The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Guests milled around the banquet hall in small clusters, their hushed conversations weaving through the air.

"No surprise it's Aurora-she excels at everything she does. Remember that contract signing last month? The way she handled all those challenges, calm as ever."

"In the end, even Johnson-who's notorious for being tight-fisted-had to give in."

"Johnson? I've heard he's a shark in negotiations. Hardly anyone ever gets the better of him. And this time, he actually caved?"

"Exactly. That's what makes Aurora so impressive."

"Did you hear? The other Williams family heir took over a new company too, but she didn't just fail—she somehow managed to offend the Pearce family as well."

"Even if the Pearce family isn't a business powerhouse, generations of them have served the President of Solmaris. Ticking them off? She must have a death wish."

"If you ask me, Stella's nothing but bad luck. Ever since she came back to the Williams family, it's been nothing but chaos. She's managed to ruffle feathers in every prominent family-old money, new money, you name it."

"I heard she's jealous of all the men vying for Aurora, so she forbade Leonard from pursuing her, even banned him from setting foot in the Williams estate."

At that, several guests glanced over in surprise. After all, they'd watched the drama unfold on the livestreams.

"But wasn't it Leonard who kidnapped Stella first? With a grudge like that, isn't Stella's

is Aurora really supposed to end up with the guy who hurt her own

dismissive. "Oh, come on. You actually believe all that? Stella's just playing everyone,

agreed. "Always dragging her husband and son into her drama, claiming Rachel Pearce was the other woman and that she

she was some prodigy. But in the

bet she realized she couldn't back up all that talk. So she tried to pin her failures on Leonard-killed two birds with one

tonight's

camp

matter what Stella did,

way to justify tor pin the blame elsewhere.

the mirror, smoothing the folds of her custom gown Queenie, do you see

slightly.

s

at her reflection. "Not a thing. You're perfect-absolutely radiant. You'll steal the show tonight, no doubt

hand-sewn crystals that caught the light with every move she made. Yet even their brilliance couldn't

breathtaking-elegance itself, every detail meticulously