StartNovelChapter 577
Stella shook her head. "My brother and | have practiced together since we were kids. We're completely in sync."
Candida smiled. "Good, as long as there's no problem."
Abby, remembering the incident with the kidnapping, asked, "Star, did they ever catch that kidnapper?"
Stella replied, "Mr. Connolly said not yet.
He's been keeping an eye on things for me, even checked with the local police, but they haven't caught anyone
either.
It's been so long now... | doubt they ever will."
Abby rolled her eyes. "Can you believe Rachel, trying to pin the whole kidnapping mess on you? She's got some
nerve!
She's nowhere near as pretty as you, and her violin skills can't compare-she's not even close. | honestly don't get
what Haynes sees in her."
Stella's tone was indifferent. "To each their own, | suppose. Everyone has their preferences."
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt
After Abby grumbled a bit more about Rachel, the group let the subject drop, and no one brought up Rachel
again.
When lunch was over, Stella went back to practicing the violin.
Joshua settled onto the sofa, quietly watching her as she played, his gaze growing thoughtful.
This Stella... she wasn't anything like what Rachel had described. Rachel always made her out to be scheming,
always looking for trouble, trying to make her life miserable. But with the whole kidnapping ordeal-even though
Stella had to know Rachel was involved-she didn't seem interested in stirring up more . She almost looked
as if she couldn't be bothered.
If Stella wasn't going to pursue it, then all the back-up plans he'd asked Lind to prepare were pointless. He'd
been ready to make sure Stella wouldn't have a chance to fight back, but she wasn't even stepping up to the
plate.
For the first time, Joshua realized his efforts had all been for nothing.
Yet, instead of feeling frustrated, he found it oddly intriguing.
He couldn't help but wonder-was this woman really as innocent as she seemed, or was she just playing a very
convincing game?
Stella practiced the spiece over and over for nearly two hours before finally stopping. She picked up her
sheet music and pen, ready to make srevisions, when she happened to notice Joshua still sitting in the
practice room.
"Joshua, you're still here?"
Joshua was candid. "You play beautifully. | just wanted to listen a bit longer. Ms. Cameron, | hope I'm not
bothering you?"
"Not at all," Stella replied, smiling. "It makeshappy that you enjoy it."
"What's the nof this piece? Is it one of your own?"
Over the past few days, while "helping out" in Stella's studio,
l.ne
Joshua had learned that most of the pieces she practiced were originals-composed by her and Antoney. Abby had
even told him
that the piece that made Antoney
famous was actually Stella's composition.
Clearly, this woman was extraordinarily gifted.
Stella nodded. "I haven't named it yet. | want to finish the final score first."
Joshua said, “Don't mind me. Go ahead with your work."
Stella didn't have tfor small talk anyway. She nodded and bent over her music, lost in concentration.
She becso absorbed in her revisions that it wasn't long before she forgot Joshua was even there.
Afternoon sunlight poured through the window, casting a golden glow acrosseStella's delicate, brighte features,
making her look almost ethereal-breathtakingly beautiful.
Joshua had never cared much about appearances, but in that moment, even he had to admit: this woman was
striking.
What lay beneath that lovely face, though—whether she was truly kind or hiding something dark-he couldn't say.
Not that it mattered to him. Kindness was irrelevant, as long as she stayed away from the people he cared
about.
Just as Stella finished her final edits, she becaware of his unblinking gaze, impossible to ignore.
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