The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Chapter 352

Stella took a slow breath, her voice barely more than a whisper as she recounted

the past.

"My father was furious about what Fisherwoman did-how she tore our family apart. Any gratitude he once felt for her slowly faded away.

But at the height of the chaos between my parents, when the fighting over Fisherwoman was at its worst, she showed up at our house. My mother threw her out without a second thought.

She tried calling my father, but my mother wouldn't let him take the call. And then, out of nowhere, Fisherwoman had an accident. She died."

Stella's eyes drifted toward the window, her tone growing distant. "Her sudden death stirred something in my father. Maybe it brought back memories of what they'd shared, or maybe he just needed someone to blame. Either way, he put all the blame on my mother.

He insisted on adopting Fisherwoman's daughter-making my mother her legal guardian, demanding that she raise the girl as her own."

"Of course, my mother refused. She even thought about running away. When my father found out, he locked her up."

trembled slightly as she continued. "Eventually, she pretended to submit, waiting for the right moment. When the chance came, she escaped to Novaris, putting as much distance

in Novaris that

"Later, my mother was diagnosed with a terminal illness. She knew she didn't have much time left, so she told

as she told me, 'Star, I'm so sorry. The grudges of the previous generation should never have been passed down to the children. If it weren't

hung in the quiet of the private room, gentle and detached as if she were telling someone else's

in high school when I was finally brought back to the Williams family for a while. But I never got along with them. My relationship

I graduated college, I cut ties and never went

were in college, you

false identity for me- said I was an adopted daughter

a secret. My mother's story and mine... they made sure

"So, Stella is Stella.

at her, surprised. "Your name in the Williams family

was soft, almost bitter. "Raven... the shadow at dawn.