Chapter 11 Beginning of a storm
Arielle’s POV
“Hello Arielle.” Adrian’s voice was soft, careful and strangely hopeful, as if he expected me to leap into his arms and thank him for acknowledging me again. He stood a few feet away from me with his hands shoved awkwardly into his pockets. Lisa clung to his side and Mom lingered just a step behind them. Their eyes were wide with disbelief, and that disbelief slowly twisted into something desperate.
I blinked slowly at them, giving no reaction, keeping my face as blank as polished glass. I had practiced this in the mirror for nights. I tilted my head slightly as if I was studying strangers who had just mistaken me for someone else.
“Sorry,” I said, adjusting the gown I wore as if this encounter was a simple inconvenience. “Are you talking to me?”
Adrian’s expression faltered. “Arielle, stop.” He took a step forward. “It’s really you.”
I furrowed my brows faintly, calm and unbothered. “I think you’re confusing me with someone else. My name is Rielle. I was flown here two weeks ago. I work exclusively under Mr. Zane.” My tone was clipped, formal and cool, the way Circe trained me to sound when shutting down unwanted attention.
Mom’s eyes darted all over my face as if she was searching for the ghost of the daughter she once dismissed. “You… you look exactly like our Arielle.”
I offered a small polite smile, the kind models give when paparazzi ask nosy questions. “People say I have an adaptable face. It comes with the job.”
Lisa stepped forward, her lip twitching in annoyance. “Cut the nonsense. We know who you are.”
I shrugged without emotion. “I am a contracted overseas model, hired by Mr. Zane’s company. If you want proof, you can ask him. I signed the NDA myself.” I lowered my gaze as if bored. “Now if you don’t mind, I need to prepare for the next segment.”
Leo approached from behind them, intentionally positioning himself at my side like a silent wall. His presence made them stiffen.
“Is there a problem?” Leo asked, politely but firmly.
I shook my head. “No. Just some mistaken identity.”
Leo’s gaze swept over Adrian, Lisa and Mom slowly, a silent warning wrapped in courtesy. “Understood. Miss Rielle, you should follow me. Mr. Zane is waiting.”
Lisa’s jaw tightened. Adrian looked crushed. Mom’s face fell into guilt.
I walked past them gracefully, my heels tapping lightly against the backstage floor. As I passed Adrian, I spared him a single cool glance, the kind someone would give when brushing off a stranger.
“Enjoy the show,” I murmured, tone perfectly indifferent.
His breath hitched, and I walked away without looking back.
The backstage air buzzed with excitement and tension. Models rushed around, stylists worked frantically, and assistants hurried from one corner to the other. I kept my shoulders straight, hands calm, eyes forward. My heart beat rapidly inside my chest, but no one could see that.
Zane stood near the curtain with a satisfied smile. His gaze ran over me as if checking for cracks, and when he found none, he nodded.
“You kept your composure,” he said quietly. “Good.”
“It wasn’t hard,” I said, even though it was. My palms were sweaty, but I kept them hidden behind the pleats of my gown.
Zane leaned closer, lowering his voice so only I could hear. “They will try again. They will try harder. But remember what I told you. Trust is a weapon. Use it wisely.”
I inhaled slowly. “I know.”
The announcer’s voice echoed from the stage. “Next up, we will reveal the Best Model of the Night. The award is based on performance, audience reaction and overall impact.”
My pulse spiked, and I forced myself not to shift nervously.
Zane looked down at me and smiled lazily. “Relax. You already won.”
I glared lightly at him. “You sound too confident.”
“Should I be shy instead?” he teased.
Before I could answer, applause thundered through the venue.
The head judge stepped onstage, holding a small envelope. “Tonight, one particular model captured the audience completely. Her entrance shocked us. Her transformation stunned us. Her stage presence was unmatched. And her performance reminded us why fashion is art.”
Zane nudged me gently. “Stand straight.”
I did.
