Chapter 23

It was finally Jane's most awaited day.

September 10th was her birth day.

The venue was held inside and outside the mansion. A part of it was inside, with the stage, dance floor and on the sides tables and chairs. The garden was also arranged the same since it wasn't that cold yet, with a band in both places. Everything was arranged in baby blue and some patches of yellow from side to side. These were Jane's favorite colors, just as her hair and eyes.

The party started in the afternoon, witch was held in the garden mostly since the weather was nice. The ones present so early were mostly Jane's friends, the teens and some small kids. The adults were expected in the evening.

Jane and Julian were also present among them, talking and laughing with their piers.

Aryan was still held with work, he would join the party in the evening and Alida was preparing to show her face for a few minutes before a maid with an "emergency" would come and whisk her away.

Jane was wearing a yellow dress that matches her sunny personality she desplayed well., while Julian had a pair of black pants , with a light yellow shirt and a black vest. Both him and Jane were matching.

"Jane! You look so beautiful!" One of Jane's friends started showering her with praise the moment they met.

"Thank you Felicia. You look beautiful too. July, Dina you too. Thank you for coming to my birthday party."

Jane showcased her skills as a hostess quite well and made sure to greet each and every one of them, making them feel welcomed.

Just then , Julian made his entrance, stepping close to Jane and putting a hand over Jane's middle back.

All the girls present giggled and acted coy at this display of affection.

"Hello ladies. Thank you for joining us today." Julian greeted them politely and spoke in such a way showing his and Jane's closeness.

Both of them were definitely the stars of today. Just then one of Jane's friends, Dina saw Alida coming towards them and her face made a frown and a look of disdain appeared on her face.

"Hello everyone." Alida came close to them and greeted everyone with a beautiful smile on her face. All were dazed for a few seconds at the beauty in front of them, a stark contrast from the Alida they remembered. A glint of jealousy could be seen in the eyes of most girls present. How could they not be jealous when such a beauty was in front of them, even if they wanted to deny , they knew in their hearts who shone the most.

Turning her face toward Jane, Alida wished her happy birthday with a shallow hug.

"Happy birthday Jane. May you be happy and celebrate many more birthdays to come." Alida's greeting seemed sincere and nobody could find fault with her. In all honesty, this Alida was sincere in her wishing towards Jane.

" Thank you Alida ." Muttered Jane shyly , her face down ,hiding the jealousy in them.

"Thank you all for coming and celebrate Jane's special day with us all." Alida was about to say more when one of the maids came forward and whispered something in her year. Alida made a surprised face,that a serious one before saying : " Excuse me everyone. There's an emergency I have to attend to." Bowing briefly she made a U turn and made her way towards the exit of the garden. She came like a gentle breeze and left just the same. Some were sad they didn't get a chance to talk with her, mostly the youn men, while some of the girls( Jane's clique ) just gritted their teeth, missing a chance to embarrass her.

And just like that, in under five minutes, Alida had a perfect excuse for not being present early.

The party kept going, with joy, laughter and of course food. In no time it was evening. Jane and Julian both excused themselves earlier since they had to change their clothes before the main event.

In the grand hall of the Burgess Mansion, light shone from all directions, all kinds of delicacies and drinks could be seen on the tables, prepared in abundance. At the center end of the hall, a platform stood with a band in the background playing music for the guests. At both ends of the platform, staircases were gliding up a floor, decorated the same as the hall, for the grand festivity.

Almost all the guests had arrived. The Burgess couple were between them , acting as perfect hosts. Aryan and Alida were doing the same thing on different ends of the hall. Just then a butler tasked with the announcement of every guest raised his voice.

" Entering Cain Moonlight, heir of the Moonlight Archduchy."

Everyone's attention was on the door. Many hearts started beating hard at the site of one of the most handsome, wealthy and desired young men of the Empire.

A young man in his mid twenties, white hair, red eyes, thick eyebrows, strong jawline and thin long lips sporting a black suit , white shirt and a deep purple handkerchief in his breast pocket, showcasing his straight and strong phisic, entered the hall, leaving a lot of maidens hearts bubble with excitement and swooning over him.

Cain Moonlight entered with strong, steady steps , his gaze scanning the hall and everyone in it in just a few seconds. Finding his two targets, he first moved towards Nicola and his wife Patricia. After a short greeting he left , going straight to Alida. Of course, the nobles present wouldn't miss a chance like this. Everyone swarmed him the moment he turned his back on the Burgess couple, making his destination long and difficult. After a good 20 minutes he started frowning and a cold aura could be felt around him. All the nobles in his near vicinity felt a chill down their spines and unconsciously made a few steps back. Cain, taking advantage of this, quickly strode out of the sea of people and in just a few seconds he arrived where Alida was.