Echoes of Valentina

Stella

The large dining room feels surprisingly warm and intimate as the plates are cleared away. I lean back in my chair, letting out a small, satisfied sigh.

“I take it that the food was to your liking, Chef Stella,” Cornelius says with a smile.

I can’t help but grin. The flavor of fresh salmon, caught earlier today, still mingles with the lemon and thyme on my tongue. “It was delicious,” I say.