REBIRTH : Chasing The Limelight-Chapter 23: At the Vale’s mansion...

The garden behind the Vale mansion was already dressed for the evening. Soft lights were hidden among the hedges, lanterns glowing like quiet stars. Everything looked prepared and polished.

Adrian stood at the edge of it all, leaning against a stone railing at an obscure corner of the garden where only few guests would ever wander. He wore a simple shirt and dark pants, the first few buttons of his shirt left open without care. A glass of red wine rested in his hand. He swirled the wine slowly, not paying attention to it. His mind was elsewhere.

Without warning, the calm gaze of a young woman surfaced again. Adrian frowned slightly. He did not like this. He did not like that she kept appearing in his thoughts, uninvited and persistent. He barely knew her. Their encounters were not that notable if not for scene in the elevator. He had spoken to her only a few times, most of them sharp and cold. And yet, her face, returned again and again.

It annoyed him.

He took a slow breath and stared into the crimson liquid in his glass. Thinking of her now, he found himself wondering something he had not meant to think about. How did she manage to hold herself like that? Calm and controlled, as if nothing in the world could push her off balance. She was not a legendary singer, yet, she already carried an air that made people look twice. It was troublesome.

Footsteps sounded behind him but Adrian did not turn. Relanie stopped beside him. She stood with her back to the railing, facing him, not saying any word.

After some time, she also turned as well, resting her elbows on the railing and looking out over the decorations.

"I didn’t expect Mom to invite so many people," she said lightly. "It’s not even time yet, and there are already guests arriving."

Adrian gave a small nod.

Relanie continued talking. She didn’t mind his taciturn habits anymore. She had grown used to being with someone who spoke mostly in glances. She mentioned the guests and the arrangements, also how Mrs Vale seemed more energetic than usual. Then, as if remembering something in passing, she spoke again.

"Mom told me you sent your assistant to pick Elara up."

Adrian paused for a moment. Then he nodded lightly, as if it were nothing worth mentioning.

Relanie’s gaze shifted away from him. She looked toward the center of the garden, where carefully shaped green statues made from trimmed plants stood under the lights elegantly.

"She’ll be singing tonight," Relanie said. "I can’t wait to hear to her sing."

Adrian gave another nod. Still no words.

Relanie did not seem bothered. Standing beside him like this felt familiar, even if it was never warm. After a while, she straightened and brushed invisible dust from her dress. "I should go find Mom," she said. "There’s probably something she wants help with."

Adrian inclined his head slightly.

Relanie walked away, her steps unhurried.

Left alone again, Adrian lowered his gaze. His grip on the wine glass tightened just a little before loosening. He took a slow sip, his thoughts drifting back, against his will, to a calm pair of eyes and a voice he had not yet heard sing.

–

The car moved smoothly through the cool streets of Veston. Elara sat in the back seat with her hands resting neatly on her lap. Her posture was calm even though her heart was not. Beside her, Ziva leaned back comfortably, one leg crossed over the other, her glasses reflecting the city lights. In the front seat sat Harris, talking as if silence were his sworn enemy.

Elara listened quietly. Harris talked the way Ziva did, with confidence that bordered on pride, but there were differences. Ziva spoke like a self-made legend. Harris spoke like a walking brochure. He explained things no one asked about, added comments to his own comments, and laughed at his own jokes without shame. Once, he said something about the Vale family’s security system being so tight that even a mosquito would need permission to enter. Elara almost laughed, the sound rising to her throat before she pressed it back down.

Ziva only glanced at him through her glasses. "Mosquitoes are very determined creatures," she said flatly. "I wouldn’t underestimate them."

Harris nodded seriously, as if she had made a wise business point.

Elara looked out the window again, her reflection faint on the glass. Despite her calm face, nervousness curled quietly in her chest. She was used to performing, to standing under lights and letting her voice speak for her, but social circles like this made her uneasy. She preferred stages to conversations.

