The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Chapter 512

After all, all these years she'd been left to fend for herself, never once enjoying even the slightest advantage of the Williams family name.

Back when the incident with Sherman happened, if Stella had just admitted to it on the spot, he might have thought she was bold enough to face the consequences—he would have respected that, maybe even admired her. Who knows, he might have even let her off the hook.

But she'd done it and then refused to own up, and that single act had left him profoundly disappointed.

Other than her face, she hadn't inherited an ounce of her mother's brilliance.

After Stella left the Williams estate, he found himself wondering if, perhaps, he'd held her to too high a standard.

She wasn't like her mother, after all. She hadn't grown up surrounded by privilege, nor received the finest education money could buy.

He already had a remarkable daughter; there was no need to expect Stella to match her mother's excellence.

But now, watching the girl on stage, he saw-just for a moment-a flicker of Nora's spirit in her.

Maybe... she wasn't as disappointing as he'd always imagined.

Aurora's easy smile hadn't faded—at least, not until the music started. As the violin's melody filled the hall, the smile slipped from her lips, replaced by a look

playing—she hadn't expected it to

but she'd never actually heard her perform. Somewhere along the way, Aurora had convinced herself Stella simply wasn't

wrong. Stella's technique was exceptional. In fact... it was every bit as good as

corridor, a slender young man with sharp features wandered aimlessly, bored and

about the woman who kept getting the upper hand over Rachel-what kind

a performance by a man,

He could tell the man's playing was respectable, but the choice of music just wasn't to

he truly loved: the Moonlight Sonata, the way Rachel would play it out in the garden. He'd listened to her rendition over and over, never growing tired of

very first time he heard that music-no one had ever managed to bring it back.

you might encounter once in a lifetime, if

Still, he couldn't help

he'd searched for someone who could recapture that elusive feeling

though, as music

caught his attention. There was something in the melody a certain quality, a faint

The tone was a