The Number One Star in the Interstellar Era

ELLIS felt like a flying car had hit her—except instead of bruises and wounds, it left her with a pounding headache and the sudden, irrational certainty that she was seconds away from cardiac arrest. She clutched the edge of the table, her grip so tight it could probably leave fingerprints on solid oak, while her eyes darted to the teapot like it was the only thing tethering her to sanity.

Without thinking, she grabbed her teacup and started drinking. Sip. Sip. Sip. A brief pause. Sip. Was it helping? Not at all. But the thought of putting the cup down felt like admitting defeat, and she wasn't about to let a family scandal knock her out of commission. She poured herself another cup with shaky hands, muttering internally about needing to invest in a flask—forget water; she was going to start carrying emergency tea for moments like these.

She stared at Astrid across the table, her mind still swirling with disbelief. Was he serious? Of course, he was serious. No one dropped news like this as a joke. Still, she couldn't shake the mental image of herself flopping dramatically onto the floor like a character in a bad drama. Instead, she drained her second cup of tea and immediately poured a third. By the end of this, she might end up as caffeinated as a hummingbird, but at least she'd be too jittery to focus on the world's most absurd PR crisis sitting across from her.
Find adventures at My Virtual Library Empire

"Sister Ellis?" Astrid said, his voice breaking the silence as he looked at his agent.

He could see Ellis doing everything in her power to keep her cool. She kept fidgeting, tapping her fingers lightly on the table or adjusting her grip on the teacup as if the small movements could somehow distract her from the weight of what she'd just heard. Every few seconds, she'd take another sip of tea, like she was following a set routine to stop herself from spiraling. Her shoulders were stiff, and her breaths came a little too fast, almost like she was trying to regulate them but couldn't quite manage. Even her gaze seemed to wander, shifting between the table, the teapot, and anywhere but his face, as though looking at him might make her lose whatever grip she had left on her composure.

Astrid wisely kept his mouth shut, giving Ellis the space to process everything. He had a strong suspicion that if he dared to ask what they should do next, she might grab the teacup in front of her and toss its contents directly at his face without a second thought.

Ellis drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out. She repeated the process a few more times, each exhale seeming to chip away at the tension in her body. Eventually, her forced composure began to settle, and she finally managed to regain her calm.

"Alright," she said after a moment, her tone steadying. "Since you can't pick your family, we'll just have to play the hand we've been dealt."

Astrid nodded, relieved that Ellis seemed to have settled down. "Do you have any suggestions on how we handle this?"

Ellis let out a dry laugh, shaking her head as she leaned back in her chair. "Honestly? I've got nothing right now," she said, her voice tinged with exasperation. "I wouldn't even know where to start explaining this to someone without it sounding like the plot of a bad soap opera."

Astrid gave a faint, almost sheepish smile as he shrugged. "If it's any consolation," he said lightly, "my relationship with Wulf will probably hit the headlines long before anyone digs up my family's secrets."

Ellis rolled her eyes. "That's hardly any consolation."

"I'm just saying this secret isn't something that would be exposed easily," Astrid said. "My grandfather and uncles will do whatever it takes to keep my mother safe. They won't let anything jeopardize her. And Wulf is there too—if anything starts to surface, he'll make sure it's dealt with before it becomes an issue."

"I understand the Grimaldis since they have a vested interest in this. But are you sure the prince will always be in your corner?" Ellis asked. "I'm not trying to be harsh, but people's lives and priorities evolve—things happen, situations change. The prince might be sincere now, but no one can predict how he'll feel or act in a few years. Even a year from now, his focus could shift for any number of reasons. Trusting someone's feelings to stay the same over time, especially in something as sensitive as this, is a gamble you might not want to take."

Astrid could understand why Ellis would say that. Given her past experiences with love, it wasn't surprising that she'd grown a little cynical. And she wasn't entirely wrong—humans could be incredibly fickle. Relationships often fell apart over the smallest things: a misunderstanding, a change in priorities, or even sheer boredom. He'd seen friendships dissolve over petty arguments and marriages end because one partner suddenly decided they wanted something—or someone—else.

But he also knew that people weren't inherently like that. Humans could be faithful, loyal, and steadfast. His parents were proof of that. Despite everything they had endured—changing identities, living in hiding, and carrying the weight of their shared secrets—they had remained devoted to one another through it all.

Most people would likely place Wulfric in the first category, but Astrid knew better—he belonged in the second. On the outside, Wulfric might seem rough, unfeeling, and self-centered, with a dash of aggression for good measure. And sure, those traits weren't entirely inaccurate. But he could also be surprisingly caring, deeply thoughtful, and fiercely protective. Granted, those qualities seemed to show only when it came to Astrid, but that just made it all the more obvious how much he truly mattered to Wulfric.

Wulfric's behavior toward him was proof enough—he wasn't someone who gave his affection easily. The way he reserved all his gentleness and care for Astrid showed just how real and deep his feelings were.

Astrid met Ellis' gaze, a confident smile playing on his lips. "If it's Wulf, that's a gamble I'm more than willing to take."