Beneath the Diamond Veil

Alana's POV

"I'm really sorry Miss Rivers, but we can't continue to display your paintings at the gallery." Mr Simmons, my boss and manager, said, not looking the slightest bit apologetic.

I felt something was off when I arrived earlier and the first thing he told me was to report to his office.

I didn't think too much about it but here we were and he was telling me my paintings won't be displayed in the gallery anymore.

"What's happening, sir? Why are you doing this to me?" I asked him, now on the edge of the chair I was sitting in.

"Barely two months ago, you increased the commission for every purchase of my works" My voice trembled and I held my fingers to stop them from trembling too.

Unshed tears welled up in my eyes and the beat of my heart may have been twice faster than the second hand of a clock.

"I don't think I owe you any explanation Miss Rivers. It's my gallery and I can do whatever I want with it. That includes telling you to take your paintings away." He said and I searched his eyes for a hint of humour but they were ice cold, making me shiver.

"You can't do this to me," I pleaded. "You know I need this money. I need somewhere to display my paintings." I told him, reaching out and grabbing his hands.

"If you ask me to take down my paintings, what am I going to do now? I really ask that you reconsider sir, I need this." I resorted to kneeling, hoping he would have a change of mind.

"Do you want us to do this the easy way, Miss Rivers or should I just call security?" He asked, looking right into my eyes.

I knew he was annoyed and if I continued to disturb him, he would make good on his security threat.

Without any words, I stood up and mindlessly walked out of his office. A part of me found difficulty believing what had just happened, but I knew every bit of it was true.

Still in a daze, I went to the main part of the gallery where different art pieces were displayed. I went to where my paintings were on display so I could take them down.

I reached up and carefully brought down the painting hanging on the wall but I wasn't paying any attention to my surroundings. I turned around with the large painting in my hands and in the process, I knocked down the vase that was a few feet away.

The shattering sound resonated loudly in the quiet gallery, making heads turn in my direction.

Almost immediately, Mr Simmons ran out of his office. He looked at me and at the mess I had made. Fury coloured his eyes and he rolled his fingers in a fist.

"Are you insane?!" He yelled but shut himself up straightaway to maintain peace in the gallery. "What the hell have you done?" He moved closer to me with every word? Do you know how much this vase costs?" He yelled silently.

I bowed my head in embarrassment. People could see and hear our exchanges and a small crowd was slowly forming around us, defeating Mr Simmons' attempt at peace.

I wanted to speak up and defend myself but he didn't allow me to get one word in, "So this is what you've chosen to do, right? You destroy a priceless sculpture because you're getting kicked out? You don't know what you've gotten yourself into Miss Rivers. Security!!" He yelled at the top of his lungs.

Immediately, two hefty men appeared out of nowhere beside him, "Hold her down, I'll call the police. You've just landed yourself in serious trouble." He said before disappearing from my sight.

"No sir. Please! Wait! It was an accident. I didn't do it on purpose. I'll pay the gallery back for the vase, please." I tried to explain myself while struggling against the hold of the security men, but it was futile.

Not too long after, I heard the distant wails of sirens and I knew he had called the police. Soon enough, a police officer appeared in front of me.

"We got reports of a robbery going on and that the thief has been caught." The police officer started and my eyes almost bulged out of my skull.

"Yes officer, she's the thief, take her away." Mr Simmons immediately said.

Without giving me any chance to defend or explain myself, I was handcuffed and escorted to the officers car. In a few minutes, I was behind bars.

I spent several hours testifying and explaining myself. At some point, one of the officers even told me to look into getting a lawyer.

I thought being kicked out of the gallery with no source of income was the worst thing that could happen to today but looking at the possibility of jail time, I wondered if things could be worse.

How bad could things get for me?

It was night time when an officer came to my cell again, "Miss Rivers?"" He called out and I answered.

"You're free to go now." He said the last thing I was expecting to hear.

"I'm free? How? Why?" I asked the officer, dumbfounded.

"Mr Simmons dropped the chargers and you're free to go." The officer explained as he opened the door to the cell where I'd spent the past few hours.

I thanked him and without wasting a second more, I ran out of the cell and station without sparing a look back at what I assumed would be my new home.

When I arrived at my apartment, I saw my paintings lying in front of the door. When I picked up the first, it wasn't long before I found out that they were all destroyed.

I wondered why Mr Simmons had taken things a step further by destroying my paintings, I sighed dejectedly and packed everything inside.

I flipped the switch to turn on the lights but they didn't come on, I tried a few more times but still nothing, I realised what was going on soon after.

I checked my phone and it was what I suspected, my electricity had been cut off because I didn't pay my bills.

"No! No! No!" I fell to my knees in defeat, and soon enough, the tears I had been holding back all day, started rolling down my cheeks. It took the smallest of events to break me to drops.

After crying helplessly for a few minutes, I turned my flashlight on and got up so I could take my paintings to the studio. That was when something caught my eyes.

Right in the middle of the small table in the living room area, was a red envelope.

I was sure it wasn't there when I was leaving home this morning and I wasn't the one that put it there when I got back. I took it and opened it anyway.

I read the content and as soon as I was done, I dropped the envelope in shock, taking a step back.

"How did this get here?" I wondered, looking all over my dark apartment for clues in horror.