Chapter 5 5

Darién got up from the stool, leaving the two girls beneath his gaze, at least Evangelina, because Charlotte was tall with her legs quite slender and long.

The trio left the apartment and headed towards the place where they would buy clothes for Darién, but they would be in for a surprise when all the women passing by stopped and stared at that striking man, as if the world had slowed down.

"Do you notice it too?" Evangeline asks.

"Definitely," her friend replies. "Now we have to buy him a mask."

"Not even in a museum was he seen like this."

"It's uncomfortable how everyone looks at me," Macedonian Commander joins the conversation.

"Did they see you like this in Macedonia?" Eva asks.

"Not like now, but with the status I had in Macedonia, I received many requests."

"Of course, you had a lot of money back then," Charlotte shrugs. "It's here."

She points to the store where you could buy any garment for $1, and inside, you could find the best clothes in the world, as second-hand clothing usually came from wealthy people.

The welcoming bell at the entrance of the store rang, and as if attracted by a magnet, everyone who saw us enter fixed their gaze on Darién.

"Welcome to..." she didn't finish saying that when she sighed loudly.

"We'll look for what we like, thank you," Charlotte walks straight, leaving the woman attending and we followed her. "I don't understand what's wrong with these people," she huffs. "Look at this!" She takes out a Christmas-themed knitted sweater.

"It's horrible," Darién responds. Evangeline bursts into laughter.

"He's right, let him choose what he likes and feels comfortable with," Eva adds, earning a smile from Darién.

"What if you choose for me?" he proposes to Eva.

"Uh, I feel like a third wheel," Charlotte steps aside to see her friend and her almost impossible love.

"I can help you, but you have to choose your clothes," Evangeline replies. "How about we start with some slightly longer pants?"

"Whatever you want."

Darién approached the area where pants similar to the ones he was wearing were displayed, he took the first one he saw and analyzed it.

"This is torn," he showed it to Evangeline, who couldn't help but smile.

"Some pants are worn like this nowadays, and usually it's young people who wear them."

"Do you have any pants like that?"

"I have a few."

"Then I'll take it," he shrugs.

"Wait, first you need to know your size in pants," she snatched it from him.

"What size is the one I'm wearing?" he asks.

"Maybe a 30, but considering your height and build, I'd say you're a 32 or 33, and this is a... 33, you're in luck," she hands it back to him. "Keep choosing other pants."

"Pss." Charlotte calls her, as she had separated from the group.

"What's up?"

"You and your love already hit it off, huh, you sly fox," she nudges her.

"Don't be silly, he was the only person I saw during the day, of course he'll feel more comfortable with me," she shrugs, making excuses.

"Whatever you say, but between the two of us, we know that guy is hotter than Nutella, and look at how everyone looks at him."

She points around, all the women in the store were watching Darién's movements.

Perhaps Evangeline was a bit jealous because all eyes were on the guy she wanted so badly. Before, they just saw him and laughed

at his nakedness. If they only knew who he really was.

"Take better care of your guy, some women already want to approach him," she points to the woman heading their way.

"Char, I can't look like a crazy psychopath," she replies as she watches the woman greet him.

"Oh God, she's a complete bitch," the blonde spits when the woman places her hand on Darien's arm.

But it was clear that he was uncomfortable. Darién looked around for the girl, something in Evangeline's heart stirred, and she approached the guy from the painting. Darién sighed in relief when he saw her walking towards him.

"Can I help you with something?" Evangeline asks.

"Who are you?" the stranger raises an angry eyebrow.

"Yes, you're bothering my... boyfriend."

"I don't think he's your boyfriend. Haven't you looked in the mirror?"

"What does that have to do with my appearance? Rather, how insecure are you trying to insult another woman based on her looks? You'd better stay away from here."

"This man is not yours."

"You better leave me alone," Darién intervenes with a serious face. "I didn't give you permission to touch me."

The woman looks at him indignantly, but there's still fascination in her eyes, although she glares at his companion afterwards.

