Reborn Shadows: Destiny's Thread

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Alfred coordinated with the other servants serving food. Victoria's father continued talking with Alexander, laughing heartily and making jokes. Victoria observed the two men discussing cheerfully with scorn on her face.
 
"Dinner is served!" Alfred rang his tiny bell, which snapped the two men out of their loud discussions.
 
"Shall we then?" Her father spoke as they made their way to the dining table. Victoria took her seat, feeling an unusual tension in the air due to the presence of Alexander Sinclair, the unexpected guest.
 
Throughout dinner, Robert Blackwood and Alexander Sinclair discussed business matters extensively. Victoria, despite her annoyance at the turn of events, couldn't help but notice that her father seemed genuinely excited about their new partnership. He spoke animatedly about the prospects and opportunities it presented for their business.
 
On the other hand, Alexander Sinclair appeared to be a knowledgeable and charismatic businessman. He listened attentively to her father, interjecting with insightful questions and suggestions. Victoria couldn't deny his competence, even though she found his presence irksome.
 
"We could really use your business insights and management skills, Mr. Sinclair!" Her father praised Alexander. Victoria couldn't help but clench her fork and knife angrily. Since the beginning of the dinner, all her father did was mention Alexander; he never once acknowledged her beside him.
 
"Thank you so much, Mr. Blackwood, but I can't compare my skills to those of Miss Victoria here. It seems like I have so much to learn from her." Victoria looked at Alexander, stunned by his remarks about her. She instantly felt suspicious about him.
 
"V-Victoria?" Her father faltered, "This is the first time someone has said something good about Victoria; she's always causing trouble. Friendly advice: Don't let Victoria handle the investors." Her father laughed, and Victoria felt offended by his words. She hung her head low, embarrassed and annoyed.
 
Alexander felt the weight of Robert's words as well as Victoria's unusual silence, and he cleared his throat awkwardly. "Well, I believe everybody has their own unique strengths, Mr. Blackwood. I do not doubt that Victoria can contribute effectively to our partnership."
 
Her father nodded, not quite catching the underlying tension in the air. "You're right, Mr. Sinclair. Victoria is a valuable asset to our company; at least she does better than most people in the business world."
 
Victoria clenched her fists under the table, her irritation growing. She couldn't believe her father; his indifference irked Victoria.
 
Alexander quickly shifted the conversation from business to more casual topics, but Victoria remained mostly silent. She couldn't find it in herself to engage in their conversations or partake in their amicable energy. She continued waiting patiently until the end of dinner.
 
As the meal progressed, Alexander's attempts at charm and humor and her father's obnoxious laughs and comments all grated on Victoria's nerves.
 
After dessert, as the dinner was coming to an end, her father turned to her with a warm smile. "Victoria, my dear, I'm glad that you and Mr. Sinclair are getting along. I believe this partnership will benefit us greatly."
 
Victoria, who wore a bored expression on her face, twirled a fork on her plate. "Yes, Father, it seems promising."
 
Robert Blackwood beamed with satisfaction. "Excellent! I knew this dinner was a good idea. Now, we can look forward to a prosperous collaboration. Alfred, get me some fine wine to serve Mr. Sinclair here."
 
Victoria, already fed up with her father's actions, quickly stood up and interjected, "I am sorry, Father; it's getting late. I would have to call this dinner to a close. Thank you, Mr. Sinclair, for coming unannounced. Have a good night."
 
"Wait, you never knew I was coming...?" Alexander wanted to say until he was interrupted by Victoria's father.
 
"Oh, Victoria and her strict, no-drinking lifestyle. Mr. Alexander, we can continue this after we leave. What do you say?" Robert placed his hand fondly on Alexander's shoulder.
 
"Sorry, sir, I don't drink either." Alexander politely declined Robert's offer.
 
"Well, okay then!" Robert said as he stood up and adjusted his dinner jacket. "Well, I have to go now. Take care, Victoria."
 
"Father, please, I need to speak with you." Victoria said it with a frown on her face. She wasn't going to let her father leave without giving him a piece of her mind.
 
"Sure, what is it?" Her father nonchalantly answered
 
"In private!" Victoria looked to Alexander. He understood and immediately left the dining room. Victoria watched him until he disappeared behind the door.
 
Once he was gone, she turned to her father, frustration evident in her voice. "Father, I don't appreciate you undermining me in front of Mr. Sinclair."
 
Her father sighed uninterestedly, "I didn't mean to, Victoria. I just wanted to make a good impression on our potential partner."
 
Victoria frowned, not understanding his intentions, feeling extremely frustrated with her father. "I can handle it myself, Father. You gave the business to me, remember?"
 
Her father smiled, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I know you, my dear. But sometimes, you can be very confrontational. A person like Alexander is much needed for our business. You need to learn a lot from him. See this as a learning experience to build yourself."
 
