StartNovelChapter 463
The four of them, each strikingly attractive, drew more than a few curious glances as they made their way
through the airport. Whispers rustled through the crowd; speople even mistook them for celebrities and
began snapping photos with their phones.
Except for Stella, the others had long grown used to this kind of attention and hardly gave it a second thought.
Walking beside her, Wendy Burke nudged her gently and asked, "Star, have you finally caround? Ready to
get back in the game?"
Stella gave a small nod. "Sorry... | haven't kept in touch all these years, and now here | am reaching out just to
ask for your help."
All three were Stella's old classmates, and each had earned a spot in the Neo- Vespera University Hall of Fame.
Now, they were leading figures in their own corners of the music world. Two of them had even turned down
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtinvitations from Mr. Walden himself.
They cfrom well-connected families-there was never any real need to becMr. Walden's protégés,
especially considering how strict his standards were. They were used to doing things their own way, and with
resources at their fingertips, apprenticing under Walden simply wasn't necessary.
Besides, Mr. Walden, despite his genius, wasn't equally skilled with every instrument. Back in school, the four
had often performed together and had becclose friends, but each had their own specialty.
Katrina Greene—the youngest and liveliest of the group-looped her arm affectionately through Stella's. "Come
on, we're like sisters, aren't we? No need to stand on ceremony. But seriously, Star, you've got a cold heart-how
could you go this long without a word?"
Genius attracts genius, after all. Most of them were Novaris natives, which meant they always had plenty to talk
about. Back at Neo-Vespera, they'd formed a band, performing at competitions and concerts all over the place.
Their group had nearly swept the entire Western scene. Katrina herself had once defeated one of Mr. Walden's
own students in a competition-the girl never quite recovered, and her brilliant career fizzled out.
Stella lowered her eyes. "I'm sorry."
If it hadn't been for that accident, Stella should have stayed in Solmaris for a while longer. The four of them had
even made a pact to form @band together-each could pursue her own musical path most of the year, but
whenever there was a concert or a competition, they'd reunite and perform as one.
But fate had other plans.
Stella's accident changed everything.
Wendy hesitated, then asked, "Star, what happened, really? How did you go back
to Novaris and end up married with a kid? Did you fall madly in love or
something?"
Those days had been chaos for Stella-dealing with a difficult pregnancy morning sickness, and Haynes's mother
all at once. others were busy too, caught up in advanced studies, performances, or competitions, and over time,
they lost touch. By the ttheir own careers had settled, Stella had disappeared from their lives entirely. Only
Lauretta Chapman, whose family connections outstripped everyone else's, managed to track down Stella's
number. The band plans slipped away and gathered dust.
Stella fell silent for a moment. "I'd been invited to perform-there was a big after-party, and | had a little too much
to drink. I'd just gotten back to Neo-Vespera, still jetlagged, and somehow | wandered into the wrong room. The
next morning, we'd talked it over and agreed it was a one-tmistake. But, somehow, that one time... | ended
up pregnant.”
Katrina's eyes went wide. "You're kidding. That's straight out of a soap opera."
Stella managed a wry smile. "I know. It's ridiculous, but that's how it happened."
They chatted as they made their way out of the terminal. Abby was already waiting outside, her car idling at the
curb. When she spotted them, she waved enthusiastically.
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