The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Sherman never really posed a threat to him-he'd never taken the man seriously.

But now that Mr. Burton had publicly vouched for Stella, even Sherman wouldn't dare stand in the way. There was nothing he could say.

...

Mr. Burton's endorsement of Stella left the Watson family in the audience utterly stunned.

Florrie couldn't help but gloat a little. "Dad, looks like you're too late," she whispered, a mischievous glint in her eye. "You see how fond Mr. Burton is of Stella?"

Nicolle, however, refused to give up so easily. "Mr. Burton only said he'd take Stella on as his student. He never said anything about making her a granddaughter."

With Mr. Burton showing Stella such favor, Florrie knew it was all the more important to get on her good side.

their way to the banquet hall. Florrie was the first

urgency and called after her, "Florrie, where are

only then that Florrie remembered she hadn't properly greeted Aurora yet. She circled back,

Before

flickering across her usually controlled

He can't seem to let go of Stella-they grew up together, and their bond is... something else. I heard she's had a rough time lately-she just went through a divorce. My brother's probably worried about her. Dad's afraid he'll try to marry her, so he figures adopting her is the best way to care for her, and at the same time, it'll put a stop to any romantic ideas. Two birds

on, oblivious to the way Aurora's expression had

her own father and brother were still agonizing over how to present Stella's

you worried

takes in a new

Florrie understood the implication.

lie just leads to a hundred more, and he's too tired for that game. It's not like he cheated or kept

his first love were still together, before they broke up for good. Even though Antoney was born out of