Victoria's brows furrowed as she met her father's gaze. "What do you mean confrontational?"
 
"You know, aggressive, hot-headed, and all that. And honestly speaking, people don't like aggressive women."
 
Victoria's eyes stung with tears as her father's words sank in "Oh wow! I appreciate your support, Father." She said sarcastically, "Just remember that I have a lot to bring to this partnership, and I don't want anyone to doubt my abilities."
 
He nodded, giving her a warm, oblivious smile. "I have faith in you, Victoria. I know you will do your best. Well, I better get going; glad we had this talk."
 
Victoria boiled with rage as she watched her father exit the room. Victoria huffed and collapsed into a dining chair. She leaned back in her chair, her annoyance slowly dissolving into tiredness.
 
"So annoying." She muttered before stepping out of the dining room and making her way towards her study.
 
"Wait!" Alexander called to her. She was surprised to see him still in her house; she thought her annoyances were already over and she wouldn't have to see him so soon. Victoria got extremely irritated with his presence and began to flare up.
 
"What are you still doing at my house? Haven't you done enough?" She erupted, releasing every bit of pent-up frustration at Alexander.
 
"I just wanted to apologize for the other day, Miss." Alexander spoke calmly, hoping to placate Victoria. Victoria gazed at him in disgust and anger, suddenly overthinking the reasons for his sudden apology.
 
'Is he trying to mock me?' She thought as her gaze on him turned to a chilling one. Alexander noticed the icy glare she gave and realized his apology wasn't accepted.
 
"Please, with all due respect, get out of my house now." She spoke coldly. Alexander sighed, defeated, and walked towards the door. As she watched him leave, a sense of unease settled over her. She knew that dealing with him was going to be more challenging than she had initially thought.
 
"Good night." He finally left her house. She quickly went to her study, hanging her jacket on the clothes rack, and sank into her chair, exhausted from the evening activities. Alfred came into the study with a tea set and placed it on Victoria's table. He then poured the tea into a cup.
 
"Your calming tea, Miss." He gestured to the tea set in front of her.
 
Victoria accepted the tea from Alfred with a nod of gratitude. She wrapped her fingers around the warm teacup, instantly relaxing with the comforting aroma that wafted from it. The emotions from this evening's event began to dissolve.
 
Alfred, ever attentive, noticed Victoria's relaxed expression. He ventured to break the silence. "Are you calm now, Miss?"
 
She sipped the calming tea and nodded. "I thought," Victoria said, dropping the cup on the table. "It was going to be an actual family dinner until you told me he brought someone else. I was willing to overlook that until I saw his face." Victoria scrunched her face in disgust at the mention of Alexander.
 
"Workplace annoyance?" Alfred asked despite knowing Victoria's answer already. Victoria sighed and placed her head on the table.
 
"I like to keep my personal and work lives distinct. He practically encroached on my privacy."
 
Alfred cleared his throat. "That was your father's fault, Victoria."
 
"I know!" Victoria sighed as she raised her head and turned to Alfred with a meaningful look. "When you said a plus one, I honestly thought, he perhaps brought a partner?"
 
Alfred raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "Partner?"
 
"Yes, like a romantic companion. It's been long since Mother died and all. Not that I am against his commitment. But at that very specific moment, you told me he brought another person for dinner. I imagined that was the case; I mean, it was supposed to be a family dinner. What better way than to introduce your partner to your family?"
 
Alfred chuckled softly. "I am sorry if I had misled you with my choice of words, but honestly speaking, it would be a miracle if that happened."
 
"No harm done." Victoria contemplated for a moment before nodding. "But thank you for the tea; it's quite soothing."
 
"Glad I could help." Alfred nodded and quietly left the room, leaving Victoria with her thoughts. She leaned back in her chair, her mind filled with questions and uncertainties.
 
She couldn't help but replay their conversation in her head. She found herself pondering his motives. Why would he apologize? Was there a hidden agenda? Her instincts told her not to trust him, but she couldn't deny a certain curiosity about him.
 
"That darn Anomaly!" Victoria cussed again.
______________________________________
 
As promised, Eliza made sure to spend New Year's Eve with the triplets. During this time in her past life, she was probably doing one of her part-time jobs. She returned home to find the triplets already fast asleep, having waited in vain for their elder siblings. As for Marcus, he was an enigma, sometimes disappearing for days on end.
 
However, in this new life, Eliza had vowed to make a change. She wanted to ensure that the beginning of the new year would be different for her and the triplets. They deserved a warm and loving celebration, and she couldn't bear to leave them all alone, especially with the stranger she rescued the other day.
 
Before their parents died, their family usually went out on New Year's Eve to their neighborhood's town square to watch the monumental clock reach midnight. But over the years, that tradition seemed to have died with their parents as Eliza and her siblings began to adjust to their new way of life.
 
