Chapter 99

Eleanor's POV

I froze in the doorway, my hand still gripping the handle. The scene before me felt like a paused movie - my brother and Serena springing apart, their faces flushed. The evening light filtering through the glass walls made everything painfully clear.

*Oh god. Why didn't I knock?*

Lucas's eyes met mine with a death glare that made me want to dissolve into the floor. Serena smoothed her blouse, maintaining more composure than either of us siblings.

"What are you still doing here?" Lucas's voice was dangerously low.

I shifted my weight, desperately searching for words. "I... um..."

"Eleanor, it's getting late. You should head to bed," Serena intervened, her tone gentle but firm. I shot her a grateful look.

Finding my courage (or maybe just my usual sass), I crossed my arms. "Well, big brother, if you had the guts to actually ask Serena to move in, I'd be gone in a heartbeat!"

"Eleanor!" The warning in his voice was clear.

I raised my hands in surrender, backing toward the door. "Look, I'm exhausted from filming all day. I'm just going to take a shower and crash. Don't mind me - carry on with... whatever." I couldn't help the smirk that crept onto my face.

"And delete those inappropriate files from your computer," Lucas called after me.

I spun around, indignant. "Inappropriate? It's research material for my role! It's art!"

His expression didn't waver. "Eleanor..."

"Fine, fine! I'll delete it." I couldn't take his murderous stare anymore. *As if those "inappropriate" files hadn't created the perfect opportunity for him to kiss Serena*, I thought wryly. *Some gratitude would be nice.*

I retreated to the study to clear my computer, muttering under my breath about ungrateful older brothers who couldn't appreciate the finer points of method acting research. Still, I couldn't keep the smile off my face. Those two were absolutely hopeless without my inadvertent matchmaking.

Serena's POV

I escorted Lucas to the door, my heartbeat still slightly unsteady.

"It's getting late," I said softly, surprised by the tenderness in my own voice. "You should head back - Stella and Milo are waiting at home, and we both have work tomorrow."

"Mm." His response was brief, but his eyes held mine for a moment longer than necessary. Then his gaze shifted, hardening slightly as it landed on my study door where Eleanor waited. The subtle change in his expression spoke volumes about his displeasure at having our evening interrupted.

Before he turned to leave, his eyes dropped to my lips, and I felt heat rise to my cheeks. The intensity of his gaze made my heart skip a beat. Flustered, I moved to close the door - perhaps a bit too quickly - and nearly bumped into him in the process. The near collision sent a jolt of electricity through me.

As soon as Lucas's footsteps faded down the hallway, Eleanor emerged from the study, her expression entirely too knowing. "Well well," she drawled, settling herself on my couch. "Was that your first kiss with my brother?"

"No..." The word slipped out before I could stop it.

Her eyebrows shot up with delighted interest. "Oh? So he's that good at kissing?"

I turned away, pretending to straighten some papers on the coffee table, but my mind was already drifting.

Tonight had been different. When he leaned in, I'd felt the anticipation building in my chest. I'd known exactly what was coming, and I hadn't moved away. Instead of anger, there had been a warmth that spread through my entire body, a sensation that lingered even now.

"You're blushing," Eleanor observed with obvious satisfaction.

"I'm not," I protested automatically, though I could feel the heat in my cheeks betraying me. The remnants of red wine still perfumed the air, mixing with the fading traces of Lucas's scent. Everything felt somehow softer, more intimate in the warm lighting of my living room.

"Oh, I just remembered something," Eleanor settled into makeup chair. Her eyes met mine in the mirror, bright with curiosity. "When did you decide to venture into the wonderful world of competitive fashion shows?"

I smiled, keeping my tone light. "StarRiver needs a younger voice. What better way than Battle of the Needle?"

The words came easily, practiced. But beneath them lay the truth I carried like a compass - Mom's dream of seeing StarRiver become a beacon in the fashion world. I could still hear her voice, soft but certain: "Fashion isn't just for the elite, darling. It's about making beauty accessible to everyone who dreams of it."

Eleanor's expression shifted to concern. "Speaking of the show, Nina's been spotted around town with Evelyn Whitmore lately. Those two together..." She shook her head. "One plays innocent while the other goes for the jugular. Be careful."

"I know." I met her gaze steadily. The alliance wasn't surprising - Nina had always gravitated toward people who could serve her purposes.

"At least Lucas keeps an eye on things," Eleanor added with a knowing smile.

The mention of Lucas brought an unbidden warmth to my chest, but I kept my expression neutral.

Days later, under the harsh studio lights, I understood exactly what Eleanor had meant. The camera angles subtly shifted whenever I spoke, catching unflattering shadows. My workstation had been positioned where the lighting washed out my designs. Small things, easily dismissed individually, but forming a pattern.

"Serena, we need to reshoot your critique of Jessica's design," the director called out. "Could you make it a bit more... critical?"

I caught Nina's satisfied smirk from across the room, Evelyn standing strategically close to her. They thought they were forcing my hand - push back and seem difficult, or comply and appear harsh.

"Actually," I smiled, maintaining eye contact with the camera, "I think Jessica's work shows remarkable potential. The construction needs refinement, but the vision is bold." I paused, letting my genuine appreciation show. "Sometimes the greatest designs come from daring to be imperfect."

The director blinked, thrown by my deviation from his script. From the corner of my eye, I saw Nina's smirk falter.

When the rankings were announced, I only came in 12th place, a steep drop, but I barely made it to the next round.