The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 322

Her expression at that moment was hardly what Jasper and Rachel had hoped to see.

Jasper’s brow furrowed. “Stella, what are you smiling at?”

Stella’s voice was light, almost airy. “I’m smiling because you’re an idiot.”

Rachel let out a soft chuckle. “Ms. Cameron, I know you don’t want to seem weak in front of us, but you’ve already ended up in this sorry state. There’s no shame in admitting defeat.”

Her gaze landed pointedly on the necklace around Stella’s neck.

“If you’re willing to return that necklace to me—oh, and hand over your Nocturne Stella violin—I think… Haynes might just be willing to forgive your little stunt of stealing his company secrets.”

The necklace Stella wore wasn’t the famed Neptune’s Tear but rather the one her mother had left her.

Rachel didn’t care much for its actual value, but that hardly mattered. She wanted it, and that was reason enough.

Anything she desired—whether it was the necklace, the Nocturne Stella, or even Haynes himself—should naturally belong to her.

Stella only smiled wider. “Ms. Pearce, I used to think you were clever. Turns out, you’re not so impressive after all. You should know I asked Haynes for a divorce a long time ago.”

“But you didn’t believe me. You thought I was playing hard to get, and you kept meddling.”

“To be honest, if it weren’t for your interference, Haynes and I would’ve split ages ago—and I would’ve left with nothing.”

“But thanks to you, Ms. Pearce, I got a very generous settlement.”

She paused, turning to Rachel with deliberate sincerity.

“Really, Ms. Pearce, you’ve been such a help. Without you, how could I have possibly had the money to show up at those auctions and outbid you?”

“That Neptune’s Tear—oh, you wanted it so badly, didn’t you? If it weren’t for your help, I never could have bought it.”