The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 481

Maybe it's true: a woman completely absorbed in her work is always the most beautiful.

Haynes’ gaze, dark and intense, never left Stella. There was something penetrating about the way he looked at her—impossible to ignore. Yet Stella barely spared him a glance.

As the conversation wore on, Rachel started to feel thirsty.

"Jasper, could you grab us a few bottles of water?" she asked.

Jasper, who had been yawning out of boredom—music discussions were never his thing—was already looking for any excuse to make his escape. Rachel’s request felt like a godsend.

"Sure, I'll go get the water. You all wait here," he replied, then shot a look at Haynes. "Haynie, they’re talking business. Let’s not get in the way—why don’t you come with me?"

Haynes nodded quietly and followed Jasper out, leaving the women alone.

By the time they’d finished going over the details of the piece, more than ten minutes had passed.

Stella closed her music score. "Ms. Pearce, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head to rehearsal now."

By then, night had fallen completely.

The wind off the lake carried a chill, lifting strands of Stella’s hair and sending them dancing around her face. The water, which had looked so gentle in the daylight, was now a black, gaping abyss.

That was when Rachel’s gentle, innocent-sounding voice drifted over.

"Stella, you saw it earlier, didn’t you?"

She smiled, just a hint of smugness beneath the sweetness. "No matter what happens, Haynie will always be on my side. Anyone who dares hurt me—he’ll never let them off the hook."

Stella’s expression stayed neutral. "I’ve known for a long time how much Haynes cares about you, Ms. Pearce. There’s no need to keep boasting."

Rachel’s tone grew softer, almost syrupy. "When the accident happened, Haynie chose to believe me. Even after he learned the truth, he didn’t blame me—he didn’t even hold me accountable."

She leaned in, voice almost a whisper. "Stella, you’re just like that last pianist. If I want you gone, Haynie will toss you aside in a heartbeat."