The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 343

What’s so special about Marvin, anyway? All he ever does is play the victim!

A surge of jealousy flashed in Keen’s eyes.

He wanted, desperately, to expose Marvin for who he really was, to show Mom that this so-called innocent kid wasn’t nearly as pure as she imagined.

But after drawing a deep breath, Keen forced himself to let it go.

He’d already lost to Marvin’s games too many times before. He knew that without solid proof, no one would believe him.

Besides, that wasn’t why he’d come to see his mother today.

He had something far more important to do.

With Keen present, Abby had to rein herself in; she couldn’t badmouth Haynes O’Brien as freely as before.

Instead, the group slipped into casual, trivial conversation.

Throughout dinner, Marvin kept the mood light, entertaining everyone with funny stories about his day-to-day life. For someone so young, he was surprisingly quick-witted, making everyone burst out laughing again and again.

Stella ignored Keen, but Abby didn’t leave him out. Every now and then, she asked about his schoolwork and what he’d been up to lately.

Keen responded to the adults with perfect manners and poise.

As Abby looked at Keen’s face—so strikingly similar to Haynes’s—she let out a silent sigh.

No one knew better than Abby just how much Stella loved Keen.

If it weren’t for Keen, she never would have put up with Rachel for so long, or fussed over her like a housekeeper, even going so far as to prepare special remedies for her.

When dinner was nearly over, Abby turned to Keen. “So, Keen, you came all this way to see your mom. Was there something important you wanted to talk about?”

Keen’s fingers tightened nervously around his backpack. He spoke in a small voice, “I… I brought something for Mom.”

Stella finally glanced his way, her eyes settling on him for the first time all evening.

Abby perked up, “Oh? What is it?”

A flicker of hesitation crossed Keen’s face.

He looked up, meeting Stella’s gaze head-on.

It was the first direct look she’d given him since he arrived.

A strange, fluttery excitement welled up inside Keen.

Maybe Aunt Abby was right—maybe Mom really did care about him.