REBIRTH : Chasing The Limelight-Chapter 82: That’s not real..

Relanie sat on the soft carpet in front of the sofa, her legs folded under her. She held a glass of wine in her hand but barely drank it. She only kept turning the glass slowly between her fingers while staring ahead with unfocused eyes.

Reine sat behind her on the sofa, pressing her fingers into Relanie’s shoulders, trying to loosen the tight knots there.

After a moment, Relanie spoke with her eyes closed.

"Apply more force."

Reine smiled a little and pressed harder. Relanie let out a slow breath. She placed the wine glass down beside her and lifted her eyes to the television. The concert program was already playing.

The screen was bright in the dim room.

Reine noticed her gaze and followed it to the television. She gave a small mocking snort.

"The star hasn’t arrived yet."

Relanie’s lips curved into a faint smile.

"Don’t worry. She’ll come soon."

Reine leaned back again, not looking too concerned. Relanie’s eyes shifted again to the phone lying on the table nearby.

"They haven’t sent anything yet," she said in a low voice.

Reine sighed and replied, "They will."

She moved her hands again and said, "Lie down. Let me help you relax properly."

But before Relanie could respond, the door suddenly opened and someone stepped inside.

Reine stood up at once and walked forward to meet the person. Relanie did not even bother to look up.

She already knew who it was.

She calmly picked up her wine and took a slow sip.

Reine tried to speak. "Miss Relanie is not.." Her words were cut off as the man walked past her without stopping and came to stand directly in front of Relanie.

Only then did Relanie lift her head and look up at him with a gentle smile.

"Ah, Adrian. You came today. Why don’t you sit? Reine, make him a cup of–"

But Adrian’s cold voice cut through her words. "Where is she?" he asked coldly.

Relanie sighed softly and shook her head with a confused look.

"I don’t understand what you mean. Which ’she’ are you talking about? There are many ’shes’ in this world."

Adrian stared at her calmly for a long moment. Then he opened his mouth again.

"I said where is she."

The room suddenly felt colder.

Relanie felt a small pause in her thoughts. She looked at him properly and noticed how different he seemed. The calm mask he always wore had cracked, showing something darker underneath. She found it hard to believe he could be like this because of someone else.

She stayed silent longer than she intended.

When Reine saw this, she quickly stepped forward. "Miss Relanie doesn’t know what you’re talking about. She–"

Adrian turned his head and gave her a cold look. Reine stopped speaking at once. The words died in her throat.

The room fell quiet again.

Relanie looked back at him with a calm expression.

Before she could stop herself, she said, "She’s fine."

The words slipped out so naturally that even she seemed surprised. The moment they left her mouth, she realized what she had said and looked away quickly. "I didn’t say anything," she added.

But Adrian only gave a quiet snort.

"You said she’s fine. That means you know her condition and where she is." he said.

Just then, his phone made a small sound, breaking the silence. He took it out of his pocket, looked at the screen for a few seconds. Then he put it back without saying anything.

He looked at Relanie one last time. His eyes were colder than before. That single glance was enough to make something inside her tighten, though she did not show it on her face.

Without another word, Adrian turned and walked out of the house. He left the door slightly open behind him.

Reine quickly turned back to Relanie with worry in her eyes.

"Are you okay?" she asked. But Relanie did not answer. She only kept staring at the door he had just walked through. Her gaze was cold and distant, and her fingers had tightened around the glass of wine in her hand..

–

Tonio stared at the stage with a deep frown.

"What’s wrong with her," he muttered under his breath. "Why isn’t Frostiebun here yet?

His teammates beside him were already complaining.

"We just finished a match and you dragged us here for this?"

"If this delays any longer, I’m leaving."

Tonio didn’t answer them. His eyes only stayed on the stage.

The coordinators spoke again through the speakers.

"There’s a slight delay. Please remain seated."

Tonio scoffed and looked down at his phone. But he looked up when the large screen on the stage suddenly lit up. His face brightened instantly.

"There," he said quickly to his friends. "She’s coming."

His friends also looked up.

But what appeared on the screen was not what they expected.

A video started playing and Tonio’s expression changed immediately.

It showed Elara moving around in the restaurant, carrying trays and serving customers.

He frowned in confusion as he stared on.

Then the screen flickered and changed to something else entirely.

Tonio’s eyes widened for a second before he quickly looked away, his jaw tightening. "What nonsense is this..." he muttered quietly.

Beside him, his teammates started whispering.

"Oh my..."

"That’s her right?" 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

Tonio turned his head and glared at them sharply. "Keep quiet." he said through gritted teeth.

They shut up immediately.

Around them, the whole venue had started reacting. People were whispering loudly and already raising their phones to record.

A few voices said it looked fake. But they were few, almost swallowed by the noise.

Tonio looked around slowly, his expression growing darker. He didn’t need to stare at the screen again. He already knew.

He sighed and shook his head pitifully as he stood up.

Are these people blind.

"What are you doing?" one of his teammates asked quickly, grabbing his arm.

Tonio pulled his hand free without even looking at him. "What do you think?," he said under his breath and stepped away. He walked toward the stage without hesitation.

People noticed him and they started mummering again. "Isn’t that Tonio Adrelo?"

Phones followed him as he moved.

He climbed the stage steps calmly. The security men moved toward him at once and stood in his way. "Sir, you can’t."

Tonio didn’t stop. He walked past them like they weren’t even there.

They only hesitated for a second... then just watched him go.

He stepped onto the stage and took the microphone. The noise in the hall dimmed immediately.

"It’s really him?"

"What’s he doing here?"

Even the coordinators rushed onto the stage, but Tonio didn’t look at any of them. He only looked at the crowd as he spoke up. "That first video.. it’s true" he said calmly.

There was a small reaction in the crowd.

He nodded and opened his mouth again. "Yes. She works there. I understand that it’s quite shocking."

More murmurs spread.

Then his face turned more serious as he looked at the screen again.

"This one..." he paused and shook his head. "That’s not real."

"How do you know?" Someone shouted from the crowd.

Tonio sighed tiredly "You have eyes. Use them." he said.

More people began to speak up now.

"That’s true."

"It does look edited."

"I thought so too."

"Who could have done this."

The noise started changing direction.

Tonio looked across the hall slowly. He knew that things had completely gone out of control.

"Frostiebun.. where are you?"