The Moon That Remembered My Face by Elias Rowan Montclair 127

In this chapter, Helena finds herself caught in a tense situation involving a marriage proposal based on an old superstition, which she finds outdated and frustrating. As she tries to respond, William arrives abruptly, declaring that Helena is already spoken for and pulling her protectively into his arms. Despite the awkwardness, Helena feels a sense of relief and remains silent, unsure how to gently refuse the request from Lillian and Owen, who are close friends seeking her help.

The arrival of Matthew and the interactions between the group reveal underlying tensions and unspoken feelings. Matthew teases Owen about his failed romantic efforts and jokes about Helena’s chemistry with William, highlighting the complicated relationships among the characters. Helena, William, and the others share a moment of camaraderie and musical connection, which serves to both diffuse the tension and subtly affirm Helena’s bond with William.

Helena and William then perform a duet on the guitar, playing “Scarborough Fair,” a song that holds personal meaning for them. Their harmonious performance captivates everyone around, showcasing their deep connection and contrasting with the earlier conflicts. The music creates a magical atmosphere, drawing admiration from onlookers and emphasizing the special relationship between Helena and William.

Meanwhile, Owen watches the scene with regret, while Jane, observing from a distance, reflects on her own feelings of heartbreak. She decides to be honest with Owen about her emotions, signaling a turning point in their complicated relationship. The chapter ends with Jane preparing to reveal her true feelings, setting the stage for future developments in their intertwined lives.

Helena was at a loss for words. ‘Come on, it’s already the 21st century. How are people still so hung up on this outdated superstition?’

Sure, the older folks tended to be more religious, but that so-called guru was just taking things to a whole other level.

Just as Helena was about to say something, a man’s voice interrupted her. “Sorry, but Helena’s already spoken for. She can’t marry your brother.”

Helena glanced sideways and saw William striding toward her.

His handsome face was concealed in the play of light and shadow, making his expression hard to read.

But his voice was as frigid as a Siberian blizzard.

Helena felt a strange sense of relief wash over her. She greeted him with a smile. “William, what brings you here?”

William stopped in front of her, then reached out and pulled her into his arms with a possessive gesture.

His gaze swept over Owen and Oliver as they approached, his voice low and serious.

“If I hadn’t come, my wife would’ve been snatched away,” William replied.

Helena couldn’t help but laugh. Normally, she’d just throw back, “Who says I’m your wife?”

But this time, she kept quiet. She honestly had no idea how to let Lillian down gently.

The Lancaster siblings had been there for her during some of the darkest days of her life.

Now that they were asking for her help, even though the whole thing seemed ridiculous, Helena couldn’t help but feel a twinge of guilt at the thought of turning them down flat.

“Mr. Lancaster, Mr. Sinclair, you’re here too,” Owen greeted them.

“Yeah, I came with William to check in on things,” Matthew replied.

Then he turned to Helena. “Helena, good evening. Mind getting me some water?”

Helena glanced at him and noticed he didn’t look too well. She quickly motioned for him to sit down at the table and poured water for both him and William.

“Matthew, you don’t look so good. Hope you’re not coming down with something?” Helena asked, her tone full of concern.

Matthew took a sip of water, composed himself, then gave William a wry grin. “I’m fine. Just got a bit carsick from rushing

here

William, all worked up over a video he’d watched, insisted on driving the last part himself.

Matthew thought, ‘Seriously, anyone else would think he was trying to end it all for love with the way he floored that gas.

By some miracle, he made it in one piece and lived to tell the tale.

Matthew couldn’t believe it-as soon as he walked in, he found out his buddy William’s girl just got a marriage proposal… and from another woman, of all people.

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No wonder William was tearing down the road like there was no tomorrow.

But now, the guy was standing there all calm, acting like nothing ever happened.

Owen introduced Lillian and Oliver to William and Matthew.

After exchanging a few casual words, Matthew shot Owen a mischievous look. “So, Owen, what’s the deal here? You couldn’t win her over yourself, so you handed things off to your sister? That’s seriously your strategy?”

