Reborn Shadows: Destiny's Thread

| 9

The day of Lu'minara, Towards Evening~
 
The triplets stared at Eliza with soulful eyes as they watched her prepare to go out for work. Even though they pleaded with her to stay and relax for the holiday, Eliza still insisted on going out to work.
 
"Aww...! Don't be like that; I am only doing this so that we can have fun this new year!" She consoled them, and they nodded, still feeling unhappy. Their sister is not going to spend the holiday with them, and it was their brother's fault.
 
Speaking of the devil, the brother comes out of his room, avoiding eye contact with Eliza and the triplets, before going out of the house, still with a broken face.
 
'So that idiot isn't going to even stay home at all!?' Eliza thought to herself. She looks back at the triplets and instantly feels bad for leaving them alone. But it is for good, though!
 
"Stay well! And don't open the door for strangers." She told them and gave them one last hug before leaving her house.
 
_______________________________________
 
An icy blue dress was held in front of Amelia; Emma had chosen it for her. It was a beautiful long-sleeved dress with silver snowflake patterns at the hem. It was also tailored to suit the winter season. Amelia admired her personal maid's choice.
 
"I will wear it." Amelia accepted the dress, and Emma clapped happily. She helped Amelia put on the dress and did her makeup with her hair. Emma was humming happily, although it was the first time Amelia allowed her to dress up for a long time.
 
Emma chose matching accessories for the dress and sent Amelia downstairs to meet up with her family.
 
Her family also had the same theme for their dressing. Her parents both wore soft blue hues with white accents, together with her brother. Her mother was adjusting her younger brother's bow tie, and her father spoke to the butler.
 
Amelia came down the stairs, and her family stared in awe.
 
"My darling. She is so pretty!" Amelia's mother's eyes twinkled while her father wiped the invisible tear from his eyes.
 
"My sister looks like an ice fairy!" Her brother gushed. Amelia smiled warmly at her family as she walked towards them.
 
"Thank you." She said. Then immediately, Madeline came down the stairs in a long-sleeved white to light blue ombre dress.
 
"Maddie, come quickly; we can't afford to be later than we already are!" Their mother called Madeline, who rushed down the stairs. She heard when her family complimented Amelia, and she felt annoyed that they couldn't even do the same for her.
 
They left the estate for the hotel. While in the carriage, Amelia noticed a faint, glowing symbol on her hand. Amelia stared at it, confused.
 
"What's wrong? What are you looking at?" Her father asked her when she noticed her change in expression. It didn't seem like he noticed the mark on her palm.
 
"Nevermind!" Amelia hid her palm. As they got closer to the hotel, the intensity of the light increased gradually, but no one in the carriage seemed to notice it. They arrived at the hotel.
 
The Hawthorne family entered the hotel, and all eyes turned to them. The Hawthornes are one of the most influential families in the Empire.
 
The Duke, Cyrus Bernard Hawthorne A man with strong values and stern beliefs, whose opinion is not easily swayed. His presence gives off a strong, refined aura, but he is surprisingly easygoing with his family.
 
The Duchess, Liliana Judith Hawthorne, his wife, is a strong-willed woman. She appears easygoing but, in reality, has a fierce personality. The couple's presence is enough to command attention and respect.
 
The Hawthorne family, led by the imposing figure of Duke Cyrus Bernard Hawthorne, made their way through the beautifully decorated halls of the Blackwood Hotel. Amelia couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness as they attracted the attention of the other guests. She discreetly glanced at Madeline, who wore an icy expression, seemingly unaffected by the attention they received.
 
As they entered the main ballroom, a breathtaking sight awaited them. The room was adorned with twinkling lights, shimmering snowflake decorations, and an enchanting ambiance that captured the essence of Lu'minara. The guests were dressed in their finest attire, their laughter and chatter filling the air.
 
Amelia noticed the familiar symbol on her hand glowing even brighter amidst the ethereal atmosphere. She couldn't help but feel a strange connection. Something is desperately calling her attention.
 
She started to look around the hall for anything that might catch her attention. She secretly left the company of her family to search for whatever she seemed to be looking for.
 
"Lady Amelia!" Three different ladies approached her and blocked her path. Amelia sighed and looked at the women before her.
 
"It's been a long time!" Lady Sigworth spoke; the first daughter of the Sigworth ducal house said to her that she showed up with her two followers. She wore a bright red dress, which complimented her red hair and light brown eyes.
 
