The Terania family dinners were nothing short of legendary. The grand dining hall alone could rival a ballroom, its long mahogany table gleaming beneath chandeliers shaped like falling stars. Every seat was filled that night—a full gathering of the Terania clan, one of the most powerful families in the country.
At the far end sat Gideon and Elara, the dignified heads of the family. Beside them were Mirabelle, radiant as ever, and an older cousin, Laurence—a venture capitalist prodigy who had turned a simple app into an empire before the age of thirty. Further down the table were Aunt Celeste, a luxury fashion mogul; Uncle Raymond, a media tycoon; and several younger cousins, each carrying the same air of polish, charm, and quiet authority that the Terania name commanded. And, of course, there was Cassian. Tonight, he had brought Clara with him.
Clara had never been so nervous in her life. She had performed on live television, endured stunt rehearsals, cried on cue, and handled countless interviews—but this was different. This was an entirely new kind of stage. Every person in the dining hall radiated success; the weight of legacy hung thick in the air. Cassian had tried to reassure her in the car, but even he couldn't quite hide the tension in his jaw.
Now, as they were led inside by a butler, Clara clutched her purse tightly and whispered, "Your family feels like the Avengers of the business world."
Cassian chuckled softly. "Yeah, but with better table manners."
Before Clara could reply, a bright, familiar voice echoed across the hall.
"Clara Delvine?"
She turned—and froze. Standing a few steps away was Mirabelle Terania, Belle , one of Clara's all-time favorite indie-pop artists. Mirabelle smiled warmly at her.
Clara gasped, eyes wide. "Oh my goodness—Belle! I'm such a huge fan of yours!"
Mirabelle blinked, visibly taken aback. "You're… what?"
Clara nodded enthusiastically. "I have all your songs on Spotify—every single one! Your live acoustic version of 'Moonlight Mirage' is permanently on my crying playlist!"
Cassian, standing beside her, chuckled under his breath.
Mirabelle flushed slightly but smiled, her posture softening. "That's… wow, I didn't expect that. Thank you." After a beat, she added warmly, "Well, I'm a fan of yours too. I loved the music video series you did with EON. You and my cousin were amazing together."
Clara's face lit up. "Really? That means the world to me!"
Mirabelle tilted her head. "Wait—did Noah bring you here?"
Clara blinked. "No, Cassian did."
"Hey, Belle." Cassian waved from beside Clara, catching her attention. "Yeah, this is my girlfriend."
Mirabelle froze. "Girlfriend?"
Clara nodded, cheeks pink with pride. "That's me."
Mirabelle's expression flickered from surprise to disbelief. "Wait—you're not dating Noah?"
Clara laughed, startled. "Noah? Oh my gosh, are you in the Clano ship?"
Cassian groaned. "Don't encourage that nonsense."
Clara giggled and nudged him. "What? It's a thing!"
Cassian turned to Mirabelle with mock exasperation. "You're supposed to be team Clarian, not Clano! Support your cousin!"
Mirabelle could only whisper faintly, "How did this happen…"
Cassian grinned, feigning offense. "Please, I'm way better than Noah anyway. Right, baby?"
"Cassian!" Clara gasped, laughing and smacking his arm lightly. "Don't be rude!"
He chuckled, utterly unbothered—until his eyes caught something across the room: two familiar figures waving warmly. His grin softened. "Speaking of people I can't be rude to…"
Before Clara could ask, he took her hand and guided her toward them. "Come on," he said, his voice a mix of pride and nerves. "You have to meet my parents."
Clara's eyes widened. "Wait—your parents?!"
But Cassian was already leading her through the crowd, still laughing, her protests swallowed by the hum of conversation.
As the noise of the hall settled, Mirabelle took her seat beside Elara, still half in shock. It was supposed to be Noah, she thought. It was always Noah.
Her mind wandered back to the memories of her past life—the way Noah's quiet mystery had drawn Clara in, the endless hours Clara had spent trying to understand him, the first time Noah had looked at someone with real affection—and it hadn't been her. It had been Clara. The memory of that ache, that jealousy, and the heartbreak that had consumed her felt like a lifetime ago.
Now, as she watched Clara laugh beside Cassian, the story had rewritten itself before her eyes. Clara hadn't fallen for Noah this time. She had fallen for Cassian—Noah's bandmate, her cousin.
Mirabelle's chest tightened with a strange mixture of relief, confusion, and bittersweet peace. The fate she once destroyed herself over… no longer existed. Cassian leaned over to pour Clara's drink, his voice soft, his touch tender. Clara smiled back, radiant and content. Mirabelle looked away, her throat tight. She whispered under her breath, "So this time… it's different."
Elara turned toward her. "Dear? Did you say something?"
Mirabelle straightened quickly and smiled. "Nothing, Mom. Just… happy for Cassian."
And she meant it—truly, she did. Whatever force had shifted the threads of destiny, whatever unseen hand had rewritten their paths, she couldn't help but feel that this version of events was gentler, kinder, and perhaps exactly how things were always meant to be. Not that she believed she was meant to pursue Noah again—far from it. In truth, Mirabelle thought fate had shown her mercy this time, granting her a softer ending, one where her love for Noah no longer burned or consumed, but simply was—safe, untainted, and finally clean.
Throughout dinner, Mirabelle remained warm and gracious, chatting with Clara and complimenting her artistry. When Clara gushed about being her fan again, Mirabelle laughed, humbled by the genuine admiration.
By dessert, the tightness in her chest had eased into something softer. She raised her glass toward Cassian, her voice calm and sincere. "Congratulations, Cassian. You and Clara… you suit each other."
Cassian grinned. "Thanks, Belle."
Clara's eyes shone. "That means a lot coming from you."
And for the rest of the night, Mirabelle played her part perfectly—radiant, gracious, and proud—while quietly wondering what other pieces of fate had changed along with her.