"We have to find out why you charm women so much."

"Do I not charm you?"

"Well... Darién, you're a very attractive man, I won't deny it, but there's something strange, just look at how everyone looks at you," Evangeline points around.

"Maybe we should find a mask."

"We're not going to do that, Darién. You've spent most of your life locked up, why cover yourself up again?"

"You're really a beautiful and considerate woman," Evangeline's cheeks blush again.

"Let's just continue with our shopping."

Eva and Darien continued choosing the clothes they would buy since Darien couldn't remain naked all the time. The women continued to see him as if he were a saint, but Evangeline earned the hatred of many for possessing the perfection in person.

As the minutes passed, the basket Evangeline was holding in her hand filled up to the point where Charlotte intervened to help them. Meanwhile, the blonde friend was thinking of the perfect excuse to tell Evangeline regarding their alibis in case they were investigated for Darien's theft.

Finally, they approached the cashier, who fortunately was a man and paid no attention to Darien. Instead, he seemed a bit annoyed to have Mr. Perfect in front of him and no women behind him. He handed us a bag with the receipt of expenses.

"Can we use a fitting room for him to change?" Charlotte asks.

"You can use number two," the guy replies.

"Thank you," Evangeline expresses her gratitude. "Let's get you out of all this."

The trio heads to the fitting room indicated by the cashier, and the two girls chose today's attire for Darien. After leaving the store, they have to go to the museum to "find out what happened," and not only that, Darien must not resemble himself, so they also bought him some non-prescription glasses and a cap to cover his beautiful braided hair.

When he came out of the fitting room, the tension in the place was even more palpable. He was wearing loose ripped pants, a V-neck sweater, and fortunately, he found sports shoes in his size. He adjusted the New York Yankees cap and looked at the two women he knew.

"You look like you're from this era," Charlotte approves.

"What do you think, Eva?" he asks.

"You look perfect, you can go completely unnoticed." Those words cost Evangeline a lot, because deep down, she was truly dying for... there were no words to express what she really felt at that moment.

"Well, we better get going. We need to get out of this mess as soon as possible. I asked Roman to send us a car, and he's already waiting for us outside."

"Sometimes I wonder what would become of me without you," Evangeline tells him.

"I know you only want me for my money," she pretends to be offended.

"You're right, so Darien, we should take advantage of this artificial blonde as much as we can." They all walk towards the exit.

"I'll think about it. Who knows if I'll end up in another painting because of it," the commander shrugs.

"It's just a saying," Eva explains. "And it's our way of joking."

"Eva is right, besides, if you came out of the painting, I don't think you'll go back in."

"You don't know what exactly took me out of the painting, and if it was Hera herself, she must have something up her sleeve."

"Hey, can I call you 'Da'?" Evangeline asks.

"You can call me whatever you want," he replies, and Eva's cheeks flush. "Your cheeks are blushing again."

"Just stop flirting with me," she smiles and lightly taps his arm.

"Alright," he raises his hands in surrender. "What were you going to say?"

"Well, regarding Hera, Zeus, Demeter, Dionysus, Poseidon, all the 12 Olympians you know as such... they no longer exist."

At that moment, they leave the store, facing the sun on their faces.

"What?" Darien exclaims.

"Just as you heard, currently there are only different gods, but it depends on the culture. For example,

on this side of the continent, due to the Anglo-Saxon and Hispanic influence, Christianity or Catholicism prevailed, and it's the most predominant around the world with Jehovah, and some know Him as Yahweh."

"What happened to the 12 Olympians? Because I saw Hera, Bastian de Tarcia is the son of Poseidon, and I saw him too."

"I can't answer that question exactly, but from my perspective as a historian, the Christian movement gained much more strength and devastated the Roman, which is the same as the Greek."

"Wait..." Darien interrupts, looking overwhelmed with information after the few words Evangeline told him.

"Eva, we should let him process everything, and while he does, let's get in the car." Charlotte opens the door and guides Darien inside, then they embark on the new adventure of solving the case that already has an answer.