The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

"Am I imagining things, or does Stella's performance of 'Moonlight' sound almost exactly like the original composer's?"

"The original composer? You mean that Raven Williams from Neo-Vespera University, right? I heard she's in the University's Hall of Fame-a total enigma. No one even knows what she looks like!"

"Plenty of virtuosos have played 'Moonlight,' but none of them have ever captured that unique timbre the composer brought to it."

"There's no way Stella is Raven, is there? I've seen Stella perform 'Moonlight' before, and it's nothing like the original."

"Yeah, but last time, Stella wasn't playing on the Nocturne Stella. Wasn't it some generic piano? I still have the video on my phone..."

"Could Stella actually be Raven?"

"This performance of 'Moonlight'... it's uncanny, really."

The astonished whispers rippled through the crowd. Even Simone, usually so composed, looked genuinely surprised.

"Aurora, if I remember right, the composer of 'Moonlight' was called Raven, wasn't she? In the Williams family, isn't that Stella's name too? Could it really be her?"

Aurora was caught off guard as well.

but always figured it was

the brilliant, legendary Raven enshrined in the

Aurora's fleeting expression, Simone laughed softly. "Aurora, your half- sister really

Aurora had never thought much

be fair,

matter how generously Nora had raised Stella, she could never truly compare to young women

so much attention, that's not necessarily a bad thing. When Father finally reveals her identity, at least the Williams family won't

is planning to go public with

hand it over. She's

yet we

"But if that comes out,

Father will let it

youthful indiscretions."

Understanding dawned on Simone.

to let everyone believe Stella was the

in truth, that

was willing to go to any lengths to

par for the course. In these powerful