REBIRTH : Chasing The Limelight-Chapter 54: Do a few things with me...

Relanie returned to Voice in a cab. She had not brought her car to Adrian’s house earlier.

The cab stopped at the entrance of the building, and she stepped out quietly. The area was calm and empty for it was already late.

But instead of going straight to the third floor where her room was, she stopped. After a moment, she turned and walked toward the pool at the side of the building.

Relanie walked to the edge and placed her bag on the platform. She bent down and removed her shoes. Then she sat down on the edge of the pool, feeling the smooth concrete under her palms.

Slowly, she lowered her legs into the water and the cold water wrapped around her feet. But the coldness she felt in the water could not compare to the coldness inside her heart.

She leaned forward slightly and a small drop fell from her face into the water. Ripples spread across the surface.

An uncontrollable sob escaped her throat.

She had sworn long ago that she would never look pitiful and helpless again. But at this moment, she could not stop herself.

For the first time since she had known him, she cursed him in her heart for making her feel this miserable.

She had always kept a quiet corner in her heart just for him. Even when she was a child. The first time she stepped into the Vale mansion with her uncle, she still remembered how her heart had hurt when he pushed her away in the garden.

Even then, she did not hate him. Instead, she wanted to be the one who could soften the storm behind his eyes. She dreamed that one day he would look at her in a special way. Just one look that would say,

You are the most important person to me.

She wanted to share everything with him. The way she sometimes felt homeless. The way she often felt left out by everyone.

Her parents. Then later, even her uncle.

She wanted to tell him how she smiled in front of cameras while her chest hurt from missing people who were already gone.

In her heart, she had always believed they were the same. Both of them had no real family.

She wanted to give him every fragile and honest piece of her heart. And she wanted him to hold them gently instead of turning away.

But he had never looked at her that way. Now, knowing that he cared about someone else felt like sharp blades cutting into her heart.

Why not her? What did he see in that girl?

She had stayed beside him for years. She loved him. To her, loving him felt like the most beautiful thing in the world. But now, she could not help but hate herself for it.

Thinking about how she had always hoped that one day he would finally turn and truly see her made her feel foolish. She really was a fool.

Of course, she had suspected it for a long time. The time they went for a meal at that restaurant and they met Elara and Tonio Adrelo there. The annoyance shown all over his face. The way Adrian would pause whenever she mentioned Elara’s name.

All the small things. She had slowly connected everything together.

She had truly been foolish all this time and now she finally understood.

She would never occupy a special place in his heart.

Relanie reached into her bag and took out a handkerchief. She wiped her eyes slowly.

She would not cry over things like this anymore.

Just as she was about to stand up, a voice suddenly drifted into her ears and she froze. Her hands slowly clenched into fists.

Hearing that voice suddenly made irritation rise in her chest instantly.

Relanie let out a quiet snort. Then she followed the direction of the voices. Soon, she stopped near a window where the voices seemed to be coming from.

The window was low enough that she could see through it if she leaned slightly.

When Relanie looked inside, the first person she saw was a man. Even though she could only see his back, she recognized him immediately. It was the grade three trainer. His body blocked the person standing in front of him.

But Relanie waited patiently. She had heard Elara’s voice earlier. She was certain it belonged to her.

And just as she expected, when the man moved slightly, the face that appeared in her view was indeed Elara’s.

Relanie narrowed her eyes.

What could she be doing here with this man so late at night?

Something cold flashed through her chest. And without thinking, she took out her phone. Her fingers tapped the screen carefully making sure not to make a single sound as she started recording.

–

"Elara. Wow... I finally get to meet you personally... And privately." Mr Kain said mockingly.

Elara clenched her fists as she stared at him. Her eyes cold. "What do you want?" she asked.

Mr Kain tilted his head slightly. "I want to have a few words with you. Follow me. This place is too open." He said glancing around the corridor as if someone might appear at any moment.

"Whatever you want to say, say it here," Elara replied, not moving.

Mr Kain chuckled softly. "It seems you’ve become more hotheaded lately."

Then he narrowed his eyes immediately. "But you should be careful. I have things that can completely destroy your image here in Starfall City." he threatened.

"Why would you think I’d believe you?" Elara said with a snort while Mr Kain simply smiled, not answering her question.

"Follow me," he said again, then walked past her as if he was certain she would come.

Elara stayed where she was, her heart beating fast in her chest. She had not even fully recovered from the strange nightmare she had the night before, and now this man was standing here threatening her again.

What exactly was he planning this time?

Still... his words kept echoed in her mind.

Something that could destroy her image.

Did he really have something?

Elara frowned. She was sure she had never done anything wrong since coming to Starfall.

After standing there for a while, she finally took a breath and followed him. They walked through the long corridors. The same corridor Elara had passed earlier when she came back from the restaurant with her heart in her throat.

Soon, Mr Kain turned toward one of those darker corners. It was the exact place where Elara thought she had seen shadows earlier.

Her feet stopped immediately as a strange thought suddenly appeared in her mind.

What if the person in front of her... isn’t Mr Kain?

What if it’s something else?

"What’s wrong?" Mr Kain’s voice came suddenly. He had turned and saw that she was standing still. "You changed your mind?"

Elara snorted quietly, forcing her face to calm down. Then she continued walking after him.

This part of the corridor was darker and there were no dorm rooms nearby. Only a window at the end of the corner.

Mr Kain finally stopped when they were close to it.

"What do you want from me this time?" Elara asked coldly crossing her arms.

A wide grin appeared on Mr Kain’s face. "I thought you didn’t care... You’re asking what I want from you." He said and then moved a little closer. "Shouldn’t you ask what I have that could threaten you?"

Elara clenched her fists tighter but she did not reply.

Then Mr Kain suddenly walked closer to her and stopped beside her, lowering his voice.

"Your grandfather, I know about him." he said while Elara stepped back immediately. Her eyes widening. "And what do you know about him?" she snapped.

Mr Kain scoffed and walked a few steps away. "What do you think it would look like, if everyone finds out that your guardian is... an ex-convict?" he said casually.

"What?!" Elara’s voice rose in shock.

"You’re really shameless!" she said angrily. "You can really go to any extent to get what you want."

Mr Kain turned back to look at her and his eyebrows lifted. "Yeah, I know." he admitted calmly. Then his smile returned. "And what do you think will happen if the Vale family hears about this?" He said folding his arms.

"That the immediate family of their sponsored singer has a criminal record."

"You know how strict their sponsorship standards are, right?"

Elara felt anger burning inside her chest. "You shameless, scheming liar," she spatted through clenched teeth.

"Why pretend you don’t know anything?" Mr Kain said with a careless shrug. "I did a very deep investigation on your background. And I found many things I can use against you."

"This is just one of them."

Elara stared at him, breathing heavily. People could talk badly about her all they wanted. She could tolerate that. But bringing her grandfather into this... That was something she could not accept.

"How dare you call him an ex-convict?" she said coldly.

"I know you’re pretending not to know," Mr Kain said sighing, as if he were tired. "Just like how you pretend to be innocent about relationships between teachers and students."

Then his eyes became darker. "But if you don’t want these things to spread..." he said, taking a step towards her. "You’ll have to cooperate with me."

He paused.

"Do a few things with me."