Chapter 288

The night was deep, the rain growing heavier.

His gaze burned with an intensity that made her heart race.

Yet it held a tenderness that drew her in.

Adrian Roland pushed himself up from the bed, his movements slow. Stella Valentine instinctively reached out. "Don't move—"

"It's fine. Just turning off the light."

His left arm trembled slightly as he rose, his jaw tightening.

"Let me—" Stella hesitated, her fingers hovering in the air.

Should she help him?

The towel around his waist looked ready to slip at any moment.

Before she could decide, darkness swallowed the room.

"Adrian?"

"Hmm?"

His voice came from the shadows, low and rough.

"What should I call you?"

"...Stella."

"Stella." His voice was suddenly close.

The mattress dipped as he settled behind her.

"Come here."

The scene overlapped with that night at the Houston Grand Hotel. Stella's breath caught.

"What?"

"Come to me."

The voice in the dark matched the one in her memory perfectly.

Her heartbeat roared in her ears.

"Stella, stay tonight."

"I—"

"Don’t worry. I won’t cross the line." Exhaustion laced his words. "I just... want to fall asleep with your scent nearby."

Tears welled in her eyes. She nodded fiercely. "Okay."

"Haven’t slept well in so long." He glanced toward the window. "Too bad there are no stars."

"It’ll clear up! I’ll check the forecast—"

"Don’t." A soft chuckle. "You’re right. It always clears eventually. If you wait long enough... you’ll see the sun again. And you’ll find me."

Lightning split the sky.

Illuminating half his face.

That familiar profile, the gentle eyes—unchanged from her memories.

"...Mr. Alistair."

"I’m here."

"Don’t cry." He pulled her into his arms, pressing a kiss to her hair. "I know what you’ve endured."

The scent of citrus clung to him.

Just like that cologne.

"Leave the company to me. Victor too." His fingers brushed through her hair. "Just rest."

"Mr. Alistair..."

"Yes?"

"I want to save Celeste."

"We’ll see Victor tomorrow." Steel edged his voice. "I’ll drag him to the hospital myself if I have to."

Her fingers trembled as they touched his cheek.

"Don’t cry." He wiped her tears. "Tell me. What is it?"

"We..." Her arms tightened around his neck. "Had a child once."

His body went rigid.

"What?"

"Abroad..." A sob broke free. "The day I heard you died—I collapsed..."

His breathing turned ragged in the dark.

"A five-month-old girl..." Her tears soaked his chest. "I brought her back. Buried her at the peak of Mount Rainier."

"That day with Victor..."

"Yes." She curled against him. "It’s closest to the sky... where the stars could watch over her..."

So that was why.

Why she’d refused to leave during the storm.

"The day Celeste was born..." Her voice shattered. "Our baby left me... Why...?"

His arms shook, his heart tearing open.

"I begged everyone..." Her fists clutched his shirt. "But I still couldn’t keep her..."

The rain drowned out her cries.

In the darkness, two broken hearts held each other tight.