“The award for Best Model of the Night goes to…” the judge paused for effect, “Miss Rielle.”
A wave of noise exploded. Cheers. Gasps. Whistles. Cameras flashed wildly like a storm of lights. My throat tightened but I stepped forward calmly as if this had been my reality all my life.
I walked back onto the stage, feeling hundreds of eyes drinking me in. Every step felt surreal. The weight of the spotlight felt like warm silk on my skin. When the judge handed me the trophy, I bowed my head slightly and smiled politely. The applause swelled around me, soaking into my bones.
I took the microphone and said, “Thank you for this incredible honor. I am grateful to the team that brought me here and believed in me. I hope to continue creating unforgettable moments.”
The crowd roared louder.
But I searched for the one face that mattered.
Lisa.
She sat in the front row, stiff and furious. Her fingernails dug into her clutch. Her face was a strange mix of rage and envy so thick I could almost taste it. Adrian sat beside her looking lost and conflicted. Mom looked like she wanted to faint. Their reactions gave me life and I handed back the microphone and walked backstage with the trophy pressed against my ribs.
As soon as I stepped inside, Zane grabbed the trophy from my hands and raised it above his head jokingly. “Winner.”
I laughed breathlessly, the adrenaline bubbling through me. “Give it back.”
He handed it to me and placed his hand on my shoulder. “I am proud of you.”
The sincerity in his voice almost balanced the entire world on one string.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
He tilted his head. “But it is not over. Prepare yourself.”
Before I could ask what he meant, the curtain behind us rustled. Lisa stormed in first, her heels clicking angrily. Adrian followed, unsure and anxious. Mom trailed behind them.
I stood still and watched them approach.
Lisa jabbed her finger toward me. “Drop the act now. I know it is you. I know you are her.”
I lifted a brow slowly. “I do not understand what you are talking about. If you have concerns, speak to Mr. Zane. He is the one who signed me, not you.”
“You are mocking me,” Lisa snapped. “You think I am stupid?”
“I never said that,” I answered calmly. “But I think you are confused.”
Zane stepped forward, his presence suddenly darker and colder. “Is there a problem?”
Lisa turned to him. “Why did you hire her? Why her? She is copying someone. She is trying to look like Arielle.”
Zane’s eyes narrowed. “Miss Rielle is my model. Her face is her own. Her talent is her own. If you do not like that, you may excuse yourself from backstage.”
Lisa froze, stunned.
Adrian tried again, voice soft. “Arielle, please look at me. Just once. If you say you are not her, I will believe you. But look at me.”
His voice cracked, and that would have broken me years ago. Not anymore.
I gave him a small confused tilt of my head, the same neutral expression I practiced.
“I am Rielle,” I said simply. “I do not know you.”
He swallowed hard. “You sound exactly like her.”
“I am a trained model,” I replied. “Control over tone is part of the job.”
Mom’s eyes filled with tears. “Please… if you are really her, come home. We made mistakes. A lot of mistakes. We want to fix them.”
Zane let out a low sigh, sounding both irritated and amused. “She said she does not know you. Leave it at that.”
Lisa turned to me again. “You think wearing gowns and makeup makes you untouchable? You think you can erase your past just like that?”
I smiled softly, almost pitying her. “I think you are projecting.”
Anger bloomed across her face.
Before things could escalate, the director rushed backstage. “Miss Rielle, photographers are requesting you. You are trending already.”
I stepped away from them and nodded. “Of course.”
Zane held up a hand, stopping the director. “She will be right there.”
He turned back to me. “You handled them well.”
“I did what you told me to do.”
“No,” he said quietly. “You did better.”
The praise settled under my skin like warmth.
He leaned slightly closer. “Now go. Enjoy the spotlight you earned.”
I walked past the trio again. Adrian’s eyes were red. Mom looked broken. Lisa looked ready to scream.
And I kept walking and not once did I look back.Tonight was mine.