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The Art Exhition

A month later. Aria is finishing up the story she gathered yesterday for the news to broadcast. The supervisor walked into the part-timer's office, "Aria, can I have a word?" he said as he went toward the door."Yes, sir." Aria as she got up from her chair to follow the supervisor. "What do you think it's about?", asked Sasha, Aria's fellow part-timer. "I don't know, maybe more work", said Aria as she walked past Sasha's work desk heading to the supervisor's office next door. Before entering, she knocked on the door, "Is there a problem, sir?" Aria inquired. "Yes. I want you to attend the Dmitri Malkov art exhibition tomorrow," said the supervisor. "Okay sir, but I thought someone was already going," she said. "It was Morgan. She had a family emergency and needed time off from tomorrow. Do you have any objections?" he inquired. "No sir, I'll go." she said, "Good, You can go back to your work," he said. "I'll take your leave," she added as she headed towards the door and left the office. As she walked out she met Natalie in the hallway. "You look drained, what's up?" Natalie inquired. "It's not much. I need to prepare a questionnaire for tomorrow's interview," Aria responded. "Which interview?" Natalie questioned. "For the art exhibition tomorrow. I have to interview Dmitri Malkov," she explained. "Really? I swear you get the fun part of the job. Dmitri is such an incredible artist," Natalie remarked. "Indeed, that's why I need to do a good job at the exhibition story," Aria affirmed. "I wish I could attend the exhibition too. Anyway, let me not keep you from preparing. Good luck," Natalie said as she parted ways with Aria. "Thanks," Aria sighed.

Bryan attended several meetings at the company, including one with the staff and another with the shareholders. He intends to diversify the business into chemical imports and exports. The company is already well-established in importing and exporting clothing, jewelry, and raw materials. "Do I have anything scheduled for today?" Bryan inquired as they walked out of the boardroom. "No, sir. Everything has been taken care of," Ethan responded, accompanying him to the elevator. "Then I'll head home. Inform me if anything comes up," Bryan stated as the elevator doors opened. "Will do," Ethan affirmed. As Bryan entered the elevator, he remarked, "See you tomorrow," just before the doors shut.

Aria worked tirelessly researching more about Dmitri and preparing questions about what she needed to ask for the story to be relevant. The following day, Aria reached the exhibition, snapped several photos for the article, and conducted an interview with the Russian artist Dmitri Malkov. "Thank you so much, Mr. Malkov, for the opportunity to have this interview," Aria said as she concluded the interview. "It's a pleasure," he replied as they shook hands. "Enjoy the event and, most importantly, the art," Dmitri added. "I will. Again, thank you," she responded as Dmitri was about to leave. They parted ways, and Aria took some time to appreciate the art. Bryan arrived and was greeted by Dmitri, "Mr. Owens, it's a pleasure to see a man of your stature here," he said. "The pleasure is all mine," Bryan said as he shook hands with Dmitri. "I can not wait to see what you've been working on", Bryan added. "I hope you find something in your interest, enjoy the artwork," said Dmitri. "Will do. Thank you" said Bryan as he walked away.

As Bryan strolled through the gallery in search of an intriguing artwork to enhance his collection, he spotted the ideal piece. To his surprise, Aria was there too, captivated by the same work of art. "I see you have a fine taste in art," he remarked, joining her in admiring the painting. "Thank you. I see you're also interested in art," she remarked, noticing Bryan standing beside her. "Indeed... You're Aria, right?" he inquired, offering his hand for a handshake. "Yes," she said, surprised that Bryan remembered her name. "It's quite a surprise that a man of your stature would remember the name of someone like me," she remarked as she shook his hand. "Well, it all depends on the type of interaction we had," he remarked. "Oh, really? I suppose it was memorable then," she responded. "Teaming up with you for the game was the highlight of the party. I truly had a great time," he declared. "The feeling is mutual," she replied. "I thought wealthy people like you don't attend this sort of event," she added. "Why?" he asked, curious about what she'd say next. "Well, I thought people of stature ask the artist for a preview of the artwork before buying the art piece," she remarked. "Crazy, huh?" she added. He chuckled at her remark and said, "Yes, we do, but I prefer attending the exhibition just for the fun of it.". "So, what do you like about this painting?" he asked. "Well, taking into consideration the theme of the collection, in my opinion, the bird signifies freedom more than anything. Looking at the way he depicts it in this painting, I'd say it's longing to be free and be one with the wind, it just needs a little motivation. And also, the brush strokes give a feeling of hesitation", she said. Bryan watched her with a mix of admiration and fascination as she focused intently on the painting, offering an insightful explanation that was nothing short of amazing. Aria noticed Bryan's gaze, "What?" she asked. "I'm impressed. Your observation of the painting is remarkable," he replied. "Thank you. It's a skill I've acquired through my work. I need to assess things thoroughly for a story to be relevant," she said. As they continued their conversation amidst the paintings, Aria's phone rang. She needed to return to work urgently. "It was great seeing you again. I have to go. Enjoy the rest of your day," she told Bryan while still on the call, and hurried off. It was then that Bryan realized he hadn't gotten her number.