The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 1498

Simone certainly didn't see it that way. She scoffed, "That's only because Joshua was helping her. Without Joshua, Stella is nothing."

Leonard didn't reply, instead gazing in the direction of Stella's office. He couldn't see anything without his binoculars, but for some reason, he felt a lump forming in his throat.

This time, the coordination between Stella and Joshua had been flawless. Stella not only had to give Joshua her complete trust and support, but she also had to remain composed and withstand the immense pressure from the Williams family and the shareholders of The Williams Group. And then there was the mole in her inner circle…

Leonard asked, "The mole next to Stella, was it Aicken?"

"That's right." Simone pursed her lips, her tone dismissive. "Aicken was the secretary the Williams family placed by Stella's side. I've seen him a few times; he's good-looking. It's not surprising he was the mole. Stella, on the other hand, was so taken by his looks that she kept him around for so long, and it ended up causing a disaster."

Leonard shot her a flat look. "If even you can figure that out, do you think Stella didn't know?"

Simone frowned. "Brother, are you giving Stella too much credit? If she really knew, why would she keep him? She’d have just fired him. If it weren’t for that mole, Aicken, Joshua wouldn't have been backed into a corner like that, right?"

Leonard didn't expect his foolish sister to grasp the subtleties. He said blandly, "Even if she got rid of Aicken, someone else would have been placed by her side. Instead of constantly being on guard, it's better to keep the threat where you can see it. Besides, while Aicken works for the Williams family, if used correctly, he could become your own inside man."

"Not the sole key, but certainly a crucial piece of the puzzle," Leonard said.

Simone remarked, "Stella must have incredible self-control. If it were me, I couldn't have tolerated a spy by my side for so long, pretending not to notice."

"She didn't just have to tolerate him," Leonard said. "She had to promote him, give him access to real business secrets. If she had been constantly wary of Aicken, how would the Williams family have ever let down their guard? However, I suspect that everything she let Aicken see was carefully selected. If any of those secrets were leaked, the culprit would be identified instantly."

As he said this, a faint, almost imperceptible look of admiration appeared in Leonard's eyes. "You have to be willing to sacrifice to gain anything. She understands that balance, and she has the patience to endure. She truly has the makings of a great leader."