There are four ducal families in the Veridian Empire. The Hawthornes, the Sigworths, the Windersons, and lastly, the Laurents
 
"Nice to see you too." Amelia answered her politely. Lady Sigworth smirked at her.
 
"Come with me; let go mingle with the others." Lady Sigworth took Amelia's hand and led a group of other nobles and influential people. A lot of people engaged Amelia in conversations, and as usual, people kept complimenting her just to get her favor. She used to enjoy it, but now it is annoying.
 
Lady Sigworth was the most annoying; she kept on emphasizing how she and Amelia were very close. Amelia didn't have the heart to retort but just politely smiled when she kept talking about their relationship.
 
'Calm thoughts!' Amelia chanted repeatedly in her mind.
______________________________________
 
Victoria walked briskly through the halls of the Blackwood Hotel, her steps echoing against the polished marble floors. She had been summoned by her father to her office, which was formerly his office. As she approached the door, she couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. Her father had mentioned a new business acquaintance who would be joining them; he had the prospect of becoming an investor, so Victoria had to make an appearance.
 
Taking a deep breath, Victoria pushed open the door and entered the office. Her father, Robert Blackwood, sat behind the large mahogany desk, engrossed in some documents. He looked up as Victoria entered, a stoic expression on his face as he noticed her entering.
 
"Victoria." Her father greeted her without much emotion. "I'm glad you could join us."
 
Victoria politely nodded, but her eyes were drawn to the man seated on the other side of the desk. He looked around her age with an unnoticeable presence, which made Victoria look at him disdainfully.
 
His dark hair was perfectly styled, and his deep brown eyes sparkled with intelligence and charm. He glanced at Victoria, and their eyes met briefly. She quickly turned away.
 
"Victoria, I'd like you to meet our esteemed guest, Mr. Alexander Sinclair." Her father introduced the man in his business voice: "He is the owner of The Opulent Chateau and has expressed a keen interest in collaborating with our hotel."
 
The Opulent Chateau is a very impressive guest house that rivals Blackwood's hotel in the business world. Victoria made a face.
 
'A partnership with a rival?' Victoria thought, then turned to Alexander. She extended her hand, her smile masking the uncomfortable feeling she had. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Sinclair."
 
The moment their hands touched, a surge of electricity seemed to pass between them. Victoria withdrew her hand, feeling disgusted. Mr. Sinclair's gaze lingered for a moment longer before he shifted his attention back to Robert.
 
"Likewise, Miss Blackwood," Mr. Sinclair replied, his voice smooth and velvety. "Your reputation precedes you. Your father speaks highly of your accomplishments."
 
"Of course, he does." Victoria rolled her eyes, folded her arms, and sat in the chair next to him. She then drapes her leg over the other, looking so elegant and confident.
 
Alexander admired her style; she wore white fitted trousers made from fine fabric and a crisp white shirt, perfectly pressed and neatly tucked in. while the sleeves were rolled up just enough to reveal her delicate wrists. A matching waistcoat, which was white and gold, was layered over the shirt, adding a touch of formality. Completing the ensemble, Victoria wore a sleek white blazer.
 
"I just wanted you to meet Victoria. She is my offspring and the current owner of my business." Her father said Victoria's face showed no emotion, but deep inside, she cringed when her father referred to her as his offspring.
 
"I can't wait to work with you!" Alexander smiled at her. Victoria just gave a curt nod. As the meeting started, Victoria's father expressed his enthusiasm for the potential partnership between Sinclair and the Blackwood Hotel, while Victoria's mind was absent from the discussion.
 
She was instead thinking about the mark she had on her palm and how it suddenly appeared on her palm.
 
✧✧━☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ ━━━✧✧
 
I was still working on the final details of the gala arrangement in my office. In exhaustion, I touched my forehead and then noticed a strange mark on my hand. Is this a prank by one of the workers?
 
"Master, it's almost time for the gala." My manager walked into the office briskly. I showed him my palm.
 
"What's this?" I asked him. He shivered on the spot.
 
"What is what?" He stammered. I sighed
 
"This is on my palm, this sign!"
 
"I can't see anything you are talking about. But if you say something is there, then I don't know." He answered. 
 
Really now? I looked at him in disbelief and went out of the office to get a more reasonable person's comment. But everyone I met said they saw nothing.
 
Was it because they were afraid of me? Is that why they can't tell me the truth? These people are not reliable.
 
Then I asked the only person who I knew wasn't intimidated by me. My butler.
 
