The Secret Vault

Megan sat on the edge of the bed, helping her father sit up. "There you go, Dad," she gently encouraged, her hands holding him firmly as he leaned against the headboard.

"Thanks, Meg," he said, a faint smile creeping across his lips. 

Then suddenly the door swung open with a sudden burst of energy. "The guest has arrived!" Ms. Sarah announced, her voice brightening the atmosphere .

"What guest, Dad?" Megan asked, turning her attention to her father whose expression was calm.

"You'll see for yourself," he replied, a glint of mischief radiating in his eyes,With Megan's help, he pushed himself upward slowly.

Megan took a deep breath walking down the staircase with her dad.

The moment they reached the bottom, a scene unfolded before her. There, in the cozy living room, sat a beautiful woman and two well-dressed men sitting elegantly with their legs firmly crossed.

"Hi, and welcome!" she said, her voice filled with curious as she extended her hand for a shake .

"Megan!" her dad said, his tone brimming with excitement. "Meet the art investors" they showed interest in collaborating with your art collection."

For a moment, she stood frozen, processing her father's words. "Wait, Dad, don't tell me they are from Glowy Art Concept—the biggest art collections company I've always dreamed of working with since I was a kid?" Her eyes widened.

"Yep, you guessed correctly, Meg," he replied, a proud grin adorned his face.

"Oh My God!" Megan exclaimed, her heart racing. She rushed forward hugging her dad tightly .

After pulling from the embrace she finally turned to the guests, who were smiling at her enthusiasm. "Welcome once again! I'm Megan, the CEO of Megie Art Worlds. I'm so thrilled to have you here!" she couldn't contain the joy in voice.

The woman stood offering Megan her hand once again "It's a pleasure to meet you, Megan. I'm Emma, and this is my colleague, Daniel." She gestured to the man beside her, who nodded in acknowledgment, his smile welcoming.

"And this is Sam," Emma said, waving to the second man, who was leaning back casually in his chair.

Megan took a moment to take them all in—their style, their presence—it was all an incredible sight for her. 

"So, your father mentioned you're an emerging artist. We're very impressed with the portfolio he shared!" Emma continued, her voice warm. "We're here to explore potential collaboration opportunities with you. Your vision aligns brilliantly with Glowy Art Concept's mission."

Megan felt a sudden chills rushing through her. "Wow… really?" She could hardly believe what she was hearing. The company she had idolized for years had a genuine interest in her work. "I've admired Glowy Art Concept since I was a little girl," she admitted, unable to hide her excitement. "I've always dreamed of this moment."

Sam spoke up, leaning forward. "Art has a way of speaking to people, doesn't it? We've seen some of your work online, and it resonates with our mission to uplift emerging artists and their unique visions."

Daniel added, "We believe collaboration is about nurturing creativity and growth and taking art into new spaces. Your passion for visual storytelling is inspiring."

Megan was awash with emotions—still couldn't contain the joy in her.

Thank you! I can't express what this means to me. I poured my heart into my collection, and to know that you see something in it… it's beyond what I ever imagined!"

Her dad watched her with a smile.

Emma continued, "We're particularly interested in your latest series, especially the one you showcased at the last exhibition. It captivated us! Maybe we can arrange a studio visit?"

Megan nodded vigorously, her mind racing with the implications. "Absolutely! I'd love to show you around and share my process. I've got so many ideas I want to bring to life."

"Great!" Emma said, "Let's discuss how we can move forward and turn this dream collaboration into a reality, shall we?

——–—————

Megan took a deep breath, the dreams of her childhood now coming into reality,she turned back inside and made her way to the living room, where she found her dad sitting comfortably on the couch, scrolling through his phone. He looked up with a smile as she entered, the weariness in his eye's.

"Just saw them off," Megan sighed, collapsing on the couch beside him.

"Wait Dad, how did you manage to convince them" she asked curiously now waiting for his response.

"Hmmm, Nelson can always make what seems impossible turn possible," her dad replied with a teasing smirk

"Dad, I'm so happy, and thank you for this wonderful gift. I love you, Dad." Megan couldn't help herself; she rushed forward to hug him tightly.

