A Deal with the Enemy

A week later.She was entering enemy territory again! That's what Bryn thought as she stopped on the sidewalk in front of London's largest and finest gallery and auction house; the name "Archangel" in gold letters glittered in the sunlight above the wide glass doors. They opened automatically as she took a step forward before striding purposefully into the high-ceilinged lobby. With a determined step, because without a doubt, for her, she was in enemy territory.
The D'Angelos, and Gabriel in particular, had been responsible for breaking her heart and sending her father to prison five years ago.But she couldn't think about that now, couldn't allow herself to. She had to focus on the fact that the last two years of rejections, during which she had gone from gallery to gallery, were what had driven her to make that desperate move. The same two years, after graduating from university with her degree, during which she had believed she was going to conquer the world, only to find that the recognition she so craved for her paintings was elusive.
Many of her college friends had bowed to family pressure and tight financial circumstances and entered the world of advertising or teaching instead of pursuing their true dream of making a living painting. But not Bryn. Oh no! She had remained faithful to her desire to see her paintings displayed in a London gallery and to one day make her mother proud and erase the shame of her family's past. Two years after graduating, she had been forced to admit defeat, but not by abandoning her paintings, but rather by having no other option but to participate in the Arcángel New Artists competition.-Miss Jones?He turned to one of the two receptionists sitting behind an elegant pink and cream marble desk, exactly like the rest of the marble in the lobby.
Several enormous columns of the same material stretched from floor to ceiling, with beautiful glass display cases protecting the priceless objects and magnificent jewels on display. And that was just the lobby; Bryn knew from his previous visit to the Archangel Gallery that the six rooms leading off that massive lobby held even more beautiful and unique treasures, and that there were many more waiting to be auctioned in the vast basement beneath the building.
She stood up straight, determined not to be intimidated. or at least not to let it be seen that she was. neither by the elegance that surrounded her, nor by the glamorous blonde receptionist who must have been her same age.-Yes, I'm Miss Jones."Linda, " the young woman said as she stood up from behind the desk and crossed the foyer, her three-inch black heels clicking on the marble floor, to approach a hesitant Bryn who still stood by the door.
Bryn felt inappropriately dressed in the tight black pants and floral silk blouse she had chosen for her second meeting with Eric Sanders, the gallery's art expert."I have an appointment with Mr. Sanders, " he said in a low voice. Linda nodded.-Could you walk me to the elevator? Mr. D'Angelo left me instructions to take you to his office as soon as I arrived. Instantly, Bryn tensed and felt as if her feet had glued themselves to the marble floor.-I had an appointment with Mr.
Sanders. Linda turned around, shaking her perfect blonde hair, realizing that Bryn wasn't following her.-This morning Mr. D'Angelo is conducting the interviews.