The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 2113

Joshua stepped closer, his dark eyes locking onto hers. "Then what are we?"

Stella's eyelashes fluttered nervously. "...We?"

"What is our relationship?" he demanded softly.

The sudden intensity of the question sent a spike of panic through her chest.

"W-what?"

Joshua's tone went ice-cold. "You called me by my first name earlier. I mistakenly assumed we had become friends.

Clearly, I was delusional.

My apologies for bothering you."

Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked away.

"Wait!" Desperate, Stella lunged forward and grabbed a fistful of his sleeve.

"I didn't mean it like that... I do consider you a friend! I'm just so used to calling you 'Mr. Gardner' that I completely forgot to switch back in the moment!"

She had worked entirely too hard to earn an ounce of his trust. If she let him walk away angry now, tonight would have been a total waste.

Joshua stopped in his tracks, looking down at her hand on his arm. "Is that the truth?"

Stella forced the most earnest, pleading expression she could muster. "Yes! It's just a hard habit to break."

The icy tension in his jaw relaxed slightly. As if a brilliant idea had just struck him, he tilted his head. "Well, since we're officially friends now, you call me Joshua, and I'll call you Star. You don't have a problem with that, do you?"

Stella swallowed hard. "...No."

Joshua checked his watch. "It's getting late. We should go."

"Okay," she agreed quickly.

Once they were settled inside the luxurious cabin of his car, Stella suddenly realized Aurora hadn't followed them.

"Where's Aurora?" she asked.

"Probably off chasing Henley Holloway," Joshua replied with supreme indifference.

A heavy, intoxicating silence settled between them before Joshua finally spoke.

"Are you this sweet to everyone?"

"No. Only to my friends." Stella paused, a faint smile touching her lips. "If I'm dealing with an enemy or someone I despise, I'm perfectly happy playing dirty."

Joshua let out a low, dark chuckle that vibrated through the small space. "What about Leonard? Are you always this sweet to him, too?

Is that why he rushed all the way out here to watch you drive, bringing you a romantic little bouquet?"

Stella glanced down at the bundle of baby's breath resting in her lap. Suddenly, the flowers felt like they were burning her skin.

"He and I are strictly business partners."

Joshua didn't push the issue. Instead, he leaned back against the leather seat. "A rematch won't be necessary. Once a deal is struck, I never back out.

Unexpected obstacles are just another element of the race you have to conquer.

Not everything in life gives you the luxury of starting over."