The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Chapter 349

Marvin's eyes, deep and dark as obsidian, rested quietly on Keen.

"No matter if we come in first or last, no matter how Stella does, I'll never be embarrassed by her," he said, his tone steady and sincere.

Keen shot him a glare, crossing his arms stubbornly. "Hmph! Wait until you're the one making a fool of yourself-let's see if you still talk like that! And don't you dare cry if we lose, you troublemaker!"

It hadn't always been like this. Keen hadn't always felt so ashamed of his own mother.

But everything changed the day Rachel came back into their lives.

Ever since then, it seemed like Mom was always the one getting laughed at. The worst was on his birthday, when she got into an argument with one of Mr. Wilkinson's friends. Everyone at the party stared and whispered, watching her

make a scene.

He'd overheard grown-ups-uncles and aunts-murmuring that his mother wasn't classy enough, that she was an embarrassment. Some even said it was no wonder Dad was always taking Rachel to important events instead.

At the time, Keen was still at his old preschool, and everyone there knew Stella was his mom.

and soon every kid in

who used to play with him now kept their distance. He felt completely alone, shunned by

transferred to a

no one knew who his

over the teachers and making new friends. He even got Rachel to join him at parent-child events, soaking up the envious

this new

him. The emptiness gnawed at him,

Mom could be as amazing as

if there's nothing

Keen nodded. "Okay."

look, then turned

seemed to vibrate through the room. "Mr. O'Brien,

mother, but she took him without

Ms. Pearce, you're the one who insisted Keen never lies. Have you already forgotten your

retort caught in

Ms. Pearce-do you never admit to being wrong, or is it just that