Chapter 4

Hugo cursed internally when he saw that someone had found the same quiet place as him, especially because he thought that the woman who was paying close attention to one of the big paintings was another of his stalkers. He sighed and tugged at the sleeve of his shirt, scrunching his eyebrows in a frown as he got in the mood he always put himself in whenever he had to deal with people like that. It was almost a reflex out of costume, but he soon became less cold as he realized it couldn't be someone looking for him because she was actually there before him. But more than that, he wondered what was anyone's business in a secluded spot like that. Especially at an event like this that was mostly made for companies to meet and discuss potential partnerships, besides other people that looked for visibility. So Hugo thought that for someone not to be doing that was out of the ordinary, to say the least. Unless it was someone as powerful as himself because then they wouldn't need it. But there was no way that this brunette woman that wore a simple elegant black dress held that power or else Hugo would have known this person.

"What are you doing here" his stern and rough voice sounded, not as a question but rather as a command.

It was then when Remi realized she wasn't alone. She turned to the man, quickly becoming tense not only because of the aura Hugo irradiated, but also because she was afraid that she had come into a prohibited area of the museum. However, she quickly gathered herself up and put on an innocent small smile.

"I just was a bit tired of the crowd" she simply answered, turning to the painting in hopes that the more natural she seemed the less suspicious she'd be. Hugo stared at the woman for a little longer, making her swallow.

"Why not leaving, then?" he asked further, still suspicious.

"I'm here accompanying a friend" Remi said, even if it was supposed to be Leila helping Remi to meet people "Even though she's clearly doing fine without me" she added, not being able to help but take a glance out the door where all the rest of the people were.

Remi didn't wait for the man's answer, and instead, she moved to the painting besides the one she was. Taking in all its details, relieves, and colors. Meanwhile, Hugo kept thinking that it was all too weird. To have found someone seemingly uninterested in the event. But he also felt that what the girl was saying wasn't a complete lie either. All the more reason to be suspicious, or at least curious.

"Who's your friend?" he once again said more as an order than a question.

"She isn't quite known" Remi evaded his question.

Again, Hugo inspected her, searching for a sign that made her look either more suspicious, or innocent. He still thought it was weird because he hadn't seen her before, and he always remembered everyone's faces. But after a while, he realized that she was paying no attention to him and instead just skipped to another painting. He realized he had finally got the peace and quiet he wanted, so he relaxed while observing the art as well. It wasn't after he had observed a couple of paintings that he became surprised again at the realization that Remi wasn't trying to suck up to him like everybody else. This made him think that perhaps she didn't know who he was, which made sense with what she had said of accompanying someone, making her unknown to this world. Although he still couldn't shrug off the feeling that there was something odd about this girl.

He stopped inspecting the art and directed his gaze towards the girl, looking at her face in detail. She had wide and shimmering light brown eyes, almost amber, that carefully inspected every corner of the pieces of art. Her lips were curved in an almost imperceptible smile.

"Do you like art?" Hugo asked, breaking the long silence. Remi's lively expression quickly turned to one of awe for two reasons. One was that she was so into her own world that she didn't even remember this man was still with her, she even thought he must have left after they stayed silent. And the second reason was because she didn't expect a question like that, especially not from someone who seemed as aloof as him "From all the paintings in here, you have only been looking at the German romantic ones" he explained the reason for his question.

"Do you know anything about art?" she asked, also curious that he knew which ones belonged to the German Romanticism.

"I know a thing or two" he answered, now even more sure that she didn't know his identity. She then turned her head towards the painting and nodded, getting lost in the allegorical landscape before her.

"Romanticism is one of my favorite periods. Especially the ones with landscape themes. I think that nobody else before them was able to capture nature like they did. The hues, the chiaroscuro, and the dedication they had..." Remi began explaining what was that she liked about the painters in that exhibition, not being able to hold back her enthusiasm and perhaps going a bit overboard with her technical explanation "And–" she suddenly stopped in the middle of her speech "I'm sorry, I'm sure you actually don't care that much" she blushed as she tugged a strand of her hair behind her ear awkwardly.

In reality, Hugo didn't mind that much. If he had to be honest, this must have been the first time someone was talking to him without any ulterior motive or personal interest. And with all the knowledge this girl seemed to have about art he might have even got to learn a thing or two.

"Who are you?" Hugo asked, completely ignoring her apology. Remi stopped looking at the art in front of her to turn towards him, at first a bit surprised, but then she quickly relaxed back again.

"I'm a nobody, really" she smiled humbly "I just came to give support to my friend" she repeated.

"What is your friend's name?" Hugo ordered again.

"Leila Hines" she answered honestly.

"I don't know her" he commented, still thinking it was uncommon for him not to know someone in these events. Remi smiled shortly and stayed silent, especially because she had already told him before that he wouldn't know her, but also because sometimes silence was the best answer "What is your name" Hugo ordered once more.

"Remi" she said, once again thinking that there was no reason to lie. Immediately after, Remi's phone rang, startling the girl for a moment. She broke her eye contact with Hugo and picked up.

"Where are you?" Leila's voice sounded "Are you in danger? I can't find you"

Remi looked at the time on her phone and realized that not only a lot of time had passed since she had found this gallery, but also that it was already time for one of the two friend's safety calls.

"I'm fine" Remi answered nonchalantly, making Leila sigh in relief "Do you want to leave?" she asked, gaining a small whine from Leila.

"I haven't found anything better than what I already had..." she complained, making Remi smile slightly at her friend's childish reaction.

"Told you" Remi couldn't help but say "Let's meet at the entrance and we can leave, it's late already"

Leila agreed and they both hang up. After that, she said a short and minor goodbye to the man that had accompanied her for the last half of the event and left looking for her friend. Not realizing Hugo's stare that stuck at her nape while she left.

"Excuse me" someone bargained in the private room, interrupting Remi's story once again. Both the man and Remi stopped looking at each other from their loveseats, turning their gaze to the secretary that had just appeared "Mr. Tiano, your father has called. He says he wants to have dinner with you in an hour" the woman explained why she had interrupted before her boss could scold her. Hugo breathed in and left the empty glass of liquor over the coffee table, standing up and straightening his suit.

"Well, you know the rest of the story anyway" Remi smiled half-heartedly as she got up too, but she didn't get any other answer except for a low grunt.

Hugo walked to the exit without saying any other word, making Remi feel unsettled as she didn't know what to make of the talk they had during the night. However, her heart skipped a beat when Hugo's voice sounded before finally disappearing.

"I'm expecting to see how far you can get"