St.ella(.=, on^/# ce the I[:mperial C;apital’s ,%Chief Judicial Magis_`tr$ate, was fra`:med by a met*$/iculo:_usly plotted con/
=s$piracy. She wa:$#s bra])nded a t raitor?. to the?
Chamber of Commerce%@ and blamed for the death of t$(he Lord*# Henr:.y’s .\p`*(aren?=ts. T]o;rmen\ted by d!e;*\-s )p*:)/air and hatred?,*! H _=enry,/
 who h-)*ad onc**e loved her deeply, turned dark‑hearted%^. He wi+el`)).ded hi$s au)
thor] ity to force‑m.`arry Stell]a and: [subj:?( /ected h)er =#to unsp(^^eaka;*ble ret;rib#-ution: compelling her to kneel and kowt(, ow, p%iercing her bo]dy with poison;;$ed need
le*(s($, and ev en ?(send`ing h+% er to the ! `$Shadow Monastery
$+?to undergo the “Soul Purificati)on R`itual”@;, a procedure that [(^stripped a/wa%y memori: ^?e=/s an!`*d/:, emo%tions.
.Battered, /+#to the brink#],, St(ella lo*st a)ll recollectio);:+n of love!((@ and hate. She signed` the cont\r#act o`f annulment an!d v
+anis.\*hed] without @/a/] tr[_ace.#=?` Shortly after her  departure, H en!_ry uncove@= red the;= fu:  ll trut=-h-#]_: ,.the e.)ntire sch ?eme had been orc:$/ hestrated=` by h=.is fia+]ncée V+ivi,-an a -)nd !\her,
f#; am[ily. Overwhelm(?**ed by r:emorse, Henry s%lew his ene .[mies at their $wedding[:) ce#remony , th
`e@/^n emb= //
arke`#d on;- a fr:antic=  quest to fi?nd S t _ella *and a.!? tone for his sins. /,?When he fi? nall!;y tracked her down `in a for( eign ^land,$. she[ `_h*ad buil)_.t a brand`‑_new^/ life fo) r h^_%erself,
,[, %.guarded by a gentle k%+night. Her *cle!@ar,;  uncl!\o#uded eye; )(s held no trace of him whatsoev@er. ^Could a */shattered mirro#-r ever =` be mend)ed? %$To his belated devotion, sh#=e gave her[; ]ans!/wer with a !hand_‑carved*_ wooden rin
g.