Owen couldn’t help but feel a bit embarrassed-of all the times for William and Matthew to show up, it just had to be now.

He knew his grandma buying into some so-called guru’s fate reading and trying to set him up with Lillian was pure superstition-and frankly, kind of ridiculous.

Still, he had his own selfish reasons. Since he had feelings for Helena, when Lillian started freaking out, he slyly suggested she go ask Helena for help.

That little tip was all it took-Lillian instantly saw the light, and that’s what set this whole bizarre day into motion.

Owen knew Helena never had any romantic feelings for him-it was crystal clear. Still, she was the loyal type who’d do anything for her friends.

‘If Lillian asked her for help, maybe Helena would actually say yes,’ Owen mused, clinging to that slim hope. ‘Heck, even if it meant a sham marriage, that would do the trick.’

But right when he thought the plan was coming together, William swooped in out of nowhere.

The moment the big boss stepped in, all that little bit of confidence Owen had managed to muster just vanished into thin

air.

But Owen wasn’t about to back down. He held his ground and said, “Mr. Sinclair, Lillian and Helena went to school together and they’re really close friends. Lillian’s super fond of Helena, and wishing she’d be her sister-in-law isn’t asking for too much, right?”

Lillian nodded along enthusiastically. “Exactly! My brother and Helena basically grew up together. They’re so alike, have tons in common, and totally vibe with each other-always perfectly in sync. I seriously think they’d make an awesome couple. Is it so wrong for me to want Helena as my sister-in-law?”

Matthew raised an eyebrow and instinctively glanced at William, whose stoic expression gave nothing away.

He’d already watched the video Jaden sent over in the car.

When Lillian brought up how in sync Owen and Helena were, Matthew’s mind flashed to that video of Helena and Owen playing music together-their chemistry really was something else.

Even though Matthew liked to joke around and call William “Ashford the Cheapskate” in private, when push came to shove, he’d never put his buddy in a tough spot.

So he gave a devil-may-care grin and said, “Helena, wasn’t you and William who really grew up together? Most of the cool stuff you can do, he taught you, didn’t he? If we’re talking about real chemistry, you two are basically unbeatable, huh?”

As he finished, he shot Helena a mischievous wink, oozing charm.

Helena just grinned, shooting everyone a playful look and letting the comment slide without saying no.

William flashed Matthew an approving glance, the chill in his vibe melting away ever so slightly.

He spotted the guitar set aside and turned to Helena, “You guys were jamming on the guitar just now?”

Helena nodded.

Lillian’s eyes gleamed with mischief as she piped up. “Yep! Helena and my brother played guitar together, backing me up while I danced. You have no idea how amazing they sounded-total harmony, like they’re synced on some secret wavelength. That’s why I’m always bragging about how they just get each other.”

That was the exact opening Matthew had been waiting for.

He grinned with a teasing edge, “Oh, is that so? Helena, you know how to play guitar? So, who taught you? Was your master Owen, by any chance?”

Helena shook her head. ‘Nope, I learned from William.”

Matthew grinned, “Oh, really? Then why don’t you two play a song together and see who’s got the real chemistry?”

Helena shot William a look-he didn’t protest, so even though she thought, ‘Seriously? This feels so childish,’ she let it slide and didn’t refuse.

Actually, she felt grateful for Matthew’s clever suggestion.

With Matthew’s silver tongue in play tonight, Helena figured she could leave the whole awkward rejection thing to him and not stress about turning down the Lancaster siblings later.

William stood up, picked up the guitar, and passed it to Helena. “What do you want to play?” he asked.

Helena paused, then said, “How about ‘Scarborough Fair?”

It was the very first song William had taught her once she really got the hang of playing guitar.

That song was a personal favorite of hers. She loved how the lyrics and melody seemed to capture that peaceful vibe she longed for.

An ordinary day, a life with the one she cared about most right there beside her.

