Serena's POV
Two weeks passed quickly.
The argument about the university never truly stopped in my house. My father tried everything-anger, threats, guilt-but I refused to change my decision. My stepmother called me selfish more times than I could count, and Lily cried whenever my father was around.
But none of it worked.
For the first time in my life, I didn't bend.
And eventually, they realized they couldn't force me to sign the transfer papers.
So the matter was left unresolved, hanging in the air like a storm waiting to break.
But I had other things to focus on.
Because tonight was important.
Very important.
I stood in front of the mirror in my room, adjusting the simple black dress I had chosen for the evening. It wasn't as extravagant as the gowns my stepmother preferred, but it suited me perfectly.
Elegant.
Confident.
Different from the timid girl everyone expected me to be.
Tonight was the Kingsley Charity Gala.
A high-profile event hosted by Adrian Kingsley's company every year. In my past life, I had attended it several times with my family.
But the first time I attended...
I met him.
My fingers paused on the zipper of my dress.
Adrian Kingsley.
Even now, remembering his name made something tighten in my chest.
Not because of romance.
But because of the strange connection between us in my previous life.
We had been engaged for years.
Yet we had never truly been close.
At least... that's what I used to believe.
I picked up a pair of earrings from the dresser and fastened them carefully.
In my past life, I had always kept my distance from Adrian emotionally.
Part of it was shyness.
But another part was guilt.
Because Lily had liked him first.
Or at least, that's what she told me.
So I convinced myself that Adrian deserved someone better than me.
Someone more lively.
More charming.
Someone like Lily.
A bitter smile crossed my lips.
How foolish I had been.
If Lily truly loved him, she wouldn't have poisoned me to steal him.
A knock came from downstairs.
"Serena!" my father called.
"We're leaving!"
"I'm coming," I replied.
I grabbed my small evening bag and headed out of my room.
The car ride to the gala was quiet.
My father sat stiffly beside my stepmother in the front seats, while Lily sat beside me in the back. She kept glancing at me occasionally, as if trying to figure out what had changed about me.
I ignored her.
The city lights blurred past the car windows as we drove toward the Kingsley Grand Hotel.
When we finally arrived, the building looked just as impressive as I remembered.
Bright lights illuminated the entrance, and expensive cars lined the street. Photographers stood behind velvet ropes, snapping pictures of every influential guest who stepped out.
The moment our car stopped, Lily's posture changed instantly.
Her shoulders straightened.
Her smile became sweeter.
The perfect social mask.
We stepped out of the car one by one.
Flash.
Flash.
Flash.
Cameras exploded with light.
My father greeted several familiar businessmen while my stepmother waved politely at a group of socialites.
I barely paid attention.
Because my eyes were already searching the ballroom.
Looking for him.
Inside, the gala was even more dazzling than outside.
Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, casting golden light across the room. Waiters moved gracefully through the crowd carrying trays of champagne, and elegant music drifted softly through the air.
Powerful people filled every corner of the ballroom.
Politicians.
CEOs.
Investors.
But there was only one person everyone truly wanted to see.
I spotted him almost immediately.
Standing near the center of the room, surrounded by several businessmen, was Adrian Kingsley.
My breath caught for a moment.
He looked exactly the same as I remembered.
Tall.
Broad-shouldered.
Dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit that made him stand out even in a room full of wealthy elites.
His black hair was slightly messy in a way that somehow made him look even more attractive. His sharp jawline and calm expression gave him an almost intimidating presence.
But it was his eyes that always drew attention.
Cold grey eyes.
Eyes that revealed almost nothing.
In my past life, I had never been able to understand what he was thinking.
Tonight didn't seem any different.
As if sensing my gaze, Adrian suddenly turned his head.
Our eyes met across the crowded ballroom.
And the moment stretched strangely long.
For a second, everything around us seemed to fade away.
The music.
The conversations.
Even the flashing lights from the photographers.
All I could see was him.
And the strange expression that appeared on his face.
Recognition.
My heart skipped.
No...
That wasn't possible.
We hadn't met yet in this timeline.
Yet Adrian's eyes remained fixed on me.
Sharp.
Focused.
As if he were studying something extremely important.
I forced myself to remain calm.
Maybe I was imagining things.
But then something happened that made my pulse quicken.
Adrian excused himself from the businessmen he had been talking to.
And began walking directly toward me.
Each step was slow and deliberate.
The crowd parted almost automatically to let him pass.
People whispered as he moved through the ballroom.
Because Adrian Kingsley rarely approached anyone first.
Especially not someone insignificant like me.
Lily noticed it too.
Her hand suddenly gripped my arm.
"Sister... why is he coming here?" she whispered.
Her voice held a mixture of excitement and confusion.
I didn't answer.
Because I didn't know either.
Adrian stopped in front of us.
Up close, his presence felt even more overwhelming.
His gaze moved slowly over my face, as if confirming something.
Then he spoke.
"Miss Vale."
His deep voice sent a strange chill through me.
I blinked in surprise.
"You know me?"
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
But it didn't quite reach his eyes.
"How could I forget you?" he said calmly.
My heart skipped a beat.
Because something about the way he said it sounded... familiar.
Too familiar.
And suddenly a terrifying thought crossed my mind.
What if...
No.
That couldn't be possible.
Could it?
But Adrian continued looking at me as if he knew something I didn't.
And for the first time since waking up in the past...
I wondered if I wasn't the only person who remembered the future.
