The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 451

The doctor emerged from the operating room, removing his gloves as he spoke. “The wound missed any of Mr. O'Brien’s vital organs. He’s not in any real danger—he just needs some rest, and he’ll recover.”

As the nurses rolled Haynes O’Brien out, Rachel Pearce wasted no time. She elbowed past Stella Cameron, acting every bit the lady of the house, and rushed to Haynes’s bedside.

“Haynie, Haynie, are you alright?” she cried, throwing herself at him.

Jasper Wilkinson forgot all about his argument with Stella; he hurried over to check on Haynes as well.

Once Haynes was wheeled into his hospital room, Stella hesitated at the door, wanting to see how he was doing. But Jasper blocked her path, grinning smugly.

“You want to see Haynie, huh? You’ll have to ask me nicely. Who knows, if you beg, maybe I’ll be in a good mood and let you in.”

Foreman Richards had just finished speaking with the doctor when he caught sight of the scene and quickly made his way over.

He was about to put in a word for Stella when she turned on her heel without the slightest hesitation.

“In that case, forget it,” she said coolly.

Jasper stood there, stunned.

Why wasn’t Stella playing by the usual rules?

“Hey, wait—come back…” Jasper called after her, but Stella didn’t even pause. She walked away without so much as a backward glance.

Foreman, seeing this, shot Jasper a quick parting remark. “I’ll go check on her.”

He hurried after Stella, his footsteps brisk.

Jasper watched Foreman’s retreating figure with a flicker of confusion. Foreman had never been the meddling type—why was he suddenly so invested in Haynie’s affairs?

—

Stella had just stepped out of the hospital when Foreman caught up to her.

“Star, where are you headed? Let me give you a ride.”

Foreman’s fingers tightened briefly on the steering wheel, a subtle shadow passing through his eyes.

“Star, how can you be so certain? Did Haynie say something to you?”

He’d known the O’Brien brothers for years, and sometimes, as an outsider, he saw things more clearly than they did themselves. Haynes didn’t lack feelings for Stella—not entirely. That’s why he kept finding reasons to put off the divorce. Foreman had tried half-heartedly to nudge Haynes a few times, but there were some truths he’d never voice aloud.

Stella stared out the window, her profile cool and composed.

“He was willing to hurt the people closest to me just for Rachel’s sake. He caused such a commotion. But if he sends me to prison, Rachel loses the studio he got her, and she loses her music—everything he’s worked for goes up in smoke. Haynes is a shrewd businessman. He’d never let a moment’s anger destroy months of effort.”

That was her advantage—the reason she walked away with her head held high.

Jasper acted on impulse; Haynes calculated every move.

Sending her to jail wouldn’t gain him anything—except the satisfaction of lashing out. And Haynes O’Brien didn’t make sacrifices for nothing.