Eliza was determined to bring that tradition back to ensure her siblings' happiness. The triplets, too, were very excited about Eliza taking them to the town square. They hurriedly wore their winter coats and boots, while Eliza adjusted their mufflers.
 
"Are you ready, guys?" Eliza asked the triplets enthusiastically. I already have a good feeling about the coming year.
 
"Yeah!" They chorused and jumped around happily.
 
"We are staying up past bedtime!" Sierra started with a fist pump in the air.
 
"And Eliza allows it!" Don clapped excitedly. Eliza laughed, feeling just as excited as the triplets. The triplets dashed downstairs with Eliza behind them. Marcus came from the kitchen and spotted them all dressed up.
 
"Where are you all going?" He asked them, and the triplets answered energetically.
 
"We are going to watch the clock in the town square!"
 
"Really!" Marcus said wistfully, as regret took over his facial expression,Mum and Dad used to take us there."
 
"You can come if you want. It would be just like old times!" Eliza added, and the triplets had sparkles in their eyes, pleading with their brother to come with them.
 
"Nah, I have to see a friend in a while
" Marcus dismissed the thought and went upstairs. The triplets sighed sadly.
 
"Don't mind him, we can still have fun." Eliza tries to cheer them up. They nodded and went out of the house with Eliza.
 
"We have never told my brother about the stranger in our house." Don touched his chin as he remembered. The other two shrugged, and he shrugged.
 
"He would be fine." Eliza reassured them, "Let's go!"
 
The triplets nodded and ran to the streets, laughing and giggling. Eliza smiled as she watched them play, feeling warm and contented. They finally got to the town square. The place bustled with life as people came together to partake in the festivities.
 
"Look, Eliza, they are selling street food; can we have some?" The triplets pointed at kiosks selling food. Eliza nodded and gave them money to get whatever they wanted. After that, they went to a talent showcase put on by street performers and enjoyed themselves. As the clock ticked closer to midnight, she and the triplets gathered with numerous other people to watch the clock at the center of the square.
 
The atmosphere was cozy, and Eliza couldn't help but smile as she watched the excitement in the triplets' eyes. They counted down together, their voices blending in harmony with the distant sounds of fireworks that illuminated the night sky.
 
"3... 2... 1... Happy New Year!" they cheered in unison as the clock struck midnight.
 
Eliza hugged each of her siblings tightly, filled with a sense of hope and renewal. It was different from the quiet night she had experienced in her past life. This time, she was surrounded by the love and warmth of her family.
 
As the night continued, Eliza and the triplets were returning home after their exciting experience, and Sierra and Giselle played with the sparklers that got
 
"Be careful with those!" Eliza said with caution in her voice that she was currently rethinking the sparklers she got for her siblings.
 
"We will," they answered cheerfully.
 
After a quiet walk home, Eliza bid the triplets goodnight and headed to her room to hang up her winter coat. As she delicately placed the coat on the handle of her wardrobe, a soft groan reached her ears. Her humming ceased abruptly, and she turned her head toward the direction of her bed, her heart racing with a mix of curiosity and a bit of fear.
 
Eliza freezes in her spot, not willing to move. Moonlight gently filtered through the curtains, offering just enough illumination to make out the silhouette of the man. He seemed to be slowly regaining consciousness, his brows furrowing as he tried to make sense of his surroundings.
 
Eliza's curiosity was piqued. She approached him quietly, making small steps towards her bed. Leaning over him, she watched as his eyelids fluttered, revealing a pair of dazed yet striking eyes.
 
Their gazes met for a brief moment, and in that instant, Eliza flinched backwards in surprise while placing a hand over her chest and sighing in relief.
 
"Are you alright?" Eliza's voice was hushed, with a mixture of concern and curiosity in her tone. She awaited his response. The man winced, clearly in pain, as he attempted to sit up. Eliza reached out a hand to help him; her touch was surprisingly warm and inviting. He accepted her help, propping himself up with her assistance.
 
The stranger blinked a few times, trying to focus on the woman speaking to him. His voice was hoarse as he spoke, "Where... am I?"
 
"You're in my home," Eliza replied gently. "I found you injured and unconscious in the alley."
 
"My name's Eliza," she introduced herself. "What's your name?"
 
He hesitated for a moment, as if deciding whether or not to trust her, but after considering the fact that she rescued him, he finally spoke, "Call me, Andrew."
 
Eliza nodded. "Your wound needs proper care. I did what I could, but you should get a doctor to look at it when you leave."
 
Lucas blinked slowly, trying to process Eliza's words, "Leave?"
 
Eliza nodded. "Let me get you clothes; stay still."
 
As she left the room, Lucas watched her go, wondering about the woman who had come to his aid on that fateful night. All he could remember after that night was the silhouette of a person carrying him on their back. Could she have carried him all by herself?