The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 2132

Unable to suppress the urge, Aurora dialed Joshua's number.

It rang for a long time before he finally answered.

His smooth voice drifted through the speaker. "Are you alright, Ms. Williams?"

"Joshua, where are you right now? Is Stella still with you?" she demanded.

"I'm already home, and Stella has gone back as well. I figured you might be busy, so I didn't want to disturb you by calling."

Her grip on the phone tightened. "Joshua, didn't you say you were going to handle the situation for me? Why did the police show up?"

He sounded genuinely puzzled. "You two were involved in a physical altercation in a public restaurant. Isn't calling the police the most appropriate way to handle it?

"While you were changing, I went ahead and called them for you."

So *he* was the one who called the cops?!

Aurora forced down her rising fury. "Joshua, do we really need the police to deal with someone like Shayla?"

Catching the thinly veiled accusation in her tone, his voice cooled to a placid calm.

"Crushing Shayla would be effortless.

"But did you stop to think about your position, Ms. Williams? You are a married woman with a child. If I step in to ruthlessly destroy another woman on your behalf, it invites completely unnecessary rumors.

"After all, what possible justification would I have for targeting a wealthy heiress out of nowhere?

"Besides, I did it for your own good.

"Your reputation has already taken enough hits, and Shayla publicly accused you of stringing men along in front of an entire restaurant.

"If you get into trouble and rely on a 'friend' to fix it instead of your own husband, what will people think?

"What will your *husband* think? Will he feel inadequate and emasculated?

"If that happens, you won't just ruin your reputation; you'll destroy your marriage.

"Tell me, was I helping you, or was I setting you up to fail?"

His logic was flawless, leaving Aurora utterly incapable of finding a single counterargument.

"However..." he continued smoothly. "I did promise to grant you one wish.

...

The next morning, Stella was deep in a peaceful sleep when her phone began buzzing violently on the nightstand.

Groggy and disoriented, she answered it. "Hello? Who is this?"

"Star, it's me," came Joshua's familiar voice.

She squinted at the clock. It was two in the morning.

Why on earth was he calling her at this ungodly hour? Had something terrible happened?

She instantly snapped awake. "Joshua? What's wrong? Did something happen?"

"Aurora invited me to go up the mountain to watch the sunrise," he said. "It's pitch black outside, and I thought it would be highly inappropriate for an unmarried man and a married woman to go alone. It's better if you come with us."

Stella rubbed her sleep-heavy eyes, completely bewildered.

"She's going out to watch the sunrise? At this hour?"