Chapter 4
Jasper had no idea that Aurelia had zoned out already. He kept chatting nervously for quite a while, then rummaged through his backpack and pulled out a book.
"Starborne! C-could you sign this for me? I brought the complete set of 'Stellar Drift'!"
Through her sunglasses, Aurelia glanced at his slightly trembling hands. "Get in the car first. I'll sign them inside."
"Of course! No problem!" Jasper beamed like he'd just been granted a royal favor, quickly leading Aurelia and Zara to the black van waiting by the curb.
Zara moved fast, tossing their carry-ons in the trunk with practiced ease.
Once inside the vehicle, she leaned closer to whisper, just loud enough for Aurelia to hear, "Aurelia, almost no one here knows that the sci-fi world's legend 'Starborne' is actually a young and stunning woman. I bet Jasper won't be the last one to get his jaw dislocated by surprise."
Aurelia didn't respond. She just leaned back against the lush leather seat, closing her eyes.
Her long lashes cast faint shadows on her cheeks, and she spoke with a quiet weariness, "If Uncle Edward hadn't called me personally, I doubt I'd have ever come back to Northvale."
She inhaled slowly. Even the air here smelled like memories she didn't want.
Not pleasant ones.
The van merged smoothly into traffic. Jasper kept sneaking peeks at the backseat through the rearview mirror, nervously gauging Starborne's mood. She didn't seem annoyed, so he carefully spoke again, "Um, about that signature..."
Aurelia slowly opened her eyes. Her voice gave nothing away. "The books."
Like a kid presenting a report card, Jasper pulled out eight pristine hardcovers of 'Stellar Drift,' handing them over with reverence.
Zara looked at the stack and murmured, half to herself, "Every time I see readers treat your books like treasures, I think - you really poured your whole heart into writing these over the years."
It was more than just hard work - Aurelia poured every unspeakable, unspoken feeling she had ever buried into this story, crushing them into stardust and scattering them across the sea of her pages.
She said nothing, just accepted the custom pen Jasper held out and started signing each front page with "Starborne". Her handwriting was lean and sharp, distant yet striking - just like her.
The hour-long ride passed mostly in silence, with Jasper occasionally struggling not to fanboy too hard.
When they arrived at the hotel the crew had arranged, a five-star spot with all the bells and whistles, Jasper walked them to their suite, respectful and eager to help.
"Starborne, Miss Mitchell, if you need anything, I'm just a message away! Director Tate said there's a planning meeting tomorrow morning at ten, right here in the conference room."
Once Jasper left, Zara locked the door and glanced toward Aurelia, who was standing by the window, staring down at Northvale's city lights.
"Want to call home? I'm sure your family's worried," she asked softly.
Aurelia turned around, face calm, voice steady. "Knowing my brother, I'd bet he already got my hotel check-in info the second we landed."
Zara couldn't help but sigh. With tech like his, finding someone was basically magic. You'd think twice about disappearing with a guy like him in the family.
Talk about the perks of being born into power.
That night, Aurelia slept deeply - maybe it was jetlag, or maybe just the exhaustion of coming back to a place loaded with memories.
When she woke again, it was already night.
Fresh from sleep, all that daytime coolness and detachment had melted away, replaced by a soft haze of drowsiness in her eyes. Her skin practically glowed under the dim lighting, so flawlessly radiant it almost didn't seem real - like some sort of otherworldly beauty, untouched by anything mundane.
From the living room, Zara looked up from organizing papers, and her breath caught. She blurted, "Come on! The universe really gave you the full VIP package. Insane writing talent and a face that could stop traffic - guy or girl. Mic drop moment, honestly. If the paparazzi caught you like this? Instant headlines!"
Aurelia gave her a lazy sideways glance. She'd long since stopped reacting to these over-the-top compliments. "Knock it off. Don't we have a dinner thing tonight?"
"Yeah, hosted by Director Tate. Michelin spot on the third floor, starts at seven," Zara instantly snapped into assistant mode. She stood up and wheeled out a rack of carefully picked evening gowns from the dressing room. "Dresses are all set. Take a look and pick?"
Aurelia's gaze drifted over the elegant ensemble, eventually landing on a minimalist black slip gown - nothing flashy, just clean lines and luxurious fabric that spoke volumes with its understatement. "That one," she said simply.
"My stomach's kinda empty," Aurelia murmured, lightly pressing her hand against her abdomen.
Zara nodded at once, already moving. "Got it, I'll have the restaurant send up some snacks. You head in and freshen up."
7:00 PM sharp, inside the Michelin restaurant.
Henry Wright, the film's producer, was already there, chatting politely with Edward. Across the table, Serena sat with her manager, Emma Hawkins.
Clad in a white lace gown with flawless makeup, Serena looked every bit the gentle beauty. But behind her charming smile, her eyes held something calculating.
"Mr. Tate, you really pulled off a surprise move with this one," Henry laughed as he poured tea for Edward. "You actually got Starborne to come on board in person? She's like a myth! I've been obsessed with Stellar Drift forever. Tell me - how the hell did you get her to say yes?"
Edward just chuckled and deflected casually, "Pure luck. She was kind enough to take interest in the project."
What he didn't say: it took every bit of goodwill built over decades with Stanley to talk her into this - with half cajoling and half guilt-tripping.
Emma frowned a little and leaned toward Serena. "Do you think we should push back on this original author joining the team? If she doesn't like the script changes or the casting..."
She didn't finish, but her meaning was clear. They were nervous - especially since Serena landing the lead role wasn't exactly a merit-only situation.
Serena took a small sip of tea, lips curved in a cool smile. "What's there to worry about? Script's locked, contracts are signed. What's an author gonna do - rewrite the universe? Besides, Finnian's backing..."
She didn't finish the sentence either, but it was obvious where the confidence came from.
Just as Emma was about to pry further into this Starborne person, a polite knock echoed on the private room's door.
The waiter pushed it open.
For a brief moment, the whole room seemed to pause.
Standing in the doorway was Aurelia, with the warm hallway lighting behind her outlining her, slender yet imposing. Her black velvet gown sculpted her frame like it had been made just for her - from the V-neck that revealed her graceful collarbones and smooth fair skin, to the ankle-length hemline and a side slit that subtly flashed one slender ankle and her silver stilettos.
She walked in like the room belonged to her, like her presence had its own gravitational pull.
No jewelry. She didn't need any.
She stood still, calm, gaze coolly sweeping across everyone behind her dark-tinted glasses. Then her lips moved, and her voice fell like a clean break in the silence - crisp, clear, and cold:
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
