Nice, his contact information was also written here”. I dialed his number and it rang. He then answered the call immediately, to my surprise.

“Hello? This is from Express Your Art. Can I speak to Atticus?”

“It’s me, speaking.” Holy s**t. I got goosebumps. His voice sounds so good and manly. It was deep and husky. So strong and hot. I almost forgot the reason why I’m calling.

“Umm… uh… I want to tell you that your painting “The Womb” was sold for $200,000! We’ll have a party tonight and you’ll get your share of the sale. Will you come?” I asked him excitedly and hoped he’d come to the party.

“Sure. Thank you umm… What’s your name?” he asked me.

“Oh! I forgot to introduce myself. Umm… I’m Luna”. I heard him chuckle a little.

“I like your name, Luna. See you later. Goodbye, moon.” He said and he hung up.

I’m currently wondering what the last word he said was. Did he say moon? Moo? Or maybe he said "See you soon? Oh, whatever. I texted him the address of the club. I also don’t know why, of all places, Vicky chose the club for the celebration. I think Vicky’s definition of celebration is only partying. Atticus replied and said he'd come. I got totally excited and, since there will be a party tonight and there are no customers here, I’ll go home early and choose attire to wear.