The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 2040

Mr. Burton still harbored a deep sense of guilt toward Stella.

It was under his roof that she had lost her baby. While he wasn't the one who orchestrated the attack, she had trusted him and let her guard down, allowing Foreman Richards to slip through the cracks and inflict irreversible trauma on her.

So, when Stella asked for his medical expertise, he agreed without a moment's hesitation.

After a thorough examination of Mr. Hayser, Mr. Burton shook his head, letting out a heavy sigh.

"His body is entirely burnt out. There is no miracle cure for this. The absolute best I can do is buy him a few more months."

Miss Hayser wiped her tears, her voice trembling. "A few months is enough... enough time for me to find a suitable husband to marry."

Stella turned to look at her. "Are you truly that fixated on getting married right now?"

Staring at her comatose father, Miss Hayser whispered, "It's the only way he'll die in peace. He's terrified that once he's gone, I won't be able to suppress the internal uprisings and secure my succession. The factions within our family are notoriously cutthroat. I... I honestly don't have the power to control them alone."

Stella held her gaze. "If you could secure the seat as the head of the family on your own, would you still be rushing to the altar?"

Miss Hayser blinked, stunned. "But with my current leverage, that's impossible..."

"I just need a yes or no," Stella interrupted, a confident smile playing on her lips.

Miss Hayser wasn't an idiot. She heard the immense weight behind Stella's words. A spark of fierce hope ignited in her eyes. "Of course not! I'm sick to death of dealing with manipulative, backstabbing men!"

"Then you don't need to sacrifice your freedom to marry someone you don't love," Stella said smoothly. "I will put you on that throne."

Miss Hayser stared at her in shock. "You're going to help me? But... backing me in a succession war would cost you a fortune in resources. We barely know each other. Why would you go to war for me?"

With that vow, Stella permanently secured Miss Hayser as a formidable weapon in her arsenal.

...

A few months later, backed by Stella's shadow-brokering, Miss Hayser officially ascended as the head of the Hayser family.

Shortly after her coronation, she met with Stella, a sly, secretive grin on her face. "Star, you handed me the world. It's only fair I give you a proper thank-you gift."

Stella raised an eyebrow. "What kind of gift?"

Throughout her pregnancy, Aurora had managed to dodge every single paternity test, narrowly surviving on pure luck, heavily relying on the Burton family's medical connections and Skyler Williams' desperate cover-ups.