The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

After Joshua left, Simone strolled over to Stella, greeting her with a bright smile.

It didn't take long for her to change the subject.

"Ms. Cameron, I have to admit I'm quite interested in your assistant, Joshua. Would you mind terribly if I tried to recruit him away from you?"

Stella's reply was calm. "If you think you can lure Joshua away, I won't stand in your way. He's free to leave whenever he wishes. I wouldn't try to hold him back."

Simone watched Joshua's silhouette disappear down the path. "But from what I can see, he doesn't seem eager to leave you."

"That's not something I can control," Stella answered quietly.

Simone turned back, still wearing that warm, easy smile.

"I offered him three times his current salary, but Joshua still refused to join me. Clearly, staying by your side matters more to him than money. You must have quite the magnetic personality, Ms. Cameron."

Stella shrugged. "Money isn't everything. Maybe it just doesn't mean as much to him as you'd expect."

in agreement. "He's won even more

she wasn't any closer to Simone. Unsure how to respond, she muttered a vague acknowledgment

more outgoing than Aurora, though, and took the initiative to

way to New Vespera to bring you back to the Williams

are all here in

smiled again. "You know, there are real advantages to coming home. You'd never have to worry about money or comfort, and the resources at

"She's had the best education

conspiratorially. "Do you know why Aurora still isn't

Aurora were

gone out of her way tomake things difficult for her, even though Aurora had always been

caring. With no expectations, there was

be disappointed

Simone's words piqued her

men lining up to ask for her hand. Many powerful families have sought close alliances

back at Stella. "Even my own brother doesn't quite

reason Skyler, Jonathan, and the rest of the Williams brothers