REBIRTH : Chasing The Limelight-Chapter 61: Smile more often... it looks better than that serious face you always wear.

Chapter 61: Chapter 61: Smile more often... it looks better than that serious face you always wear.

Relanie glared at the two lovebirds in front of her for a moment. Lioren was a bit close to Elara as he wiped the corner of her lips, the distance between them too small to ignore.

Elara also sat quietly, her face calm as always, as if nothing around her could touch her. From where Relanie sat, they looked... comfortable and natural.

Her eyes slowly shifted to Adrian. His face showed nothing. It was calm and distant, as if none of this mattered. But when her gaze dropped to his hand, she saw it clearly, the way his fingers had tightened around the glass in his hand. Not enough for others to notice, but it was very clear for her to see.

Her eyes stayed there for a second longer than she wanted, then she looked away.

She shouldn’t care about this.

She told herself that again.

He would never warm up to her. Never look at her the way she once dreamed. Thinking about it only made something twist painfully inside her chest. She hated it. Hated how he had slowly broken her feelings without even trying. Hated how he had made her regret holding on for so long.

And most of all, she hated how he had made her to start hating herself.

Her gaze returned to Elara.

That same calm face and quiet composure. Relanie had once admired her for that. She thought it was rare to find a person who would remain calm no matter what situation he or she is. But now... it only made her uncomfortable and irritated.

What do those men always surrounding her even see in her? Apart from her face... what other things could she boast of?

Just winning a small showcase. That was all. No other achievements.

Relanie gave a soft scoff in her mind.

Still... the part she could not understand was Adrian. She could not believe that he would be affected by Elara like this. The thought of the things that might be happening between him and Elara made something sharp rise in her chest. But she quickly took a deep breath.

She could not lose control here. Not in front of everyone. So she smiled.

"Elara, I’ll take you to meet some people once you’re ready." she said gently and then turned to Lioren, her expression still soft. "Don’t you think she’s improving very fast?"

Lioren nodded without hesitation. "She’s excellent," he said simply, his eyes moving to Elara again.

Elara did not respond. She only stayed quiet.

Relanie continued. "Yes, she’s very talented. Even Adrian has been paying attention to her lately."

The table suddenly fell into silence.

Adrian did not react. He only lifted his glass and took another slow sip of wine, as if the conversation had nothing to do with him.

Relanie turned to him.

"What do you think? You’ve been involved lately, haven’t you?" she asked.

Adrian pause for a bit, then he spoke. "She’s a sponsored artist, that’s all. Nothing worth discussing." he said flatly.

The air around the table seemed to grow colder. Elara’s expression did not change much, but her eyes had dimmed in irritation at his reply. She had always known that nothing good never comes from his mouth.

Before the silence could stretch further, Lioren spoke again. "I think she’s more than that."

Elara turned to him and shook her head gently. "You’re overestimating me," she said quietly.

Just before Lioren could reply, a clear voice rose above the noise of the hall. "Madame Voss is here."

The sound of conversation quietened as many people turned toward the entrance. Elara also followed their gaze.

A woman who looked to be in her sixties walked in calmly. She was not dressed as richly as most of the guests, but there was something about her presence that made people move aside without being asked. Elara recognized her immediately. Madame Voss, the well-known Aurelian pianist who had shaped generations of musicians.

When Elara’s eyes shifted to the person walking behind her, her heart almost jumped out of her chest.

Lyra.

In just a few months, Lyra had changed so much that for a second, Elara almost doubted herself. The girl who used to trip over her own feet and fall off the bed while sleeping, now walked calmly with a straight posture. She looked... refined.

"That’s Madame Voss and her disciple," Relanie said already rising from her seat. She walked forward to welcome them with a graceful smile.

Elara was still looking at Lyra when suddenly, Lyra turned and their eyes met. She seemed to freeze at that moment, then her eyes lit up so brightly that it almost broke the calm image she had been wearing. Elara could even see clearly how she was about to run towards her.

But before she could take more than a step, Madame Voss cleared her throat loudly and gave her a look. Lyra’s feet came to an abrupt stop.

"When you run like a puppy every time you see a friend, do you know what people will think? They will think I have taught you nothing." Madame Voss whispered with a voice that is anything but quiet.

Lyra quickly leaned closer to her and whispered something under her breath.

Madame Voss turned her head and glanced briefly in Elara’s direction before looking back at Lyra.

"You will speak later to her later. I have told you many times. Be calm. Speak less. Observe more. Can you not learn from me?" Madame Voss scolded while Lyra gave a small obedient nod, though the excitement in her eyes had not completely faded.

Relanie reached them at that moment, greeting Madame Voss politely and exchanging a few words before leading them to a table closer to the center of the hall. After making sure they were settled, she returned to her table.

But Madame Voss did not stop talking.

"Several decades ago, I had a student who ran to greet her friend during a performance. She stepped on her own dress, fell forward, and knocked into the piano. The audience thought it was part of the show." she said adjusting in her seat. Then she paused and added calmly, "I did not let her forget it for three years."

Lyra sighed quietly beside her, she looked like she had grown tired of the old lady’s lessons. The people sitting around them tried to keep straight faces, but a few smiles slipped through their lips every now and then. Madame Voss continued speaking as if she had not noticed.

Elara watched them for a moment and a small smile appeared on her lips. She felt... genuinely happy.

Lioren, who had been sitting beside her, noticed it. "Why are you smiling?" he asked.

Elara did not answer immediately.

"Smile more often, it looks better than that serious face you always wear." He added.

Elara’s smile froze at once when she realized she had been smiling so openly. She quickly looked away, her expression returning to normal.

She ignored his comment and said instead, "That girl... Madame Voss’s student. Do you recognize her?"

Lioren glanced over and nodded. "Of course. Isn’t she your friend from Lorien?"

Elara nodded. "Yes. It’s her." There was a faint softness in her voice. "I’m just... glad to see her doing well."

She was so focused on the conversation that she did not notice the figure approaching from the side, holding a glass of wine.

The person was already very close. And then—

Adrian suddenly stood up. As he stepped forward, the glass tilted and red wine splashed across his shirt.

The sound of music faded instantly and the hall fell grave quiet.