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.

matter. If you ever made me choose between

voice grew even icier. "But if you want me to hand the piano over to

chimed in, "The mastermind? Are you saying...

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 starts acting friendly toward me—just tossing out a few words, and suddenly everyone thinks I'm

he try to hide it? Why make it so obvious in front of Rachel and Keen? Was he just playing games, or was

you never believe me. Yet you take a criminal's word

shrank under Stella's gaze, cold sweat prickling at her neck. Stella was too sharp-no wonder Joshua had said her plan was full of holes Thank God Joshua had

needed to. She refused to waste another second on people who didn't

another word, she turned and walked out

to follow,

shouldn't have rushed to drag Ms. Cameron

scowled in silence. When Jasper had suggested bringing Stella in, Foreman had kept his mouth shut. But now that Stella was here, he suddenly