The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Joshua was silent for a few seconds before finally saying, "No, actually... I'm kind of happy about it."

But even as he said it, Stella couldn't spot the slightest trace of joy on his face.

It was his private matter, and Stella knew she shouldn't pry. Still, after everything Joshua had done to help her, she couldn't just pretend not to care.

She hesitated, then asked, "Joshua, did you remember something?"

There seemed to be only one explanation for his sudden shift in mood: he must have remembered something important.

His hands, steady on the steering wheel, tensed just a little.

"You could say that."

Stella glanced at him. "Do you want to talk about it? Maybe I could offer some advice... Of course, if you'd rather not, I understand."

Silence fell between them, thick and unmoving.

Stella assumed he didn't want to share, so she let the subject drop. She turned her gaze outside, watching the scenery blur past, her mind wandering to thoughts of the upcoming international competition.

a mountain spring-broke

the person I'd been

flickered in and out of the shifting glow from the

image

sounds like good news. Why do you look so

seemed to swallow up all the light, and even Joshua's voice, usually warm and upbeat, sounded hollow and impossibly

just someone I used to pin my hopes on. Honestly it was just me, reaching for something to hold onto. There was a

suffocating-dark, hopelenovel.ne

was

together. I could feel it: I was either about to lose my mind, or I wasn't

him, Stella didn't feel afraid

own share of darkness. Maybe not as extreme as Joshua's, but enough to know what it was like to

he had, so she didn't feel qualified to judge

a caring older sister's. “And then

"Then, I met someone in the

ed

he'd been barely holding back the

the