Stars of My Heart

Matthew stepped off the plane at M City's bustling airport, adjusting his overcoat as the cool breeze greeted him. The sound of incoming messages on his phone caught his attention, and he opened the screen to find a message.

@Emily♡:

"Matt, are you okay? I miss you already."

A genuine smile formed on his lips as he typed a quick reply:

"Yes, I'm here. I miss you too. How's your day going?"

Sliding his phone into his pocket, he headed toward the airport exit. His driver was already waiting for him in a luxurious black car.

"Welcome back, young master," the driver greeted with a respectful tone.

"Thank you," Matthew replied, getting into the car. As the vehicle began to move, he asked,

"How's the situation at the ancestral home?"

The driver glanced in the rearview mirror before replying:

"It's going well, sir. Your father is at the company. Are we going there?"

"No. We're going straight home," Matthew replied, as he picked up his cell phone again to check emails and messages related to the company and friends.

The drive was smooth, with Matthew watching the cityscape through the window. Upon arriving at his mansion, he got out of the car and entered the main lobby, where the silence and sophistication of the environment gave him a sense of calm.

Leaving his bags at the entrance, Matthew went up to his bedroom, where he took a quick shower to relax. Then, he went down to the living room and turned on the TV while settling into the couch.

The news channel was showing a report on the Aurora Awards event, highlighting renowned artists and young talents who had stood out that year. Among them, a 30-second scene appeared about the newcomers competing for the award. Emily's name was mentioned, her work in the film "The Heart of Truth" receiving praise.

Matthew smiled proudly. He took out his cell phone and took a picture of the TV screen, sending it to Emily with the message:

"Look who's being recognized. Proud of you, my love."

The moment was interrupted by the ringing of the cell phone. Matthew pursed his lips, curious about who it could be, and answered.

"Hello?"

On the other end of the line, the hesitant voice of his information manager echoed.

"Mr. Lancaster, good afternoon. We have some news about Miss Emily."

Matthew raised an eyebrow, his tone becoming more serious.

"What is it? Is the public still hating on her?"

"No," he replied. "A woman came to Apex Talent Group looking for Miss Emily."

Matthew adjusted his posture, interested.

"Continue."

"We intercepted her when she went to the agency for the third time. The woman said something... intriguing."

"And what did she say?" Matthew asked, his tone now more serious.

Hesitantly, the manager answered.

"She said she's Miss Emily's biological mother."

Matthew laughed in disbelief.

"What a low-level trick. Emily lost her biological parents in a tragic accident."

"Yes, sir," Ethan agreed. "But... maybe that's not exactly true. We did a little digging and found out that the woman, named Mary Mars, lives a mile from the orphanage where Emily was adopted."

Matthew was silent for a few moments, considering the information. Then he ordered:

"Investigate further. And don't let this woman talk about this to anyone, especially Emily."

"Understood, sir," Ethan replied before hanging up.

Matthew went straight to his office, where he opened his laptop and began accessing Apex Talent Group's security systems. After hacking the security cameras, he analyzed the videos that showed Mary Mars during her visits.

Observing the woman, Matthew muttered,

"She doesn't look like my Emily at all."

Continuing his investigation, he accessed personal information about Mary. She had five children, two of them girls, and all between the ages of 16 and 30. One curious detail caught his attention: Mary and her family owed more than 1.4 million dollars, including debts to loan sharks.

Matthew smiled, shaking his head.

"Bingo. Do you want to fool my Emily with such a weak story?"

Picking up his cell phone, he called Ethan again:

"Press Mary Mars until she tells the whole truth. I want a full report as soon as possible."

After ending the call, Matthew went back to the living room and decided to watch one of Emily's movies. He chose "The Heart of Truth" and smiled as he watched her act with such passion. Even from a distance, he felt close to her as he watched her talent shine on the screen.

Meanwhile, on the other side of town.

Mary Mars paced the living room, her tumultuous thoughts reflected in her tense expression. Her youngest son, Arthur, watched the scene with growing irritation.

"So, did you get to talk to Emily?" he asked, his voice filled with impatience.

Mary stopped walking and gave him a tired look before sighing deeply.

"No. I was told she's in Italy, filming."

Arthur laughed bitterly, crossing his arms.

"Of course, the princess is having fun in Europe while we drown in problems."

Mary ignored her son's sarcastic tone and resumed her circular path around the living room. She bit her nails, a habit that resurfaced whenever she was nervous. After a few seconds of indecision, she abruptly grabbed her bag and headed for the door.

Arthur, noticing her movement, stood up quickly.

"Where are you going now?" he shouted, suspicious.

Mary stopped with her hand on the doorknob, without turning to face him.

"I'll try to negotiate more time with the loan sharks. As soon as I get money from Emily, I'll sort all this out."

Arthur rolled his eyes and let out a disinterested sigh, throwing himself back on the couch.

"Good luck with that, then."

Without answering, Mary opened the door and left, closing it tightly.

Out on the street, Mary walked quickly, the cold wind hitting her face, but her mind was too focused on her problems to be bothered by the weather. She walked distractedly, her eyes fixed on the ground, until she bumped into a man who was hurrying past in the opposite direction.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" he complained, irritated.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," Mary replied, not looking at him, before continuing on her way.

The man watched her walk away with attentive eyes, then reached into his pocket, pulling out his cell phone.

"Boss, the device is installed."

The voice on the other end rang out.

"She didn't notice?"

"She didn't even suspect. She's completely distracted."

"Excellent. Keep following her. I want to know every move she makes."

"Yes, sir."

Putting away his cell phone, the man looked back at Mary in the distance before walking away in another direction.