The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Foreman let out a heavy sigh. "Jasper can be reckless, sure, but he's loyal to a fault. If he hadn't gone out there alone to draw those guys away from you, things could've turned out very differently. And if Ms. Pearce hadn't shown up when she did, there's no way Jasper would still be alive."

He shook his head, his voice softening. "Jasper grew up with all of us. If we don't look out for him, who will? Are we really just going to stand by and watch Sellers ruin him and his family?"

Haynes fell silent.noveldrama

Foreman continued, "But you're not wrong either. Jasper needs to learn some boundaries—a little tough love might be good for him. He really was out of line this time. Still... Sellers isn't exactly a saint himself. Just this morning, there was a video everywhere of Sellers harassing Ms. Cameron at an auction."

He paused, studying Haynes' expression. "So, first he bullies Ms. Cameron, then he turns around and tries to set up a date with her... Haynes, don't you think Sellers might actually like her? Maybe he's pulling all this just to get her attention."

Haynes had already seen the news that morning. Ever since finding out what really happened when Stella nearly drowned, he'd made it a point to have Benson keep tabs on anything related to her. If Stella ever needed help, he wanted to be ready.

His impression of Sellers couldn't have been worse. After seeing that video, his disgust only deepened. Any man who'd lay a hand on a woman was beyond contempt.

Haynes looked up, his gaze catching Foreman's in the rearview mirror. "Foreman, you seem pretty familiar with Stella. When did you two get so close?"

Foreman didn't miss a beat. "We're not that close. We just talked a bit more than usual because of what happened with Keen. And Jasper's crossed the line a few times-I tried talking some sense into him."

He shifted the conversation. "But honestly, there's something off about that

assistant of Ms. Cameron's, Joshua. Don't you think?"

Haynes's slender fingers tensed around the steering wheel. "What makes you say that?"

Foreman shrugged. "Joshua is

always pushing your buttons, isn't

he? You can't tell me you haven't noticed the way he challenges you. Plus, with his looks, he could easily be a celebrity. Why would a guy like that settle for being an assistant? Ms. Cameron's your ex-wife, she's close with Mr. Burton, and she's the Williams family heiress. Maybe Joshua's getting close to her on purpose. I just don't buy that he's there for innocent reasons. We should keep an eye on him."

The idea echoed Haynes's own suspicions. What kind of grown man spends all day hanging around a woman instead of getting a real job? That couldn't be a good sign.

Haynes said coolly, "Probably just another pretty boy living off women. Not worth worrying about."

Still, he was tired of seeing Joshua around Stella all the time. He'd have to find a way to get him out of the picture.

Soon, the group arrived at Vespera's most exclusive club. Keen clearly knew the place inside out-he'd obviously been here plenty of times Even the staff at the entrance

greeted him with a smile.

"Hey there, champ! Here to practice your marksmanship with your mom again?"

Keen froze for a moment, confused,

then quickly realized who the

attendant meant. "She's not my. mom," he said, rushing up to Stella and grabbing her hand. "This is my mom."

The attendant quickly apologized. “Sorry about that, I made a mistake.”

Keen looked up at Stella, watching her face carefully. When he saw that she wasn't upset, he let out a relieved breath.