Ziva’s breath hitched immediately, the glow from the screen reflecting brightly in her wide fever glossed eyes.

Even Elara had to wonder if this was truly the same woman who had spent the whole afternoon wrapped in blankets moving around like a dying orphan with a tragic backstory.

"Elara, look at the numbers. These people aren’t just listening, they’re obsessed," Ziva said shoving the phone dramatically toward Elara’s face.

Elara stared at the screen, not even knowing how to react. Under the title of the song, the comments were an absolute flood.

"We did it," Ziva whispered looking close to tears. "Even without Voice, Rye, or any other industry vultures breathing down our necks."

"Carris," Elara reminded quietly.

Ziva rolled her eyes instantly. "Fine. Congratulations to both of you talented emotionally complicated singers."

Elara didn’t argue. She simply kept staring at the screen though a small smile was already threatening the corners of her lips.

"Let’s look at the comments," Ziva muttered excitedly but the moment she shifted closer to Elara, she suddenly gasped and clutched her head dramatically.

"Ah. My brain. It hurts," she groaned weakly though her eyes never once left the screen.

Most of the comments were fans praising Carris, while others were directed at Elara. And surprisingly... None of them were very bad. As Elara scrolled through them, one particular post caught her attention.

@Studio_Rat_Thief: Everyone check out this video.

There was a short clip attached beneath it. When Elara tapped it, the video opened immediately. It was footage from inside the recording studio.

She was sitting on a high stool before the microphone in an oversized sweatshirt, her messy hair falling around her face as she leaned closely toward the mic with her eyes closed, completely lost in the song.

And in the corner of the frame, partially swallowed by shadows sat Carris near the sound console, his chin resting lazily against his hand as he watched her in complete silence.

"Who even recorded that?" Ziva asked, adjusting the cooling pad back onto her forehead.

Beneath the video were already thousands of comments.

@GlobalVibes: "Carris just dropped the song of the year, but can we talk about this Elara girl? I thought her voice sounded too perfect in the official track because of studio editing, but hearing this raw clip? Her tone literally sounds like honey mixed with heartbreak. Where has she been hiding?"

@MusicSnob99: "Heard she’s from Aurelia? That explains it. They have the best singers there. Her voice has way too much soul for the usual pop factories. Carris found a diamond."

Ziva chuckled, clearly entertained now despite looking one sneeze away from collapse.

@SneakyPeach77: "I knew Elara Veyne wouldn’t stay down forever. She’s not the type to cry herself into retirement over scandals. And honestly? This song just proved why people fell in love with her voice in the first place."

@CertifiedDramaHunter: "All of you focus please. First Carris covered her shoulders during the wrap up party incident, now he gives her a feature on his track? This man has been protecting her like a bodyguard with emotional attachment issues. If they don’t confirm they’re dating soon, I’m suing."

Elara rolled her eyes, though she kept scrolling anyway, pausing every few seconds whenever another ridiculous comment appeared. Then another one caught her attention.

@Fanfic_Queen: "LOOK AT THE BACKGROUND. THAT’S LIOREN. Why is he in the studio while she records?? The way he’s staring at her... my heart actually stopped. #Anemoia #LiorenAndElara"

Elara shook her head in amusement. People truly had too much imagination.

In the video, the figure in the shadows was probably just the sound engineer sitting near the mixing equipment. Somehow, within three business minutes, the internet had transformed the poor man into Lioren staring at her with forbidden yearning and emotional suffering. The internet was genuinely terrifying.

But thinking about him made her pause slightly. It had really been a long time since she had seen or heard from Lioren. Her lips pursed slightly in thought.

A sneer appeared on Ziva’s face. "It’s actually strange though," she muttered. "I thought Relanie’s fans would be mass reporting the song or spamming the comments to drag us down by now. They’re usually much louder when they’re trying to ruin your life."

Elara opened her mouth to reply, but before she could, the doorbell suddenly rang. She already guessed who it was.

Standing up, she passed the phone back to Ziva before walking out of the room and toward the entrance door.

The moment she opened it, Carris came into view standing there with an warm smile and several shopping bags hanging from his hands.

Elara gave a small nod and stepped aside to let him enter.

Carris frowned instantly, letting out a tired laugh. "With everything that happened today, you still have that same face intact," he muttered while walking in. "At least shake the walls a little. Jump on the couch. Scream like the world is actually ending. Give me something." 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Elara rolled her eyes and closed the door behind him. "What exactly do you want me to do?" she asked flatly. "I’m not any teenager at a talent show. Why should I scream?"

Carris placed a hand over his chest as if her words had wounded him.

Elara ignored him and walked further into the apartment.

He sighed and followed anyway. After dropping the bags on the table, he headed straight for the refrigerator, pulled out a soft drink, opened it, then sat down on the couch and drank almost half of it in one gulp.

By then, Ziva had also dragged herself out of the room. A large blanket was wrapped tightly around her shoulders.

"I bought some food," Carris said leaning forward to open one of the bags. He pulled out a sausage roll and tore the package casually.

Elara also picked up a small pastry for herself and leaned back against the chair.

Ziva however, looked deeply uninterested in everything before her. "So this is the victory feast after surviving public execution?" she asked dryly, raising a brow.

Carris wiped the corner of his lips with a handkerchief and shook his head. "Of course not. We’re going to a private lounge tonight to celebrate properly."

Then he paused and turned toward Elara, a playful glint entering his eyes. "So..." he drawled. "I see the internet already finished writing your biography. Have you seen the Lioren and Elara edits on the main charts page? Who even is that guy? I don’t think he’s a singer."

Elara didn’t even look up from the pastry in her hand. "I try not to look at things capable of giving me headaches."

"You’re talking about the Lioren edits?" Ziva cut in immediately, clutching her blanket tighter around herself. "Have you seen the ones about both of you?"

"Well, this one I’m talking about is a masterpiece," Carris declared spinning his phone lazily in his palm.