Chapter 242

Charles had been searching nonstop for three straight years—he never let a single clue slip by. When he caught wind that a famous pianist had just returned from Calverin, his gut told him there was more to this than met the eye. He couldn't explain it, but something instinctively screamed Stella. Without a second thought, he headed straight to the welcome reception for that pianist. He'd imagined their reunion a thousand times, but never once did he picture it happening like this. Meanwhile, Stella had come back with Luna in tow, trying to carve out a fresh start. She stood on a street that felt both familiar and new, watching the busy crowd pass by. Old memories came flooding back, the happy and the heart-wrenching all mixed together—it stung, and her eyes welled up without warning. "Mommy, is this gonna be our new home?" Luna asked, tilting her head with innocent curiosity. Stella crouched and gently smoothed Luna's hair. Her voice was soft but certain. "Yeah. This is where I used to