The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Pain twisted her face into a grimace. Stella's entire body convulsed, sweat beading on her forehead and dripping down like rain, splattering onto the cold floor.

For a moment, her consciousness flickered. She felt as if she were teetering on the edge of life, certain she was about to die.

Sellers saw things spiraling out of control and quickly intervened.

"Leonard, that's enough. Don't push this any further-you'll kill her."

Leonard's lips curled into a cruel smile. He finally lifted his foot, giving Stella a brief respite.

"Stella, I'm not finished with you yet. Don't give up so quickly. If you die now, I'll just have to let your dear friends suffer in your place."

Sellers' expression darkened. "Leonard, that's enough. She's still a woman... If you really want to ruin her hands, just have someone do it-why torment her like this?"

Leonard lazily drew a knife from his coat. "If she doesn't learn to fear, if she doesn't remember this pain, she'll never understand who she should never cross.

If we don't break her spirit now, she'll only come at us harder next time."

Sellers thought Leonard was out of his mind. Regret gnawed at him he never should have gotten mixed up with this man.

“But—” Sellers started, but Leonard, seeing that Stella had caught her breath, raised his foot again and pressed it down on her hand.

His polished black shoe ground against her knuckles, slow and deliberate. Just watching was enough to make Sellers wince. But Leonard wouldn't even let Stella

scream.

For a moment, Stella wondered if people truly glimpsed their whole lives on the

with her. Abby, her childhood classmate. Lauretta Chapman,

saw Haynes. She saw the brief, precious moment when Keen O'Brien

drifted further. She remembered Aurora's birthday, the way the Williams family looked at Aurora with

a princess. And Stella-always the outsider,

tired,

that haze between waking and oblivion, she heard Abby's voice,

Star! Don't sleep! Please, don't

Bet

ever seen her cry. Abby was a ray of sunshine, always warm, always bright. With Abby nearby, Stella had never

Neo-Vespera Hospital, private ward.

for days, suddenly snapped his eyes

side, gasped,

"Mr. O'Brien-you're awake!"

Haynes managed to say was, "Where's

hesitated, his

Ms. Cameron... she's

regretted ever getting involved

Stella lying