The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Stella was momentarily stunned.

"Rachel's hand was ruined?"

Abby turned, a gleeful glint in her eyes. "Yep. No idea who she managed to piss off, but someone really did a number on her just destroyed her hand, just like that. They knew exactly what mattered most to her, and that's what they took away. She'll never play the violin again.

It's all over the headlines. And honestly? No one feels sorry for her. People are saying she had it coming-that it's karma for faking her illness and all the nasty things she's done."

As a violinist herself, Stella knew all too well what it meant to lose both a passion and a career in a single blow. Rachel might not have been as talented as she was, but to be chosen as Mr. Walden's protégé? She was certainly no slouch.

Now, with her hand gone... There wasn't a more cruel revenge imaginable.

Joshua asked quietly, "Is there any hope of recovery?"

Abby shook her head. "She lost her fingers. There's no way. The damage is permanent."

Stella nodded. "I suppose it's only fitting-she's finally paying for everything she's done."

Abby chuckled. "Exactly. She did so many awful things to Star, but hey, we can't just take justice into our own hands."

for a while, until a

were you up to a while back? You were all mysterious,

slyly. "Don't tell me...

nothing like that. I just

with curiosity. "What kind

words. "Let's just

Stood up for the right thing, helped

Abby exchanged

concert drew near, Stella

was her

Rachel's concert was canceled, tickets for

day of the concert, Aurora and Simone arrived at

for people of their standing,

row From a distance, Simone spotted Joshua sitting among the

Joshua, each trying to strike up a conversation and ask for his number. Joshua, as always, turned them down

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