REBIRTH : Chasing The Limelight-Chapter 24: Spacing out...

Mrs Vale’s gaze settled on Elara calmly, it was neither warm nor distant. "Elara Veyne," she said gently. "I’ve heard quite a bit about you."

Elara inclined her head slightly, her smile polite and restrained. "It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs Vale. Thank you for the invitation."

Mrs Vale studied her for another brief second, then nodded as if confirming something only she could see. Her eyes shifted to Ziva. "And you must be Ziva, her assistant."

Ziva stood up at once and gave an exaggerated, dramatic bow. One hand pressed to her chest. "In the flesh," she said solemnly.

Relanie coughed, trying not to laugh.

Mrs Vale’s lips curved faintly. "I’ve heard you’re... lively."

"I prefer ’memorable,’" Ziva replied, with an exaggerated expression.

Relanie turned to Elara, her eyes bright. "Your dress suits you very well," she said warmly. "It looks like it was made just for you."

Elara’s smile didn’t falter, but her fingers tightened slightly at her side. Mrs Vale bought it for her. She couldn’t help feeling there was something layered in Relanie’s words, perhaps, a hidden meaning.

Mrs Vale glanced at Relanie, and then spoke. "Relanie, take them somewhere quieter. Elara should have some time to prepare before singing."

"Yes, Mom," Relanie replied immediately.

Mrs Vale gave Elara a small nod. "I look forward to hearing you tonight." Then she turned and walked away, her presence fading smoothly into the crowd.

Relanie smiled and gestured. "Please follow me."

Elara nodded and followed, with Ziva right behind her. They passed through the garden, moving between guests dressed in elegance and confidence. No one paid Elara any attention. Most simply greeted Relanie with familiarity, their eyes sliding past Elara without interest.

Elara appreciated it more than she could say.

They turned through a side door, instead of the main entrance. Elara kept her gaze forward, resisting the urge to look around. The corridor was quiet, the noise of the party had faded a bit. Relanie led them into a small room and gestured for them to sit. "You can rest here for a bit," she said. "I’ll be back in a few minutes."

Elara nodded. "Thank you."

Relanie left, the door closing softly behind her.

The room look like a waiting lounge. A chaise lounge chair rested against one wall. There were lockers built neatly into the side, and a door Elara guessed led to a restroom.

Ziva dropped onto the chair with a long sigh. "Quiet at last," she muttered.

Elara walked to the window instead. Outside, the garden stretched, trimmed hedges and stone paths lit gently. The party area wasn’t visible from here, and that alone made her more relaxed.

Her thoughts drifted back to Relanie. Then remembering that in her past life, Relanie had an assistant who had made her time unbearable. Always watching her like a hawk. Elara frowned slightly.

She turned back. "Ziva," she asked softly, "doesn’t Relanie have an assistant?"

Ziva went quiet for a moment. Then she nodded. "She does. Or... did."

Elara waited for her to continue.

"They say the assistant isn’t in the country right now," Ziva continued. "There were rumors. Apparently, after a music tour, on the way to the airport back to Aurelia some time ago, they were in an accident. Relanie was fine. But the assistant wasn’t."

Elara’s eyes lowered slightly, something is wrong. Nothing like this happened in her past life. Or maybe it happened, but she hadn’t come to Starfall then. If this assumption is correct, then it means the assistant would still appear.

"Some people say the assistant died," Ziva added. "Some say she survived but disappeared. No one really knows. The story faded quickly, and it didn’t seem to affect Relanie at all."

Elara nodded slowly. "I see."

She turned back to the window looking at the garden again. And that was when she noticed a figure. She wasn’t sure if he had been there all along or if her eyes had simply missed him. A man leaned against a railing not far away, standing in shadow. The light cast across his frame, leaving his face half hidden, but his features were still clear. Her heart skipped.

It took her a second longer to realize that he was looking at her too. Her expression didn’t change but her mind stirred, drifting back to the elevator. That awkward moment.

