The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Chapter 572

Stella couldn't help but laugh. "Haynes, haven't you figured it out yet? I don't want to lend the piano-not because I'm worried about my own concert. It's just... I can't stand Rachel. I'd rather smash the piano to pieces than let her touch it."

She looked him straight in the eye, as if daring him to challenge her. "I hope that's clear enough for you."

The room seemed to freeze, the silence thick and heavy.

Haynes' handsome face darkened. "Even if you had nothing to do with the kidnapping, Rachel is the one who saved Keen. Stella, do you really value this piano more than a violin? Look at it another way—when things turned dangerous, Rachel distracted the kidnapper. She saved you, too, indirectly."

His eyes dark, bottomless-were full of disappointment as he fixed them on Stella. “Doesn't my decision make you feel anything at all?"

Keen, who'd been silent until now, looked up at Stella, worry flickering in his gaze.

tone turned cold. "Objects are just things -people are what matter. If you ever made me choose between Keen and the piano, I wouldn't hesitate for a

icier. "But if you want me to hand the piano over to the real mastermind

keep the peace, chimed in, "The mastermind? Are you saying... Ms. Pearce is the one pulling the

two impossible options? Sure, he spun some story about his grudge with Haynes, but who's to

it ridiculous? If I really knew the kidnapper, wouldn't he try to hide it? Why make

matter what I say, you never believe me. Yet you take a criminal's word

neck. Stella was too sharp-no wonder Joshua had said her plan was full of holes Thank God Joshua had stepped in to clean up the mess; otherwise,

needed to. She refused to waste another second on people who

word, she turned and walked out

to follow, but

been properly investigated. We shouldn't have rushed to drag Ms. Cameron here. It's not fair to

in, Foreman had kept his mouth shut. But now that Stella