Still embraced in the hug, Megan heard her dad's voice break the hug "Aiden, what about him?" he questioned sternly.

"Oh, he's good," Megan replied awkwardly, trying to shake off the sudden tension that filled the room. it was clear her dad's question had deeper implications. 

"Hmmm, I see." he replied fixing his eyes back on the screen.

Megan felt a surging heat rising to her cheeks, the conversation quickly shifting in a direction she hadn't anticipated. 

"I'll be off to my room," he said, giving her a firm tap on her shoulder as he walked toward the staircase. "And don't forget, you'll be so occupied from now on. You have a lot to work on. Remember, it's always stressful, but it's worth it."

Megan nodded, forced to suppress the smile creeping onto her lips. "Yeah, I know, Dad. I'll handle it," she replied, but as he reached the stairs, her heart was filled with troubling thoughts. 

"Shifting her thoughts from her hand she brought out her Phone quickly, willing to share the Goodnews with Aiden.

"But a sudden memory of the woman voice she last heard came flashing into her mind.

Reminiscing how tensed he was when he spoke to her the previous day,for some unknown reasons,she retreated her hands that was nearly making an attempt to click on the call option.

Megan had a lot to process—an unexpected meeting with Glowy team, her father's cryptic questions about Aiden, and now a strong curiosity about the secrets her father might be keeping. she approached her room and her feet felt heavy with the weight of it all.

Megan walked past her dad's room, the familiar sounds of splashing water sounding through the closed door realizing that he was in the shower, just as she was about to cross the threshold into her own space, a sudden thought struck her, moving her to turn back.

What if there was something more to her dad convincing the Glowy team in showing interest to her Arts? Perhaps he was up to something,she crept back toward his door, heart pounding in her chest.

Megan hesitated outside his room, listening intently. The sound of running water still sounding, She slowly turned the doorknob, pushing the door opened.

Once inside, she moved with caution, her instincts guiding her toward the vault tucked away at the corner of the room. Something deep inside had always sensed that her parents were up to something, but what could it be? 

Just as she arrived at the security vault, her stomach tightened.

Facing the locked door, she typed in her dad's birth year—1968—but the screen flashed "Access Denied." She bit her lip, frustration prickling her mind ,Maybe it was time to dig deeper; she knew her parents' histories better than anyone.

Her father's wedding year—1994—seemed like a logical next choice. She entered the year and closed her eyes tightly, wishing the vault could open. **Please. Let there be a reason for all this...** But again, she met with disappointment: "Access Denied."

Panic swelled within her. If her father had gone to such lengths to lock away something important, it must be crucial. She swiped through other years that she could think of—birthdates, anniversaries—each yielding the same cold reply.

Frustrated, she paused, letting a moment of quiet reassurance wash over her. Then, almost instinctively, she typed in her birth year: 1998. 

To her surprise, she heard the delightful sound of the vault clicking open. It felt like a bubble of satisfaction swelling before it burst into the air around her. 

Megan's heart raced as she pushed the vault door open, revealing a neatly organized array of files and documents. She quickly scanned the contents,The papers contained drawings, sketches, and various documents—some of which bore the hallmark of her own art style.

One file slipped from her fingers, gliding downward before landing softly on the floor. She gasped as she bent down to pick it up. The title, "Megie Art Collection Purchase Application," nearly knocked the breath out of her. 

"What is this?" she muttered, her mind racing a mile a minute. What was her father doing with a purchase application for her company? Was he planning to sell off her company, or was this something more significant?

Just then, the sound of water stopped running, Time was running short—she didn't want her father to catch her snooping. She quickly arranged the papers neatly back into the vault .

With the documents back in place, she gently closed the vault door and took a step back, her heart pounding as if it were a messenger delivering news she wasn't prepared to hear. She paused, glancing back one last time. 

As she turned to leave, series of questions clouded through her mind. ***What was really going on with her dad?*** She thought walking back to room,her thoughts still on the document she found earlier.