As Sarah and Aiden closed the door behind them, Stella found herself alone in the study room. It was very quiet. She was thinking about Sarah and how she defended her relationship with Aiden. It brought back memories.
About thirty years ago, Milena came to US for education using name Stella. She was a teenager then, just had her fifteenth birthday. Few months after coming to US, she met Edward and fell in love with him. He was few years older and had a girlfriend at a time.
Stella was painfully aware that her family would never approve of someone like him: American, not from a prominent family, no connections, no power. Any of those individually was strong enough for him not to be accepted.
Stella satisfied her love by stealing glances at him occasionally and telling herself that is the most she can afford in this lifetime.
