The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Queenie hesitated. “If Simone finds out you're scheming against the guy she likes, you know she won't let it go."

Aurora replied, “That's part of why I didn't tell my father or brother. If they find out who Joshua really is, they'll either try to win him over to our side—and if that happens, they'll probably try to set him up with Stella-or they'll see him as a threat and become his enemy. Either way, it could get ugly.

Simone likes Joshua. I don't want our family to go to war with him. Leonard will hold back for Simone's sake; he won't push things too far."

Queenie grinned. "You always think things through, Aurora."

That was one of the reasons Queenie and Aurora were such close friends- Aurora was nobody's doormat, but she wasn't ruthless either.

Noticing the time, Aurora stood up with Queenie, and they left the café together.

They had barely stepped outside when a car with no plates screeched to a halt right in front of them.

Before either woman could make sense of what was happening, they were forced into the car.

Meanwhile, Leonard got a call: Simone had been kidnapped.

His voice turned cold as he instructed his assistant to trace Simone's movements,

then shrugged on his coat, ready to handle the rescue himself.

as he was heading out, his

Aurora's been kidnapped. You need to

in his tracks. "What did you

Leonard's voice, Israel pressed, "Wait,

Was someone

was

be the

We're still

get over here. We need to

nothing about the kidnappings. She was on her way to the airport- Haynes O'Brien had called to say that Keen was visiting

worried something might happen and hadn't let Keen visit. But Keen missed

say no anymore. He also admitted he wanted an excuse to

so he brought Keen to

met

broke into a run and threw

so

no idea Stella had been kidnapped and

hugged him gently and smiled. “Of course I missed you,

it, but she