The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Mr. Burton asked, "Where did you get this ointment?”

Stella Cameron hesitated for a moment before answering, "Keen gave it to me."

Mr. Burton nodded. “I think Keen meant well. He must have been misled by someone."

Stella looked at him, puzzled. "Why do you say that?"

He explained, “This ointment is very carefully formulated. The ingredients are the sort that only a highly skilled doctor could put together. There's no way a mistake with the recipe would just happen by accident."

Stella understood what he was implying.

The extra ingredient in the ointment—it was probably added on purpose. And the reason? To make sure she'd be left with a scar.

Keen O'Brien would never do something like this. The most likely person behind it... was Rachel Pearce. Mr. Burton continued, “Luckily, you haven't been using it for too long. If you had, once the scar formed, it would be almost impossible to get rid of—except maybe with surgery later.”

"Thank you, Mr. Burton. I understand," Stella replied quietly.

He said, “Don't use this ointment anymore. I'll make a proper one for you when I get back."

Abby Murphy that you're competing next week. I promise you'll be able to participate without a

gentle warmth

personally walked Mr. Burton out to the hospital entrance. Watching his figure retreat into the evening, she hesitated, then called out, “Mr. Burton, whatever happened with Karl...

might misunderstand. Even though she and the Burtons didn't always

“I know it wasn't you. That's not who you are—you'd never do something like that.

been a doctor for a long time.

truly wasn't

found a quiet corner in the hallway and called Keen. "Mom!"

dinner

already ate. Did you eat,

continuing, “Keen, I called because I wanted to ask-where did you get that ointment you

wasn't from a store," Keen replied. "Someone

gave it

his voice. "It was... it was

had already promised

say anything about the ointment coming from him Since Dad and Mr. Richards were good friends, maybe it was okay to just say it was

silent for a long moment. Keen grew