The Lies We Tell Ourselves

Chapter 19

'What a coincidence..'

Walking toward her was Elias, accompanied by his manager, Dwight—someone she hadn't seen in a year. Dwight, who had been one of her closest friends back in the day, caught her eye and gave a knowing smile, looking between her and Elias with barely concealed interest. 

Serena's breath caught in her throat as she met Elias's gaze.

MINUTES LATER

The private lounge on the 10th floor of the hotel offered a breathtaking view of the bustling streets of LA below, where the city seemed to hum with life in the afternoon sunlight. It was the perfect place for business conversations—exclusive, quiet, and refined. Serena had been led here by Elias and Dwight, who had greeted her warmly upon seeing her in the hallway.

"Serena, it's been a while," Dwight said with a grin. "How have you been? Still conquering the industry, I bet?"

Serena returned the smile, though it was a little more reserved than it used to be. "You know how it is. Keeping busy," she replied, her voice light but a little distant.

Dwight raised an eyebrow as he took a seat next to her, clearly sensing the slight change in Serena's demeanor. He leaned in with a smirk, "So, what's Iso up to these days? Still killing it with his empire? I've always wondered—why'd he drop everything to join Gray Entertainment? And why bring you along? Never made sense to me."

Serena's expression faltered for a split second at the mention of Iso, but she quickly masked it with a casual smile. "He's... doing well. Busy as usual."

Dwight, however, wasn't one to let things slide easily. He glanced at Elias, noticing the subtle shift in his mood—his posture was slightly stiffer, his gaze hard to read. The usual camaraderie between him and Serena was clearly missing.

"Well," Dwight said, patting Elias on the back, "you two should catch up. It's been a while since you had a real conversation, right?"

Elias hesitated but nodded, offering Serena a tight-lipped smile. "Yeah, we should."

Dwight, sensing the awkwardness between the two, gave them a knowing glance before standing up. "Alright, I'll leave you two to catch up. Don't stay here all day, though—you both have an event to prepare for." He gave them both a pointed look before walking away, leaving them alone.

As Dwight disappeared down the hall, the space between Elias and Serena seemed to grow even more palpable. Neither of them spoke for a moment. The sound of the city traffic below filtered into the room, muffled by the thick glass windows, but it only added to the silence between them.

Serena ordered a glass of wine and some calamari while Elias sat across from her, his eyes briefly scanning the room.

She sipped her wine, barely making eye contact as she carefully placed a piece of calamari into her mouth, focusing on the taste rather than the conversation.

Elias watched her closely, trying to figure out the sudden shift in her demeanor.

Gone was the open, engaging Serena he remembered—the one who used to lean in, asking questions about his life, who would listen attentively to every detail of his day. Now, she seemed distant, aloof, and oddly preoccupied. It was as though she were actively avoiding him, and it made Elias uneasy.

"You're really not gonna ask me how the tour went?" Elias finally asked, his voice laced with a hint of amusement, though it didn't quite reach his eyes.

Serena looked up at him, her eyes briefly meeting his before she turned her gaze back to the busy streets below them.

She sipped her wine again, letting the silence stretch for a few moments longer before finally responding, "Oh, I assumed you'd tell me if you wanted me to know."