The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Candida pulled out her phone and tapped into a chat window.

A photo immediately appeared on the screen.

A man and a woman were nestled together, looking far too intimate. The man seemed to have dozed off, while the woman pressed her lips to his cheek.

A mocking smile flickered in Candida's eyes.

"Karl, do you get it now?" she asked quietly.

Karl hesitated, then blurted out, "None of this is real. Scarlett took those pictures when I was drunk-you know I can't hold my liquor. And there were a bunch of friends there, they can all vouch for me—"

Candida cut him off, her tone icy. "If you weren't with her, how would she even have a chance to take a photo like this?"

Karl's eyes darted away. "She works at that lounge. We just ran into each other by coincidence..."

Candida couldn't help but sneer. "Coincidence? Every single day?"

Ever since Scarlett returned, Candida had been bombarded with her harassing messages.

Scarlett would beg her, asking Candida to keep her boyfriend in check and stop making life difficult for her. She claimed she'd already paid dearly for her past mistakes, that she was suffering enough, and pleaded for Candida to stop seeking revenge.

At first, Candida had been naïve enough to feel sorry for Scarlett.

She even spoke up for her. And when Scarlett messaged her yet again, saying

Karl and his friends were hassling her at work, Candida went there herself.

She saw for herself as some spoiled rich kid harassed Scarlett.

Karl just stood by, watching coldly.

But Candida noticed that when that guy grabbed Scarlett's hand, something flashed dangerously in Karl's eyes.

Without warning, Karl smashed his glass and punched the guy-hard.

In all the years she'd been with him, Candida had never seen Karl lose control like that.

Since taking over the family business, he'd only grown more composed, to the point where his expression rarely gave anything away.

was the kind of thing only reckless boys did

then that Candida realized Scarlett's desperate appeals were just a

her: Karl only loses control

grabbed her hand, snapping her out of

know what happened back then. She abandoned me when I needed her most. She left without a backward glance, ignoring all my

nothing for her

free, her

sight of him made her

Stella," Candida

standing quietly by her side, had seen enough to understand what was going on. She

turned to go, but Karl blocked

I haven't agreed to

if she'd seen something disgusting, deliberately widening the

doesn't require your consent," she said

face seemed to cut

his lips only curled into a deeper,

head, looming

The only reason you

push me-if you

that cruet smile lingering.

I never joke about these things. You know I'm more than capable of

was like

widened, her face draining

would never forget how miserable

she first tried to break up, Karl did exactly what he was doing now: pleaded with her, over and over When she refused

to me.

froze her bank account, made sure she couldn't rent an

job.

on the streets than crawl

to steal the little money she had

afford food

all avoided her-no

exactly what Karl was doing: forcing her to

just

couldn't swallow