Invitation (2)

As soon as Mathews disappeared from her sight, she followed after him. She felt lightheaded, but her heart was beating too fast by the time she reached the dining hall.

The elders were already there, along with her stepmother, father, and Mathews.

"There she is. We were about to ask Delia to call you, but you're already here. Take a seat, let's have dinner" one of the elders said, surprising her.

?...

Then why did Mathews tell her that he was sent to call her for dinner? She frowned, glancing at him in confusion.

She took her usual seat right across from Mathews. This was the seating arrangement they had gotten used to; they always sat facing each other during meals.

"How was your day, Mom, Dad?" her stepmother asked her parents.

"It was good. The Gutierrez family finally closed the deal, so we can expand further in Italy" one of the elders said.

"That's great news" her father replied.

While the elders continued their conversation at the dining table, she stole a glance at Mathews, wondering why he had lied to her earlier. If he had decided on his own to call her for dinner, there was no need to make up an excuse.

Just then, Mathews caught her staring but this time she didn't look away.

And right there, in the middle of the dining hall, they found themselves locked in a silent staring contest.

No one looked away, as if they were the only two people in the room. He looked like he was smiling. The slight upward curve of his lips gave it away. But she wasn't sure. Was he really smiling, or was he mocking her?

"You two are awfully quiet" the old man remarked, breaking their silent staring contest.

"Exactly! You should join in on the conversation" Mathews' mother added.

"Let them be," the elderly woman said. "I'm sure young people don't enjoy listening to boring business meetings over dinner"

Stella was surprised. This was the first time, her first night that the older woman wasn't moody or distant. Maybe it was because of the deal they had just closed with an investor.

"By the way, Stella," her father called for her attention. "Bert mentioned that you asked to be driven to Velmora City tomorrow?"

Right. She had completely forgotten that she was planning to tell her father about her new modeling job. And now, with everyone at the table looking at her expectantly, she had no choice but to explain.

"Yes, Dad. I was accepted at Ellumiére Models as one of their new models," she said, unable to hide her smile.

She caught a brief look of surprise on her father's face before it was quickly replaced with a proud smile.

"You're into modeling?!" her stepmother asked, her voice laced with excitement.

"Well, she is pretty" the old woman remarked.

Stella froze for a second, thrown off by the unexpected compliment. Had the woman forgotten her usual hostility toward her?

Is she starting to like me little by little?

Everyone at the table agreed with the elderly woman's words. Well, everyone except Mathews, who remained silent and continued eating.

"What do you think, Mathews?" the old man suddenly asked.

Stella frowned slightly. Why does his opinion even matter?

Mathews paused, setting his utensils down. He glanced at her for a moment before turning back to his grandfather, as if carefully considering his answer.

Stella noticed this and, despite herself, found herself waiting—wanting— to hear he would say.

Mathews finally spoke.

"She looks… decent"

--

"Decent? What does he even mean by that!" Eya slammed her iced coffee on the table in frustration.

They were in the cafeteria now, and Stella had barely taken a seat when Eya suddenly pulled her down, eyes brimming with curiosity. It was obvious she had been waiting to get the full story, eager to know what was happening between Stella and Mathews now that they were step-siblings.

Honestly, Stella didn't know either, and at this point, she didn't care. Last night at dinner, after Mathews said that, he simply continued eating. His grandfather had laughed, probably amused by Mathews' indifference to his own words. As for her, she had only forced a small smile before excusing herself, claiming she needed to rest early. She had gone straight to her room and slept.

"If he thinks you look 'decent,' then what does he consider beautiful? Crystal?" Eya asked sarcastically.

Seeing Stella's confused expression at the sudden mention of the name, Eya continued. "There's a rumor going around that Mathews invited Crystal to the Annual Business Gala... but I doubt it. For all we know, she probably made that up herself"

After their conversation, Eya excused herself since she still had a class to attend. Before leaving, she even mouthed "call me" with a hand sign, reminding Stella to keep her updated.

Once her last class for the day ended, Stella checked her watch. It was only 2 PM. She took out her phone and called Bert, their family driver, to pick her up so she could get to the orientation, which was scheduled to start at 3 PM.

Even from inside the car, she could already see the sleek, modern Ellumiére Models building in Velmora. A mix of nerves and excitement swirled in her stomach, but she remained determined. As soon as she entered, the receptionist escorted her and the other new models to the orientation room.

Inside, she took a seat alongside the other recruits, attentively listening as the agency's head talked about expectations, schedules, and the competitive nature of the industry. Stella made sure to take everything in, especially when they discussed the agency's house rules.

Just as the session ended, and she was about to leave, a voice called out to her.

"Stella, right?"

She turned and saw a stunning woman approaching her with effortless confidence. Long, wavy hair framed her flawless face, and her designer outfit exuded elegance. It didn't take long for Stella to put the pieces together.

This had to be Crystal.