REBIRTH : Chasing The Limelight-Chapter 42: You’re a sponsored singer, that’s all you are.

Chapter 42: Chapter 42: You’re a sponsored singer, that’s all you are.

A car stopped in front of the Vale Group headquarters at Veston. Elara stepped out of the car. Ziva also got down from the other side.

After paying the fare, they walked toward the entrance. The place was heavily guarded with security officers who stood near the doors and devices which were fixed at every corners. Everywhere felt security tight.

Elara did not look around. She kept her eyes forward and walked in beside Ziva. No matter how much she tried to stay calm or pull herself together, she couldn’t help feeling small and insignificant inside.

Ziva noticed her gloomy mood so she reached out and gently squeezed Elara’s hand. Elara looked at her and Ziva nodded.

A woman in formal clothes walked up to them with a polite smile. "Please follow me."

They entered the elevator and went up to the twenty second floor.

When they reached the floor, the woman led them down a long hallway and stopped in front of an office. She knocked lightly, then opened the door and stepped aside.

Inside, Elara recognized the man immediately.

Havis. Adrian’s personal assistant.

When he saw them, his face lit up immediately. He stood up quickly and gave a small bow.

"Miss Elara. Miss Ziva. Welcome."

He gestured toward the soft couch, still bowing. "Please, have a seat."

They sat down.

Elara looked at him calmly. She wanted everything to finish quickly so she could leave. She had no energy left to pretend.

Havis gave them a small smile and picked up the office telephone on the desk. He pressed a button and waited.

After a few seconds, he spoke. "Sir, Miss Elara Veyne is here. Should she come over?"

He stopped and listened. Then he spoke up again. "Yes, sir. Understood."

He placed the receiver down gently and stood up. "You may go to Mr Vale’s office now."

Elara nodded and stood up. Havis walked her to another door inside the office and stopped in front of it.

"You can go in," he said.

Ziva stepped forward to open the door, but Havis quickly raised his hand to stop her.

"Sorry. Only Miss Elara."

Ziva snorted softly and pulled her hand back. "Okay then," she muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes.

Elara turned to her. "I’ll go alone."

Ziva’s expression softened. She held Elara’s arm lightly.

"Don’t let anyone push you around," she said quietly while Elara gave a small nod. Then she turned, pushed the door open, and stepped inside. Adrian’s office was very large and cold. Tall windows covered one wall, showing the city of Veston far below. Everything looked small from up here. His desk was empty except for what he needed. Everything appeared too neat and tidy.

He was standing by the window when she entered, back to her, hands behind him. He didn’t turn right away.

Elara closed the door softly. She stood straight, hands loose by her sides.

"Mr. Vale," she said. Her voice was calm and very controlled.

He turned. His eyes slid over her quickly, like he was checking an item on a list. His face showed nothing. Then he looked away.

A muscle moved in his jaw. She couldn’t tell how he felt, maybe he was annoyed or not. But she didn’t care.

He walked slowly to his desk but didn’t sit. He stood behind it and looked at her from across the room.

"Someone made a complaint," he said.

"Yes."

"You wanted to participate in an external competition witout notifying the Vale family" He paused. "Without notifying me."

Elara met his eyes. "I’m aware of what I did." she said.

"Then you know why you’re here."

"I do, so I came to apologize. What I did was outside the terms of my sponsorship. It won’t happen again without asking for permission from you first. Also I’ll remove myself from the event." she said calmly.

Adrian watched her for a second. Then he stepped out from behind the desk. Not to the door. But towards her, with slow and confident steps.

Elara stayed still. He only stopped when he is standing close to her. Too close that she had to struggle to remain still.

"That’s all you’re going to say?" he asked in a low voice.

"That’s all there is to say," she answered.

His gaze moved down to her face — not her eyes, just her face, like he was reading something there she didn’t know about.

An uncomfortable silence lingered in the air.

Elara’s heart beat hard. But she kept her expression calm and unbothered

Then Adrian lifted his hand.

It moved slowly, like something is pulling him back from within. But still—His fingers closed around her chin firmly. Not gently at all.

Elara should have stepped back, she knew that. But somehow, she didn’t.

His thumb traced the line of her cheekbone, then he tilted her face up so she had to look straight into his eyes.

His steel grey eyes stayed locked on hers. Then he leaned in and kissed her. His other hand slid to the back of her neck. The kiss grew deeper. The huge room suddenly felt small.

For three seconds Elara’s mind went blank.

Then her hand rose and rested on his chest. She wanted to push him away, but it’s like her hands had turned jelly.

Suddenly, remembering that Ziva would be outside the door. She quickly stepped back. Her hand fell back to her sides and she looked at him.

Adrian’s face was blank again. The air had turned a bit awkward.

Elara opened her mouth — but he reacted first.

He stepped away from her, fixed his sleeve and looked looked at her with ice in his eyes.

"Don’t," he said coldly.

"Don’t what?" Elara asked in confusion.

"Don’t think this mean anything. Don’t think too much of all that." He turned toward his desk. "You’re a sponsored singer. That’s all you are. That’s all you’ll ever be here."

Elara stood very still.

"You might have start thinking this equals something else." His voice cut like glass. "It doesn’t. Not with me."

Something sharp moved in Elara’s chest. A mixture of annoyance and a bit of something cold.

She watched the back of his head, but still, she gave a small, controlled smile.

"Understood," she said calmly.

"I will commit all these to heart," she added quietly.

He didn’t answer. He was already reading a paper, like she had left the room several minutes ago.

Elara turned, walked to the door and opened it.

Once outside. Ziva looked up fast, searching her face. Elara’s expression was smooth and calm. Like nothing much had happened.

"Let’s go," she said.

They walked out of Harris office to the elevator. Ziva pressed the button. When the doors opened. They both stepped in...

Elara stared at her reflection in the shiny metal. She breathed out slowly through her nose. Fine, she thought. Fine.

If Adrian thinks she’s an easy person to push around or control. Then she have to climb so high till his sponsorship would look tiny underneath her. She would rise until Adrian Vale no longer had to lower his head to look at her.

And she would never..ever.. let him close enough to touch her again...

–

After the door closed behind Elara. Adrian did not move at first. Then he slowly raised his head and looked at the door she had just walked through, his gaze resting on it as if there was something there that needed his full attention. His expression was calm, but his eyes were not. Something restless moved inside them.

After a moment, he lifted his hand. His fingers paused in the air, and his eyes lowered to them. The same fingers that had touched her. Twice.

For a few seconds he simply looked at his hand, his brows drawing together slightly. The feeling of her warm skin seemed to still remain there, and the memory made something cold and sharp pass through his chest.

Regret. Annoyance. Both appeared clearly in his eyes.

His gaze shifted away. Through the open door of the lounge, the unfinished painting could still be seen standing on the easel. The strange painting of the girl beneath the stairs and the dark water below it.

Adrian stared at it for a moment. Then his eyes returned to the office door again. After thinking for a short while, he finally reached forward and pressed a button on his desk.

Not long after, the door opened again.

Harris walked in with his usual long steps, closing the door behind him before standing in front of the desk.

"Yes, Boss?" he asked politely...