Joshua's gaze was fixed unblinkingly on her face. His dark eyes narrowed slightly, carrying a hint of scrutiny and assessment.

Joshua's hypnosis had been successful-Stella had personally verified it.

But hypnosis was still just hypnosis; there was always a chance of it weakening or memories slipping through.

Stella's nerves tightened instantly, though she kept her face perfectly composed.

"No."

He stared intently into her eyes. "I just feel like you look very familiar, like I've seen you somewhere."

Her heartbeat grew erratic.

She didn't know if he had remembered something or if he genuinely just found her face familiar.

Just as Stella was frantically trying to come up with an answer, Joshua suddenly said, "I remember now."

Her pupils shrank, and her fingers curled into fists instinctively.

Joshua looked down at her face and smiled. "Three years ago, when I was undergoing hypnosis, I think I saw you at Mr. Burton's place.

You're Laurel Quinn's friend, right?"

Three years ago...

The tension in Stella's body immediately dissipated. She couldn't tell if she was relieved or disappointed.

"You have a good memory, Mr. Gardner," Stella said.

He raised an eyebrow. "You know who I am?"

"Yes, Laurel mentioned you to me," Stella replied smoothly.

Joshua looked slightly surprised. "She actually talked to you about me? It seems you two are really close."

Stella remained silent for a moment. "Not exactly. She didn't say much. After I saw you that day, I asked her about you. She just briefly explained your relationship and told me your name."

His lips curved upward in a half-smile as he looked at her.

"You asked her about me... Are you interested in me?"

Stella was speechless.

She had never noticed that Joshua could be this blunt.

In the early days of their acquaintance, she hadn't paid much attention to him.

Aside from him being handsome,

emoting, and having h al intelligence she det

know much about his personality

Looking back, Abby's claim that

Joshua was a passionate, righteo youth who loved playing the bo

was utter nonsense

Unsure of how to respond, Stella deflected the question.

Testing the waters, she asked, "May I ask why you're here?"

"I suddenly heard the music and was drawn to it. I wanted to see who was playing the violin," Joshua said.

Then, as if recalling something, he

added, "Speaking of which, it just

reminded me of a time many years ago wher

think I heard a similar

tune.

But it's been so long, and the memory is a bit hazy. No wonder I felt a sense of déjà

vu about this whole scene."

Stella stayed quiet for a few seconds before quietly shifting the topic again.

"Laurel told me that you rarely leave Aetheria.

Why did you suddenly come to Solmaris? Are you here to visit Laurel?"

He glanced at her. "Seeing them is just a coincidence. I came to Solmaris mainly to..."

Before he could finish, his phone rang.

Whatever the person on the other end said, Joshua simply replied, "I know. I'll be right there."

Hanging up, he looked at Stella.

"Sorry, I have some business to attend to. I have to go."

Stella gave a slight nod. "Alright, go ahead with your plans."

Joshua smiled and turned to leave.

Stella watched his retreating back for a long time, unable to snap out of her daze.

It wasn't until she heard steady footsteps approaching from behind that she finally came back to reality.

Turning around, she saw Leonard Lerman. She had no idea how long he had been standing there.

"Joshua is back?"

"You didn't get the news?" Stella asked.

Leonard shook his head, his deep gaze resting on her face.