"What am I supposed to be seeing?" He looked at my palm intensely. Then that means nobody can actually see it. But why can I only see it?
 
"Young master, if you keep staring at your palm like that, I would have to make you visit a doctor for an eye and brain  test." My butler deadpanned. I chuckled. Only Alfred knows how to joke like that.
 
✧━☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ☆ ━━━✧✧
 
The mark on her hand is definitely glowing now, but it seems like the two people with her haven't noticed it at all. It seemed like it was telling her to look for something. What did she misplace?
 
"I am sorry for the interruption. I need to leave now!" Victoria stood immediately. Her father was flabbergasted.
 
"To where? We are in a meeting!" Her father said Alexander looked at Victoria, surprised. She was definitely something.
 
"I am going now!" She said that and left the room.
 
______________________________________ 
 
Eliza carefully maneuvered through the bustling crowd at the grand gala, gracefully balancing a tray of sparkling crystal glasses filled with exquisite drinks. The ambiance of the event was electrifying, with lively chatter, soft music, and the clinking of glasses filling the air. As a waitress, Eliza was tasked with ensuring that the guests' glasses were always replenished, a task she approached with dedication.
 
She weaved her way through the elegantly adorned tables. The guests were engrossed in their conversations, enjoying the evening's festivities, oblivious to the young waitress gracefully moving among them.
 
"Hey, waiter!" A nobleman called to her, and as Eliza reached her, she noticed a peculiar mark on her hand. It caught her attention—a faint, glowing symbol etched on her palm. She served the man and went on her way. She got to the hotel kitchen. She stood in the corner, her eyes fixated on the mysterious mark, a mixture of curiosity and confusion filling her mind. She tried to rub it off, thinking it might be a smudge or an illusion, but the mark remained, shimmering softly.
 
She glanced around discreetly, but no one else seemed to notice the mark on her hand. Then she felt a cold metal on the back of her neck. It was the head waiter, looking at her sternly while holding a spoon. She smiled awkwardly at the head waiter.
 
"Slacking off, are we?" He asked rhetorically, and Eliza shook her head. He handed her a tray of appetizers. "Go, do your job."
 
Eliza sighed and went out of the kitchen again to serve the appetizers. She went out of the kitchen to serve the appetizers. She noticed that the mark on her palm became brighter, so she balanced the tray on her other hand and hid her hand in her pocket to keep it from distracting her. The guests continued their animated conversations, their attention focused elsewhere. Eliza felt a sense of apprehension, wondering what significance the mark held and why she alone could see it.
 
After she was done, another part-time waitress walked up to her hurriedly.
 
"Please help me with this; I have something urgent to attend to!" The lady gave her a tray of cocktails and walked away quickly. Eliza was too stunned to process what happened before her. She sighed and took the tray to serve the guest.
 
As she was walking about the hall, a red-haired lady gestured to her. She walked quickly to her, and the red-haired lady continued to talk while Eliza stood there with her tray, waiting for the lady to pick up a glass. She noticed someone boring holes in the side of her head, but she didn't want to make eye contact with the person.
 
"Miss, your drink." Eliza called her after feeling very uncomfortable. The lady remembered her drink and dismissed Eliza.
 
After a while, she felt like someone was following her. She looked around and found no one looking suspicious.
 
'Could it be that person who was trying to make a hole in the side of my head earlier?' Many thoughts ran through Eliza's head as the ominous presence continued to watch her intently.
 
After Eliza finished serving the drinks, she decided to lure that person to a secluded place so she could attack the person stalking her. She took another turn away from the kitchen into the hotel.
 
The person continued to follow her; she could hear the faint sound of the person's shoe on the marble tiles. After she got to a reasonable distance from the gala, She turned back and threw her tray at the stalker.
 
Her tray met a young woman, who fell to the floor immediately, whining and holding her forehead. Eliza could tell it was a noble woman with the way she dressed, and instantly she knew there was trouble.
 
"Ouch, my forehead!" She cried. Eliza panicked and ran to her, trying to console her.
 
"I am so sorry, miss!" The noble lady made eye contact with Eliza. Eliza became frozen, and suddenly she felt the pieces in her head coming together.
 
"What's going on?" She heard another feminine voice that sounded so familiar.
 
"Amelia? Is that you?" Eliza muttered as she stared at the familiar person in front of her as another face appeared before her.
 
"And Victoria? I think I am dreaming!" Eliza finally said