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.

cold. "Objects are just things -people are what matter. If you ever made

me to hand the piano over to the real mastermind

always eager to keep the peace, chimed in, "The mastermind? Are you saying... Ms. Pearce is the

a sideways glance, her smile sharp as a blade. "Why did the kidnapper insist I be the one to bring the ransom? Why make me choose between two impossible options? Sure, he spun some story about his grudge with Haynes, but who's to say any of that was real? And then, in front of Rachel and Keen, he

bitter. "Honestly, don't you find it ridiculous? If I really knew the kidnapper, wouldn't he try to hide it? Why make it so obvious in front of Rachel and Keen? Was he

half-smile, half-sneer. "No matter what I say, you never believe me. Yet you take a criminal's word as gospel.

had said her plan was full of holes Thank God Joshua had stepped in to clean up the mess; otherwise, Stella

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

word, she turned and

eyes darkened. Instinctively, he started to follow, but Foreman stepped

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

Jasper had suggested bringing Stella in, Foreman had kept his mouth shut. But now that Stella was here, he suddenly wanted to play the good guy.