The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Chapter 23

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Chapter 24

Jasper shot Stella a piercing glare. "Lay a finger on Rachel," he hissed, "and you're over. Just wait till

Haynie gets a hold of you!"

Stella finally looked up at him with a hint of amusement. "Jasper," she said earnestly, "have you

outgrown being just a simp? Are you now aspiring to be a full-blown lapdog?"

Jasper's face turned crimson with fury.

He pointed an accusatory finger at Stella. "Haynie, Foreman, did you hear that? She calleda

lapdog! And earlier, she said | was a simp!"

Foreman cleared his throat gently. "Jasper, maybe it's best to leave this to Haynie."

"No!" Jasper raised his voice, "I'm not leaving until Haynie givesa fair explanation!"

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Stella shrugged nonchalantly. "Then stay here all you want. I've got things to do." She tried to brush past them,

rubbing her sore wrist.

Haynes' expression darkened as he caught her wrist again, though this twith a gentler grip. Stella still

couldn't shake free.

Jasper opened his mouth to speak further, but Haynes' icy demeanor silenced him. Seeing this, Rachel remained

silent as well.

Haynes roughly pushed Stella into an empty room, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Stella, is this your new

gof playing hard to get?"

Stella frowned. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Haynes' eyes gleamed with mockery. "Last time, you faked being in danger to lurein, and it turned out to be

nothing. Stella, when did you start resorting to such low tactics?"

Stella's heart sank like a stone. An invisible blade twisted in her chest, each breath a struggle against the weight

of his words.

She clenched her fists so tightly that her nails broke against her palms. The sting was a welcdistraction from

the ache spreading through her chest.

‘Low tactics?" The accusation echoed in her mind, a taunt she couldn't silence. 'Is that what Haynes thinks of

me? That I'd stoop so low?"

The last twhen she stepped out to buy sgroceries, she got kidnapped.

That morning, Keen had thrown a fit over the vegetables, barely touching them. Stella suspected Rachel had

ensured to mention Maisie was in charge of the groceries, stirring the pot. So, Stella decided to go herself that

day.

Her kidnapper was a desperate man who had been swindled out of a fortune, leaving him with

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nothing but a shattered life. Filled with rage against the world, he chose to kidnap someone at

random.

Unfortunately, that someone was Stella while she was carefully picking out fresh produce.

He held a knife to her throat, demanding ransom from the police, his agitation leaving a shallow cut

on her neck. Stella told him her husband was wealthy and could pay off his debts to calm the

situation.

The kidnapper seemed surprised by the idea of someone willing to pay off his debts, unsure

whether to believe her. Stella promised him over the phone that she'd settle his debts, offering him

a chance at an ordinary life.

He hesitated but eventually let her make the call. The line connected, and Stella barely whispered,

"I've got kidnapped," when she was interrupted by urgent news. Rachel needed emergency surgery,

and they requested Haynes' signature. Haynes' response was curt. "Rachel's critical. I'll call you

back," then he hung up. Perhaps sensing she was his last hope, the kidnapper refused to let her go.

So, they, Stella and the kidnapper, waited for two hours.

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The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

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