The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 821

Stella paused, caught off guard. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Joshua said, “It’s the first time I’ve realized—I actually have so many good qualities.”

Stella grinned. “There’s another important quality I forgot to mention.”

Joshua looked at her, a touch of anticipation in his eyes. “What’s that?”

She replied, “You’re in great shape. And, well, you’re really handsome.”

Joshua couldn’t help but laugh, and Stella joined in, their laughter mingling and filling the room.

That was the scene Abby walked in on as she pushed open the door—a moment of unexpected harmony that made her pause. Strangely enough, back when Joshua had spent so much time around Stella, she’d never noticed this sense of ease between them before.

Hearing the door, Stella turned. “Abby, you’re here?”

Abby nodded. “The lab’s sent over the results.”

Stella’s expression turned serious. “What did they find?”

“It was definitely tampered with—someone did it on purpose,” Abby said. “And the employee who brought the car back yesterday? He’s gone missing.”

Stella didn’t look surprised. “That was fast.”

Abby continued, “There’s something else. This morning, I saw the new stories and rumors about Joshua online.”

She hesitated, then added, “I had Neville look into the people making those posts. Turns out, all of them have business ties to The O’Brien Group.”

Her words were soothing, but for some reason, it was Stella’s earlier reassurance that truly warmed Joshua’s heart and put him at ease.

He nodded. “Don’t worry, Abby. Star and I will handle it.”

Abby blinked in surprise. Star? Except for Neville and Marvin, everyone else—even Candida—called Stella “Star.” It was just how things were; their working relationship had always been relaxed, more like friends than colleagues. But Joshua had always addressed her as “Ms. Cameron.” To suddenly hear him call her “Star” caught Abby off guard.

Still, if even Haynes—of all people—used that nickname, there was nothing odd about Joshua doing the same. Maybe it was Stella’s willingness to help him this time that had moved him.

Joshua’s voice pulled her back to the present. “You really trust Foreman that much?”

Abby nodded. “Of course. Foreman isn’t like Jasper or Haynes. When Star was framed by Rachel and everyone else stayed silent, Foreman was the only one who stood by her. Even during Star’s divorce from Haynes, Foreman helped her more than anyone else. If it weren’t for him, with the way Jasper and Rachel play their games, it would’ve been all too easy for them to win—let alone for Star to fight back.”

She smiled. “Thanks to Foreman, Star managed to turn things around on them more than once.”