The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 1466

But refusing the test wouldn't silence the gossip either; those same speculations would still spread. She was caught between a rock and a hard place.

Just as the murmurs grew louder and the situation threatened to spiral out of control, with Stella trapped on the stage, a clear, crisp voice rose from the crowd.

"Ms. Lynne, whether or not Star is the daughter of Mr. Skyler and Ms. Nora isn't for you alone to declare. It requires confirmation. Before presenting definitive proof, you chose to publicly expose this matter at old Mrs. Cameron's birthday gala, practically broadcasting this family scandal for the whole world to hear... Ms. Lynne, do you have a grudge against the Camerons, or against the Williamses? As far as I know, you never even met Ms. Nora, so there shouldn't be any personal animosity. So, what exactly is your motive for doing this?"

Everyone turned to see who had spoken. It was none other than Joshua. Thanks to his striking looks and his close association with Stella, he was well-known in their social circle. Nearly everyone at the gala recognized him as Stella's bodyguard.

Lynne glared at Joshua, her face darkening. The memory of how he had played her for a fool made her teeth grind with hatred.

"Joshua, you're just Stella's bodyguard. In a setting like this, I don't believe you have the right to speak."

Lynne sneered inwardly. Joshua loved to hide his true identity, didn't he? Today, she would put him in his place and silence him for good.

However, Joshua's next words shattered her plan.

Every family that had managed to stay powerful for generations was full of shrewd people. Joshua's implication was not lost on them. Lynne claimed Stella had faked a DNA test to get her hands on the family fortune. But couldn't the same logic be applied to her? Could Lynne be slandering Stella to keep the Cameron shares from leaving the family?

Besides, who were the Williamses? Was Skyler really so easily fooled?

While the crowd still harbored doubts about Stella's identity, they were now even more suspicious of Lynne.

From his corner, Leonard watched the scene and muttered coldly, "Idiots." He wasn't just referring to Lynne, but to the entire Cameron family. The idea that Stella would fake a DNA test for money was a plausible motive. But they never should have used the public gifting of shares as the stage for their accusation.