The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Chapter 518

Joshua arched an eyebrow, amusement flickering in his eyes.

"Rachel, didn't I offer before? I could have taken care of her for you, but you refused."

Rachel's expression stiffened.

He was right-he had made the offer, and she had turned it down. All she'd ever wanted was to win Haynes for herself. She wasn't some heartless monster-why would she ever want blood on her hands?

But things were different now.

With Mr. Burton backing Stella, she had become untouchable. Even Joshua would struggle to go up against the Burtons and come out on top.

Maybe it was time to stop hesitating. Maybe Stella just needed to disappear, once and for all.

Rachel parted her lips, instinctively searching for some excuse. But when it came time to speak, not a single word made it out.

Things really had changed. Her heart was growing colder by the day.

for an answer. Whether she was kind

calm. "I can handle this for you. But before I do,

hesitated. "What

look. His eyes, usually so clear, were now as dark and impenetrable as ink-cold, fathomless,

is it, after all these years, you've never played anything quite like that

almost immediately-Joshua must have heard Stella's

the violinist from that night, so of course she could never capture

had tried, in her own way, to reach for the feeling he wanted. But emotion in music was such an elusive thing. She'd

explain herself. "That night, I was

"But today I heard Stella play, and she came very close to that

you talking about... her original

"Original style?"

very close to the original interpretation

sidelong glance, then continued, "Beginners always try to mimic the original style. But professionals-real violinists-they develop their

then, 'Moonlight' had just become popular. I practiced it every day in the garden. At first, I copied the original as closely as I could. But after a while, once I got the hang of it, I started blending