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.

hall.

noticed her friend's urgency and called after her, "Florrie, where are

Aurora yet. She circled back, a little sheepish.

about adopting Stella. Before that happens, I want

surprise flickering across her usually controlled features. "Adopt

their bond is... something else. I heard she's had a rough time lately-she

to the way Aurora's

own father and brother were still agonizing over how to present Stella's identity to the world,

carefully, "aren't you worried about what people will

takes in a

Florrie understood the implication.

lie just leads to

up for good. Even though Antoney was born out of wedlock, there was no scandal-if anything, Nicolle now saw him as the family's greatest hope, and would rather the