AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Just weird, like every other thing about Valerio.
Instead of waiting for him around, I went to where Verona and Bianca were focused on a sculpture that looked like a burning something. As I got closer, I could tell there were butterflies in the fire, and they were burning. It was made out of some type of plastic. Maybe straws?
Honestly, it looked amazing. I couldn’t even comprehend how long it must have taken to make this.
“This looks amazing,” I said when I reached Bianca and Verona’s side.
Bianca nodded. “It really is. It might be the best piece here.”
“Work is so detailed,” Verona said, and despite her flat face, her eyes were filled with awe. “Extraordinary.”
To me, all the artworks here were so detailed, but Verona probably knew better. I would take her word for it.
“Do you know the artist?” I asked since she was also in the art scene. I searched for the name display and read the name “Maximilian.”
“What?” Verona said with a strained voice. When I looked back at her, she was tense, and she looked at the artwork like it had betrayed her by being so beautiful instead of her previous awe.
Bianca rubbed her arm. “It can be some other Maximilian.”
Verona rolled her eyes at her. “Another one with this much attention to detail? Yeah, that sounds so realistic.”
“We can leave,” Bianca said.
“Too late.”
I looked between them, confused, and realized they were focused on the man approaching us. My whole life, I have been surrounded by pretty big guys. My husband also looked like a giant, but this man was probably the biggest person I had ever seen. However, he didn’t radiate that dangerous energy men in our world had. He had a huge warm smile that was combined with dimples on both cheeks. He had dark skin and a buzzcut. He was wearing a colorful shirt and comfortable-looking pants. His brown eyes were warm as he approached us, which was odd considering how tense both Verona and Bianca were.
“Verona,” he said, and I realized his voice was even better than his looks. He didn’t make a move to hug her but stood very close to her. “I was hoping to see you here.”
“I wasn’t,” she answered, but the guy didn’t look a bit offended. He just kept looking at her with those bright eyes.
“Yeah, I was absent for a while.”
“I thought you moved away.”
He shook his head. “I was just traveling. I went to Eastern Europe for a year. Didn’t really communicate with anyone. I mostly worked on this piece. I am glad I was able to finish it for this exhibition.”
“Weren’t there any exhibitions in Europe that accepted this?”
I tried to hide my surprise. Verona wasn’t warm, but I never heard her being this rude to someone repeatedly. I was also a bit weirded out by the guy’s lack of reaction. He looked at Verona like she was singing him praises.
Maybe I was the odd one.
“It had to be in Chicago,” he said and looked at Bianca and then me. He reached out a hand. “I don’t think we have met. I am Max.”
I shook his hand. “Luce. Is Max really short for Maximilian?” I have never met someone with that name.
“No,” Verona said without letting him. “His name is Maxim.”
He nodded. “And how do you know Verona?”
I opened my mouth, but just like before, Verona interfered, “She is my sister-in-law.”
His eyebrows rose, and he looked between us. “Sister-in-law?”
“She is Valerio’s wife.”
“Oh, my god. Valerio got married?”
