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"What's missing?"
"I promised you I'll take care of it,"
"Venus please calm down and tell me what's missing." I don't recognize my voice.
There's only one thing that I gave her to keep safe, and if that thing is missing...
Fuck, I can't even think about it.
Venus takes a few breathes in and out, and with a small voice, she crashes my world. "I came back home from hunting Ivan because I had a bad feeling, and I searched the whole house, Althea. It doesn't show that someone broke into it, but it's gone. I kept it there since you first gave it to me."
I feel my body light and with one hand on the wall to keep my balance, I ask. "What's missing, Venus?"
A second goes by.
Then five.
Then ten.
"The painting."
I suck in a big mouth of air and I feel my body giving out. My chest hurts and I think my heart is breaking in two broken pieces.
"What painting?" My throat hurts, feeling like its closing until no words can come out.
"Althea,"
"What painting, Venus?" I demand broken.
I gave her only one painting.
"Everest." And the tears fall, leaving hot traces on my face.
No.
No Dio, ti prego no.
It's a dream.
A nightmare.
No, no, no.
A sob takes ahold of my body and it almost brings me to my knees.
What if he sees the painting before I can explain to him?
What if he doesn't let me explain?
Will he hate that much?
Will he forgive my broken heart that beats only for him since I was twenty?
"Althea, I'm so sorry. Dio, what have I done?" I hear Venus punching the wall hard, and more tears are escaping my eyes.
"It's not your fault," I whisper.
"How can you say that?" Venus snaps at me and I close my eyes when I feel my heart numb.
