The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Israel's face twisted with rage. "Coleman, why are you even talking to him? He's just Stella's lapdog-what could he possibly know?"

Before Israel could finish, Coleman cut him off. "Israel, let him finish."

Coleman fixed his gaze on Joshua. "You said something just now-what did you mean?"

Joshua, still holding the file folder, stepped forward and faced the group. "I meant this: just because you never saw her, doesn't mean she never saw you. Maybe she watched you all from the shadows, more often than you realize. Maybe those birthday presents you got every year-some of them were from her. But you never noticed. You never cared.

You all say she wasn't around growing up, that she owes you for it. But in the end, she left everything she had to Star. Do you know what that means?"

Israel blurted out, "What does it mean?"

Joshua's voice was icy calm. "It means she was utterly disappointed in you. Mrs. Nora wanted Star to return to the Williams family so her brothers could protect her after she was gone. And what did you do? You turned your back on your real sister, treated her like an outsider-worse, like an enemy.

You're supposed to be her family, but when she needed you, you weren't there. If she can't even rely on her own sons, who else could she trust to look out for her daughter?"

Joshua's lips curled into a smile, cold and sharp as a blade. His eyes were dark, glacial-like water beneath winter ice.

their own sister, who scheme

that moment, the mask of Joshua's usual calm demeanor slipped away, and something fierce and dangerous radiated

widened in

words, lost all control. "Pathetic? You're calling me pathetic? You're the one living off a woman's

motion, Israel whipped out a handgun and pressed it to Joshua's forehead. "Let's see who's pathetic now. I'll

and Aurora both shouted at

"Don't do it, Israel!"

a gun at my head? J That's all you got?

insane? Anyone else in Joshua's shoes

pull the trigger on anyone if

people-hothe fall.ne

Aurora understood. The man in front of

in a way that made no

Don't do something you'll

managed to break through Israel's fury for a