This was exactly the kind of simple, quiet happiness she wished for-just the peaceful life with him.

William smirked, letting his long fingers run over the strings and test the tune. Once everything sounded right, he launched straight into the melody.

Helena jumped in without missing a beat, her hands gliding over the guitar as if they’d been born to it.

They didn’t just play-they sang together, their voices mixing perfectly like they’d done this a thousand times.

William’s voice always had that magnetic pull, but when he dove into folksy tunes like this, it got even more mesmerizing.

In that moment, he wasn’t some distant, ice-cold CEO-he was pure charisma, channeling all the easy charm of a roguish bard showing off his musical soul.

Helena’s voice was pure and so irresistibly beautiful—it was like she was an ethereal muse whose song brought a touch of enchantment to everything around her. Each note from her lips seemed to capture the very essence of beauty itself.

Their playing was the very definition of perfect harmony-as if their spirits were in sync, creating a magical paradise with every chord and verse.

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Everyone nearby-actors, crew, anyone not busy with filming-just stopped what they were doing and listened quietly. completely caught up in the spell of their duet.

Some people couldn’t help but start whispering, unable to hold back their admiration.

“This is so romantic. Helena and Mr. Ashford really are a match made in heaven.”

“No way, they’re like true soulmates-totally in tune, you can just feel the connection when they play together.”

“Helena and Owen were really good as a duo, but honestly, I feel like Helena and Mr. Ashford just vibe better. They’re perfect together.”

“For real, I think so too.”

Jane stepped out of the restroom and caught sight of the scene in front of her. Her eyes, dull just moments before, suddenly sparkled with renewed interest.

Her gaze landed on Owen, who was quietly watching Helena, a shadow of regret and wistfulness playing across his face.

Jane couldn’t help it-her lips curled into a sly smile, feeling a bit smug at his misfortune. She knew exactly how he felt- she’d been in his shoes before.

Right now, Owen and Jane were both feeling the sting of heartbreak-neither of them was coming out on top in love.

‘Why can’t two people nursing broken hearts just settle for each other?’ Jane mused, the idea sneaking into her mind.

Right then, Jane made her decision. This time, she was going to come clean to Owen-no more holding back, no more playing it safe.

‘It’s do or die,’ Jane thought. ‘If it doesn’t work out, at least I gave it my all.

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This chapter delicately unveils the tangled emotions and unspoken tensions among Helena, William, Owen, and the others, highlighting the complexities of love, loyalty, and friendship. Through the shared music and subtle glances, readers witness the undeniable chemistry between Helena and William, contrasting with the quiet longing and regret felt by Owen and Jane. The interplay of hope, hesitation, and heartfelt connections paints a vivid picture of the characters’ inner worlds, where past bonds and present desires collide.

Ultimately, the chapter captures a moment of harmony amid the chaos—a fleeting glimpse of peace and understanding through the simple act of playing a song together. It reminds us that even in the midst of confusion and unfulfilled wishes, there is beauty in connection and the courage to face one’s feelings, setting the stage for the emotional journeys yet to unfold.

The next chapter promises to deepen the emotional entanglements that have been simmering beneath the surface. As Helena and William’s undeniable musical chemistry captivates everyone around them, the tension between past loyalties and present desires becomes even more palpable. Will Helena’s quiet longing for a peaceful life with William find a way to flourish, or will the complicated web of friendships and unspoken feelings threaten to unravel it all?

Meanwhile, Owen and Jane’s shared heartache sets the stage for a poignant confrontation, one that could redefine their relationship and perhaps open new doors for healing—or further heartbreak. With Jane deciding to reveal her true feelings, the dynamics among the group are poised for a shift that could ripple through their intertwined lives in unexpected ways. Prepare for a chapter rich with emotional stakes, subtle power plays, and the delicate balance between hope and vulnerability.

Lucia Morh

Lucia Morh is a passionate storyteller who brings emotions to life through her words. When she’s not writing, she finds peace nurturing her garden.