The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Stella paused, caught off guard. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Joshua said, "It's the first time I've realized I actually have so many good qualities."

Stella grinned. "There's another important quality I forgot to mention."

Joshua looked at her, a touch of anticipation in his eyes. "What's that?" She replied, "You're in great shape. And, well, you're really handsome." Joshua couldn't help but laugh, and Stella joined in, their laughter mingling and filling the room.

That was the scene Abby walked in on as she pushed open the door-a moment of unexpected harmony that made her pause. Strangely enough, back when Joshua had spent so much time around Stella, she'd never noticed this sense of ease between them before.

Hearing the door, Stella turned. "Abby, you're here?"

Abby nodded. "The lab's sent over the results."

Stella's expression turned serious. "What did they find?"

"It was definitely tampered with someone did it on purpose," Abby said. "And the employee who brought the car back yesterday? He's gone missing."

didn't look surprised. "That

This morning, I saw the new stories and rumors about Joshua

look into the people making those posts. Turns out, all of them have business ties to

a glance at Stella. “But... that still doesn't prove Haynes is

Haynes, who'd want to do this?"

from Haynes, she couldn't think of

to know whether Haynes is behind this,

up. Of course she could just

it started ringing on its own. Foreman's name

outside," Stella said, getting up and

don't worry about those things people are saying

some

heart and

"Don't worry, Abby. Star and I will

Star? Except for Neville and Marvin, everyone else—even Candida-called Stella "Star." It was just how things were; their working relationship had always been relaxed, more like friends than