As the car entered the residential district of Veston, the buildings changed shape. Tall walls, long driveways, and guarded entrances passed by one after another. Elara hesitated, a question forming on her lips. She wanted to ask that, how far was it? Were they close?but the thought of sounding nervous stopped her.

Before she could decide, Ziva spoke up calmly as if she could read her mind. "So, Mr, are we close already, or should I prepare a speech to keep us entertained for another half hour?"she asked.

Harris laughed. "Very close," he said. "So close that if we were any closer, we’d be part of the family portrait."

Ziva’s eyes narrowed slightly. Elara blinked, then relaxed, her calm returning as if it had never left.

Not long after, a large estate appeared beyond tall gates. Harris began listing facts again, about land value, architecture, and how many times the place had been renovated. Even Ziva let out a tired sigh this time.

Then the main mansion came into view.

Elara’s chest tightened. The building stood proudly, lights glowing warmly from within, surrounded by carefully arranged greenery. It was grand without being loud, elegant without trying too hard. The car passed through the gates and moved deeper inside. Trees lined the path, their leaves whispering softly in the evening air.

In that moment, Elara felt as if she had returned to Crelou. The greenery and the calm order of nature wrapped around her senses. Her grandfather’s face surfaced in her mind, and a warm feeling filled her chest. She had decided that once things settled and she felt more stable, she would visit him.

The car stopped among other expensive vehicles.

Before Elara could even reach for the handle, Harris was already outside, opening her door with a practiced motion. She paused, startled. Then she recovered quickly and stepped out. The dress she wore was simple and elegant, not flashy, fitting her perfectly. Still, knowing it had been chosen and sent by Mrs Vale made her feel uncomfortable, like she was wearing someone else’s kindness on her skin.

Ziva stepped out beside her. She was dressed well too, a fitted gown paired with her usual confidence, but as always, something felt slightly off. The beret was still there. The glasses were bold. The shoes were elegant, yet somehow wrong for the dress.

Harris led them toward the venue. It was a garden, softly lit but filled with low voices and gentle laughter. Even before they reached it, Elara could feel eyes turning toward her but her steps didn’t waver.

She had never met Mrs Vale before. She wasn’t eager nor excited. She only hoped everything would go smoothly. In her past life, nothing like this had happened. So she had no idea if there would be any pros or cons.

Most of the guests were young or middle aged and dressed with care. Their conversations were smooth and practiced. Elara had no desire to stand out.

Harris led them to seats away from the center. "Give me a minute," he said. "I’ll be right back." Elara nodded, and he walked away.

Elara sat down. Ziva also sat beside her, her gaze calm behind her glasses as she surveyed the surroundings.

Elara pulled out her phone, scrolling through nothing in particular, just to keep her hands busy. A man in uniform soon approached and asked what they would like.

Elara hesitated, unsure.

Ziva cleared her throat loudly. "We’ll have a bottle of red wine," she said, then paused, frowning. "Or anything strong enough to make this evening feel shorter."

Elara sighed inwardly. The man stared at Ziva for a moment, confused, then nodded and left. He returned not long after with a bottle of red wine, pouring neatly into their glasses before leaving again.

Ziva straightened. "Good," she said. "Let us survive with dignity."

Elara looked around again, hoping to see familiar faces. And she really did. But most of them pulled at memories she did not like, reminders of a past life filled with regret and quiet failures. She lowered her gaze back to her phone. It felt old in her hand. She remembered changing it years later, in another version of her life, here in Starfall. Going back to using it felt strange, like wearing a memory. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Then a gentle voice sounded in front of her.

Elara looked up, almost at the same time as Ziva.

A middle-aged woman stood there elegantly, her presence calm yet commanding. She looked too young for her age, her features refined, her gaze warm and sharp at once. Beside her stood Relanie, a warm smile on her lips.

Elara did not need an introduction to know this is Mrs Vale.

She rose and smiled gently, her calm returning like second nature...