The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Chapter 483

When Deanna found out, she didn't show Stella a shred of understanding. Instead, she scolded her for making a fuss over nothing, lecturing her harshly.

Later, Haynes tracked down the person who had "accidentally" pushed Stella into the water at the party. But since everyone at Deanna's birthday bash belonged to old-money families closely tied to the O'Briens, there was no way to hold them accountable. All Stella could do was grit her teeth and accept their flimsy apologies.

But nearly drowning? That was hardly something an empty "sorry" could make up for.

After Haynes made them delete the video of Stella falling into the lake, that was the end of it. No one ever mentioned it again.

Stella's fear of water had started years ago, when she'd accidentally fallen overboard while on a boat trip with her mother. She'd grown up far from the coast, her life crammed with schoolwork, and rarely encountered oceans or lakes. Over time, the terror faded, but water still made her instinctively want to run. She'd never learned to swim.

But after that incident at the party, it took Stella more than half a year to finally confront her fear. In the end, she forced herself to learn to swim.

Now, Jasper was sneering. "Stella, you jumped into the lake on purpose, didn't you? Just to get everyone's attention?"

Stella lifted her head, her expression calm. "You think I jumped in on purpose?"

saying you didn't? What, are you going

happened," Stella replied

twisted, as if he'd just sniffed out a secret. Pointing at her, he declared, "Oh, I get it now! You jumped in, not just to cozy up to Haynes, but to set Rachel up at the same time. Two birds, one stone. Stella, you're devious." He looked incredibly pleased with himself

making Stella, still dripping wet, shiver uncontrollably. Haynes shrugged off his suit jacket and draped it over

call me 'Star.' It

go inside and get you

in,

playing the innocent victim just to

jacket aside as if it were trash. Then, without a word, she

she was finally backing down, relaxed a

Rachel,

Rachel shrieked, her face contorted in pain-gone was

her, voice icy. "Didn't you just ask me if Haynes would ever blame you for anything? Well here's my answer: whether he blames you or