The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Chapter 1163

No matter what happens, you have to keep your composure and smile, never letting your emotions show on your face.

At first, it was exhausting-like walking around with a heavy mask I couldn't take

off.

But over time, I got used to it.

Only then did I realize: if you wear a mask long enough, it starts to stick. Eventually, you can't take it off at all.

Maybe it was Nora's careful guidance, but Stella always carried herself with an easy grace. Even if she cut someone down with a sharp remark, she never lost her poise or descended into crudeness.

Joshua echoed her words softly, as if tasting them, “If you wear a mask long enough, you can't take it off, huh?"

A gentle breeze drifted by, carrying a subtle fragrance-nothing overpowering, just

a breath of sweetness that instantly soothed the soul. Wildflowers of every color swayed in the wind, not showy or cultivated, just quietly beautiful and unexpectedly uplifting.

the blossoms looked more magical than any manicured garden. Their wild, scattered beauty left a

Her eyes shimmered with a lightness that hadn't been there before. "Out here, away from the

at her, realizing how much lighter her mood

sunlight bathed them both in a warm, golden glow. Surrounded by the gentle scents

her hand had been injured, sleep had become a stranger. She'd tried everything—nothing worked. Restless nights were old companions, especially since Rachel's return. Every evening brought new worries, and

secluded field, her mind finally found a

still sitting beside her. He was hunched over, eyes fixed something in his hands, fingers moving quickly and deftly. There elegance to his movements a quiet focus she rarely saw

was a

blinked. "What

even look up at her voice. Instead, he just finished what he was

a blur of movement.

was done, Joshua held it out to her. "Here.

thinking, Stella took it from him. "What made you think to make a flower

here. And you were asleep, so

a moment, Stella couldn't help but see him in a new light. "You know how

up a tutorial online and

examined the crown in