The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Chapter 540

Stella listened with a gentle smile, content to let the conversation flow around her without adding anything of her own.

Back in the main hall, Florrie immediately spotted Aurora.

It was impossible not to notice her-Aurora shone with a kind of effortless brilliance, both in looks and in poise, that made her the undeniable center of attention wherever she went.

But Aurora wasn't alone. A cluster of young women surrounded her, each one the daughter of one of the city's most prominent families.

Aurora was chatting with a girl her own age-pretty, bright-eyed, and quick to laugh.

Florrie nodded toward them. "See the girl standing across from Aurora? That's Adah Gardner—one of her closest friends and the eldest daughter of the Gardner family."

"The Gardner family?" Stella echoed.

Florrie explained, "The Williams, Chapman, Gardner, Lerman, Burton, and our own Watson family-they make up the six leading families in Novaris."

She gestured discreetly as she spoke. "I'm just talking about the Novaris families, of course. There are other prominent families from abroad, but Mr. Burton is old- fashioned and didn't invite any outsiders to this event."

As Florrie listed the names, Stella realized she actually knew quite a few of these high-profile families.

The Williams and Burton families, of course-those went without saying.

The Chapmans were the family of her good friend, Lauretta.

The Watsons belonged to Antoney.

Gardner

the Burtons and us Watsons, so

daughter, all of them

that the Williams' eldest son is in talks to unite with the Chapman family—an alliance through marriage, a classic

for the

lowering her

Lerman family is actually one of Aurora's admirers. From what I've heard,

turned to her. "What do you

"The Lerman family's head is Leonard Lerman.

mate son, never

liked

rest of the

always lived on the fringes-barely tolerated, never truly belonging. Leonard himself

up until the night he met Aurora at

a girl like Aurora could have her pick of suitors-every eligible bachelor in

like Leonard? He didn't stand a

what happened between them, but I heard Aurora once said she'd only

transformed overnight-he fought tooth and nail, and somehow, against all

was piqued. "So, when Leonard became the family head, did

went straight to the Williams family to propose,

Leonard did some pretty ruthless things to get that position-nobody knows exactly what, but there's plenty of talk about blood on his

would never let Aurora