The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 349

Marvin’s eyes, deep and dark as obsidian, rested quietly on Keen.

“No matter if we come in first or last, no matter how Stella does, I’ll never be embarrassed by her,” he said, his tone steady and sincere.

Keen shot him a glare, crossing his arms stubbornly. “Hmph! Wait until you’re the one making a fool of yourself—let’s see if you still talk like that! And don’t you dare cry if we lose, you troublemaker!”

It hadn’t always been like this. Keen hadn’t always felt so ashamed of his own mother.

But everything changed the day Rachel came back into their lives.

Ever since then, it seemed like Mom was always the one getting laughed at. The worst was on his birthday, when she got into an argument with one of Mr. Wilkinson’s friends. Everyone at the party stared and whispered, watching her make a scene.

He’d overheard grown-ups—uncles and aunts—murmuring that his mother wasn’t classy enough, that she was an embarrassment. Some even said it was no wonder Dad was always taking Rachel to important events instead.

At the time, Keen was still at his old preschool, and everyone there knew Stella was his mom.

The birthday fiasco was all anyone could talk about the next day. The story spread like wildfire, and soon every kid in his class was snickering behind his back, calling his mom a joke and mocking him as the “country bumpkin’s son.”

Friends who used to play with him now kept their distance. He felt completely alone, shunned by nearly everyone.

Thankfully, soon after, he transferred to a new school.

Here, no one knew who his mother was.

He excelled at everything, quickly winning over the teachers and making new friends. He even got Rachel to join him at parent-child events, soaking up the envious looks from his classmates.

Keen loved this new life.

But lately, his mom barely spoke to him. The emptiness gnawed at him, leaving him feeling lost and miserable.

If only Mom could be as amazing as Rachel, he thought.