The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Haynes nodded, his expression tense.

Every second they delayed was another second Stella remained in danger.

Just as Joshua gripped his handgun, ready to kick down the door, it swung open abruptly from the inside.

Foreman stepped out, his face grave.

He paused for a split second at the sight of the three men standing outside, but showed no sign of surprise.

"You're just in time," he said steadily. "Stella's taking a cold bath right now. She needs a doctor."

Haynes narrowed his eyes. "Foreman, what are you doing here with Stella?"

Foreman didn't flinch. "Stella left Keen with Joshua, but she was worried and wanted to check on her herself. I happened to be nearby, so I tagged along."

Jonathan, who'd arrived looking for his sister, gave a slight nod-he recalled seeing Foreman around earlier.

Foreman glanced at the group. "Shouldn't you get a doctor first? We can talk later."

Haynes shot Foreman a searching look, then turned briskly to fetch a physician. Jonathan, as Stella's older brother, would never leave his sister in the care of two men at a moment like this, so he followed Joshua into the room.

As the two entered, Foreman's gaze followed them, a shadow flickering across his eyes.

He'd abandoned his earlier intentions the moment Joshua had called him. With Joshua already suspicious, there was no way he could make a move on Stella

now.

hadn't been

but she hadn't completely lost consciousness. When Foreman helped her

the drugs to take full effect, he'd have needed

he didn't have

could have forced things, but that would have meant

so much for a fleeting moment

been patient, always known how to bide his

maneuver

could wait. He had

***

of Simone were finally taken off the screens

had quickly morphed into a

mortified, had been whisked upstairs by Aurora almost as soon as the spectacle

calmly through the turmoil, restoring order and smoothing over the commotion with quiet

While Simone's disgrace provided

it did

her poise under pressure won

wonder, she's the city's top debutante," someone

without missing a

Skyler, you mus

so proud of

daughter

s