She imagined his expression even without seeing it clearly. Cold. Distant. Unbothered.

They looked at each other in silence. She didn’t look away, her mind drifting off unknowingly.

Then Elara felt a movement behind her. It’s Ziva. "You’re spacing out," she said casually.

Elara blinked turning to face her, and when she looked back to the garden again, the railing was empty. Adrian was gone.

She remained still for a moment longer, then exhaled quietly, her gaze returning Ziva as if nothing had happened.

Back at the venue, Mrs Vale sat gracefully among the guests. Her posture straight and her expression, calm and unshaken. She looked exactly like someone born to sit at the center of attention without needing to demand it.

Relanie sat beside her, elegant in both appearance and manner. Wherever eyes turned, envy followed.

"What a blessing," one woman said with a light laugh, fanning herself. "Mrs Vale is truly fortunate to have such a beautiful daughter-in-law."

Another chimed in quickly, smiling toward Relanie. "And talented too. I’ve heard Miss Relanie’s singing is exceptional."

Relanie smiled modestly, lowering her gaze slightly.

Mrs Vale also nodded. "She is gifted. And hardworking. Her uncle trained her well."

"Oh, that explains it," someone said warmly. "Such grace doesn’t come from nowhere."

The conversation drifted, as conversations like these always did.

"So," a man said teasingly, "when are we hearing good news?"

Relanie’s smile stiffened, just for a heartbeat.

"Yes," another guest laughed. "You shouldn’t delay these things. After all, Relanie has reached marriageable age."

A few people chuckled. Someone added, "The Vale family weddings are always grand. We wouldn’t want to miss it."

Relanie laughed softly, but her fingers curled slightly in her lap.

Mrs Vale rose smoothly from her seat before the topic could linger too long. The garden quieted at once.

"Everyone," she said pleasantly, "thank you for your patience. I’ve prepared a small entertainment for tonight."

A ripple of excitement spread through the guests. Applause followed immediately.

"I invited a rising star from the entertainment industry to perform for us this evening," Mrs Vale continued while they applauded again.

She sat back down and motioned to a maid, leaning in to whisper something. The maid nodded and quickly disappeared.

Not long after, at the center of the garden, a piano stood beneath the soft lights. A standing microphone was placed near it, positioned carefully for a singer. A single chair rested by the piano.

A woman appeared shortly. Without saying a word, she walked to the piano and sat down on the chair, her movements calm and unhurried.

–

Elara didn’t fret when the maid came to tell her it was time. She had simply nodded, set her phone aside, and stood up. Ziva had stayed behind.

As Elara followed the maid, her steps didn’t waver. She looked collected on the outside. As if this was just another small task.

When she arrived at the garden, she walked straight to the piano, not sparing a glance at the guests, and sat down on the chair. Eyes were already on her, but she ignored them.

It’ll be over in a few minutes, she told herself.

Her fingers settled on the keys. She wasn’t very good at piano playing. She knew that. But she wasn’t bad either. The first notes flowed out gently, simple and clean, filling the open space.

As she played, her thoughts drifted unconsciously to Lyra. She wondered where she was now. If she was doing well. If she was still the same way.

Then Elara opened her mouth. Her voice slipped into the melody, weaving into the piano naturally.

The garden slowly went silent.

The song wasn’t about love the way people expected love songs to be. There were no promises or grand confessions. It was about confusion. About watching love from afar. About hearing people talk about it like it was a language everyone else understood.

She sang about not knowing when hearts began to change. About wondering if love was loud or quiet, sudden or slow. About standing at the edge of it, curious but unsure, reaching out but never quite touching.

Her voice softened in some lines, almost fragile. In others, it grew steady, as if she was accepting that it was all right not to understand everything yet.

The piano followed her closely, sometimes leading, sometimes simply listening.

When the last note came, Elara let her fingers rest on the keys for a moment longer. Then she pressed one final, gentle chord.

Silence.

And then, almost immediately, the garden filled with applause....