The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Leonard had only destroyed her hand-her legs were still intact.

Now, the instinct to survive surged through Stella, unlocking every last ounce of strength in her body.

The driver hesitated, startled for a moment, then instinctively moved to give chase. But when he saw Leonard bleeding profusely, he froze. He couldn't just leave Leonard, wounded and helpless, alone in the middle of nowhere.

While he stood wavering, Stella had already vanished into the wild, disappearing among the trees. By the time he came to his senses, it was too late to even consider pursuing her.

He quickly turned back to Leonard, kneeling down to staunch the bleeding as best he could.

Stella's knife had cut deep-no one could tell exactly where it struck, but whatever nerve she'd hit in Leonard's thigh had left his leg completely numb and useless.

As Stella's silhouette disappeared into the wilderness, Leonard's eyes narrowed, cold and dark with fury.

Stella ran blindly through the undergrowth, with no idea where she was headed. She couldn't let Leonard catch her. If he did, death would be a mercy.

With every stride, the adrenaline that had kept her going began to ebb away. The pain in her hand flared, intensifying-especially where Leonard's blade had pierced her palm. The wound had reopened, blood seeping through her trembling fingers.

Her strength was fading fast. Her vision blurred at the edges.

She forced herself onward, desperately repeating in her mind that she could not, must not, lose consciousness.

this place was just too remote, too still-an endless, silent expanse

before her body finally gave out. She

...

to track

the location, the place was deserted. The only

were dark, dried stains on the

narrowed, his heart

deep breath, fighting to keep

he ordered his men. "Get them to the

needed confirmation-was this Stella's blood? Or Abby's? Had

walked over with a charred,

backyard. The last signal ping

eyes turned icy. "Track Sellers' assistant's phone. I want to

minutes later, the report came in. "Mr. Connolly, the phone

said sharply. "Do whatever it takes-force their car off the road

out of the house and climbed into

occurred to him. "Any

team towards the overpass.

all-his sources

gaze grew thoughtful. “Send a team to check it out. Keep