CHAPTER THREE

The room became awfully quiet after Julian left. Sixty days, I had sixty days to replicate a painting I barely remembered and also not figuring out why Julian wanted me to do so but I knew there was something more to this task. 

I stood from my stool, paced the room for a while and coming back to the spot I stood from, I stared at the canvas again as though that would tell me the true reason why I was here. I was still fixated on the canvas when I heard a footstep approach the door. 

The door creaked open and I made a swift turn to the door to see who it was.

It wasn't Julian.

A young girl of about eighteen years of age entered, dressed in a plain black dress. She had her face down and clenched to the tray of food she had brought in as she closed the door. 

“Julian said you should eat,” she said in a low voice.

“Is she a staff or his woman? No, I'm sure Julian wouldn't let his woman do such basic chore and plus she seems pretty young to be here in the first place,”

“Hmm thanks,” I muttered with no ounce of appetite and still trying to figure her out. 

She moved closer to the table by my bed and placed the tray on it and turned to leave. I saw a fresh burn scar on her left arm and curiosity got a hold of me. 

“Wait!” I quickly said as I stopped her by the arm. 

Noticing that I had seen the burn scar, she quickly hid her hands behind.

“Did Julian do that to you?” I said in a disappointing yet angry tone. 

She suddenly kept mute, her eyes sweeping around the room.

“Can you please say something? I need to know who I’m involved with here,” I asked again. 

“No, he doesn't know about this but you have no idea who you're up against. I have to go now,” she said as she hurriedly left the room, leaving me with another confusion. 

“What is going on here? Why is everyone being so secretive? 

At least he didn't give her the burn scars but then who else could do such a thing here when Julian’s the boss?” 

It was as though I was about to run mad from thinking and thinking of possible connections and reason as to why I was here. I wasn't allowed to step out of the room under no condition  except Julian allowed it but it doesn't seem like he ever would. 

“What exactly is outside this room that he's keeping me away from?” 

I looked over to the table and my eyes fell on the tray of food the young girl had brought earlier.

“I didn't even get to ask her name.” 

It had a bowl of mac and cheese, another flat plate of sliced steak and then two small jars of juice and water with a tumbler. 

“I wonder who came up with this food combination.” 

I haven't had to eat a proper meal since I was brought here. Even if I were to escape, I wouldn't know the way since I wasn't conscious of my whereabouts before being brought here. I walked over to the table, took a seat and started eating. I needed to feed my stomach before I could feed my mind with the things I needed to get out of here. 

It's dusk now and thankfully my window was on the West side of the mansion. I stood right over my window and as I watched the beautifully brown-yellow sun set, it painted a beautiful image in my head but this took me back to a memory that caused a crack in my life. 

12 YEAR OLD LEXI (POV)

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The loud but subtle noise from my dad’s study woke me from my sleep, I sat on my bed still trying to get the sleep out of my eyes before I stood up. I walked up the stairs and it seemed as though no one realized I was coming up. 

I had walked over to the study and through the crack of the door slightly open, I saw and overheard their voices, my foster dad and my 17 year old stepbrother, Marcus.

“Your mom mustn't hear a word about what I just told you, she knows Lexi was adopted but we don't want her finding out about the other truth,” my foster dad said. 

“I wont say a word dad but what about Lexi? Don't you think she's old enough to know about being adopted ? We can just tell her so she can find her own life away from ours,” Marcus added.

“No, not yet Marcus. There is a lot going on that you might not understand now but you will much later on. I only told you what happened that day because you overheard me on the call and needed you to promise me that you will do whatever it takes to keep an eye on Lexi.” my foster dad said.

“What are you trying to say dad? I'm sick and tired of playing babysitter,” Marcus added in frustration. 

“Lexi would be the only key we would need when the time comes Marcus! If you know that you don't want this lifestyle of ours to continue then you have to promise me that you will ensure that Lexi doesn't leave your sight. When the time comes, you'll know exactly what to do just like I've told you son,” my foster dad said. 

Not completely in support of the fact that he had to watch over me every moment he got. 

“Fine!” Marcus said reluctantly

My foster dad sensed that someone might be at the door.

“Your mom isn't back is she? Are you certain Lexi was sleeping? he asked

“Yes, I checked before coming here” Marcus added

 My foster dad started walking towards the door and I quickly ran back down the stairs quietly as I didn't want to make a noise. I finally made it back to my room and tucked myself back into bed as though I was asleep. 

A while after I heard my door creak open slightly, I knew it was my foster dad but I kept silent under my blanket with tears in my eyes until I heard the light switch go off and the door shut. 

“Adopted? I was adopted? All this while I thought I was a Thompson, turns out I wasn't. I suddenly became a girl who had no idea who she was or who her parents were.” 

PRESENT LEXI’S (POV)

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Now I remember why the sunset painted a beautiful image in my head. I remembered that I had seen a painting that looked like the sunset in my foster dad’s study that night. I had grown into an adult with little or no information about who I really was or who my parents were, it has been just me and Marcus since his parents died in a car accident. 

I was still lost in my thoughts when the door to my room opened, this time around I was not eager to know who it was. It could either be Julian or the new girl I met today. Still engrossed in the image of the sunset, I suddenly heard a familiar voice. 

“Lexi,” the voice echoed softly. 

I suddenly had a glimpse of hope and swiftly turned around the moment I figured out who that voice belonged to.

“Finally, will there be an end to this madness of me replicating a painting?  Was I going to be back to my own apartment just like I was before now?”