Billionaires wife-Risk it all (book 1)

1

*2024 RE-WRITE. COMPLETE CHANGE FROM ORIGINAL STORY. LATER CHAPTERS WILL BE UPDATED PERIODICALLY.

Dalia's pov

"are these yours?" a voice boomed through the hall, making the paint brush in my hand jerk and almost make a mark in the wrong spot.

I peaked over the easel and was met face to face with, what i assumed, a business man.

He was in a sharp suit from what I could see, and had a look on his face that made his aura around him darker then what it should've been.

Oh, and let's mention the fact there were 3 men surrounding him which looked like they were pulled out of Men In Black.

"Oh, uh, yeah."

He nodded and continued to walk around the small room my friend had generously rented for me.

I was an artist, i suppose, and according to Amelia i could do it well enough to sell. With her working at a small gallery in town she kindly asked her manager to lend me a room to show off for one Friday night.

It wasn't going bad? I mean I was not getting the same amount of attention as the van gogh and monet replicas down the hall, but i did not mind.

A few people would float in, flash me a smile and circle the room before exciting. In order to calm my nerves, Amelia brought me a easel and paint and a canvas.

So here i was, painting my time and nerves away with each stroke when the first person throughout the entire night spoke to me.

I watched him for a moment. He had a very expensive watch on his wrist and dark dress shoes that weren't creased. He circle the room, stopping occasionally at the paintings and whispering to one of the men- who replied in just a "yes sir".

After a few moments, I returned to my painting. However, i saw three dark blobs in the corner of my eye leave the room- but there was one coming towards me.

I looked up once it got closer, and it was the man who spoke earlier. He had his hands in his pockets when he stopped in the same place he did before.

"I like your work", he said. Although there was a compliment, his face stayed with the same serious complexion. "Thank you." I let out a small chuckle and looked around the room.

I had paintings of different things: A women reading on a bench outside, a flower bouquet decaying on a bed, and a train to name a few. I had no specific style of painting, i just sat down whenever i had a vision and put it on the canvas.

When i looked back at the man, he was still looking at me. I raised an eye brown at him, very obviously confused as to what kind of person stares at another when first meeting.

Then, Amelia came running in behind him with a huge smile on her face.

"Dal!!!!" I snapped my head towards her and smiled, her bubbly personality releasing the tension between me and mr mystery man. "Someone just bought all of them!"

I stared for a minute, "... all of what?" I saw the man smirk.
"All of your paintings!" she gestured around the room. i stood up, dropping the paintbrush in the process and moving my two hands to my head.

"are you serious, amelia?" she nodded quickly and clapped, the man now the least of my concerns. "oh- oh my god? who? when? i have to go say thank you!"

i had sold paintings before in the past, of course, but this was a huge deal as it was my first gallery and someone bought ALL of them. It did not feel real.

"Oh, yes! Let me just go get a first name-
"Miles."
Both me and Amelia quickly looked back at the man who we had forgotten was there. Amelia's brows furrowed, "i'm sorry?"

"Miles. Miles Calo. that's my name." I turned back to Amelia with an equally confusing expression when her mouth dropped open. "Mr. Calo? you're the one who bought the paintings?" she pointed at him.

He smiled slightly and nodded, then scratched a spot right above his eyebrow. "Yes. I had sent my men to share the message as I wanted to get to know the painter some more."

He turned back to me as my cheeks flared up. This was the man who had just bought all my paintings? the man i just internally called a creep?

Amelia smiled and started to back up slowly, "Well, i will go get that sorted out for you and leave you two alone."
I looked over Miles' shoulder as she winked at me before basically sprinting out the door.

When i came back to present time, i quickly came around to the other side of the easel and whiped my hands off on my apron and extended one, "Hi, I'm Dalia glass."

I smiled as he returned the gesture, "It is very nice to meet you Ms. Glass."

I rocked back and fourth on my heels for a second before crossing my arms. "so you're the one who bought all my paintings, huh"

He nodded, "like i said, i like your work". I nodded and pursed my lips "yeah but, all of them? come on"

He smiled once more before motioning towards the door "oh i could go cancel it, if you want?"  I quickly shake my head with a horrid look on my face before following Miles in laughing.

"Seriously though, thank you. This is actually my first gallery." He raised an eye brow, "new painter i see"
"well, i've been painting for years and i've sold online but this is my first time really getting out there."

He hummed before looking back at the easel "and what are you working on now?" I let out a awkward laugh before carefully grabbing the canvas and flipping it around. "it's just a meadow. I was trying to pass the time." "can i have it too?"

i looked up from the painting with my eyes wide, "what?". "can i have it" he repeated, this time not sounding like a question.

"I- I mean sure?" He smiled for what seemed the millionth time in this conversation. "Only if you sign it."

I look at the bottom of the painting and see i did not in fact sign it- the thing i was about to do before he came in.

"Oh! Right. yes of course." i patted my apron and looked on the easel for the brush i swore i just had before letting out a puff of air- when it slid up in the corner of my eye.

"you dropped it." Miles said, handing me the brush. I awkwardly laugh before dipping it in dark paint and signing "Glass" in the bottom right corner.

"I'll add it with the others whenever they're packaged up." I saw him nod before he returned to staring.

In the moment of silence my stomach let out a rumble. My eyes widened and my hand slammed against my stomach as if it could muffle the noise.

He laughed, throwing his head back in the process which i always adored seeing people do. "Are you hungry? It is pretty late." He checked his watch, "Hey, would you want to grab some dinner with me?"

"And the cast of men in black?" I joked, but immediately regretted whenever his face turned into a scowl. "How did you know?"

I took a step back, dropping the paintbrush once more and slightly bumping into the easel, which knocked my painting off, before Miles reached a hand out while, again, laughing,

"oh my god no, i'm so sorry i'm just joking."

I took a deep breath, placed the painting back on the easel and turned to him, "yes. dinner sounds nice."

I took my apron off and laid it across the chair and turned around. "However for that comment you are paying."

I started to head out the door when I heard a chuckle and a "I would've either way."