The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 1990

With disaster after disaster striking the O'Brien family, Stella would have to be completely oblivious not to connect the dots.

Joshua was actively forcing Haynes to return to his home country.

Everything else aside, if Callie was truly kidnapped, Haynes would have no choice but to go back.

Sure enough, shortly after she received the news, Haynes called.

His voice was tight and grim. "Star, something happened to Callie. I'm afraid I have to head back."

"How is she holding up?" she asked.

"I don't know the specifics yet. I have to go back to find out for sure," his voice was dark.

He paused for a few seconds before lowering his voice. "I'm sorry, Star."

He had promised to help her, yet he was being forced to leave so quickly without having achieved much of anything.

He knew exactly who was pulling the strings from the shadows.

And once he was back in Novaris, there was no guarantee he'd be able to return anytime soon.

If Joshua had orchestrated this, he definitely wouldn't let him fly back easily.

"What about Keen?" Stella asked. "Is he going with you?"

"That depends on whether you want him to stay there with you or come with me."

She pondered this for a moment. "Take him with you. That way, Joshua will believe you aren't coming back anytime soon.

Otherwise, he'll likely just orchestrate another 'accident.'

In Solmaris, your manpower and resources are limited, but you shouldn't have that problem in Novaris, right?"

He instantly caught on to her implication. "Are you planning to come back to Novaris with me?"

"Joshua has people secretly protecting me, which means he knows exactly where I am at all times. Leaving openly with you is practically impossible.

Once you and Keen head back, I'll wait until he lets his guard down and then fly over to Novaris.

I don't want to look back years from now, crushed by regret, wondering why I wasn't ruthless enough to force him into treatment.

As for right now... he might be hurt and miserable, but eventually, he will forget."

"You've changed a lot, Star," Haynes murmured.

"The only constant in this world is that everything is always changing.

Haven't you changed a lot too, Haynes?"

Furthermore, she understood Joshua inside and out; she didn't need anyone else to worry on her behalf.

"Alright. I understand. We'll proceed with your plan, then."

Haynes was no pushover either. Now that he had his guard up, Joshua wouldn't find it nearly as easy to outmaneuver him as he had this time.