The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance novel Chapter 542

She had long since seen through their favoritism—it barely stirred a ripple in her heart anymore.

To Skyler, there wasn’t much difference between the two of them; both were his daughters.

Considering he’d lived with Aurora for so many years and poured his care into raising her, it was hardly surprising that he sided with Aurora. After all, there was Aurora, the daughter who’d been at his side for over twenty years, and then there was Stella—practically a stranger, someone who’d only shared his roof for a handful of years.

There was simply no comparison.

Stella’s car moved steadily through the darkened streets.

She wasn’t driving fast. Not since her accident. Ever since that crash, she’d been careful to keep her speed in check.

At an intersection, the traffic light switched from red to green, and Stella eased the car forward.

That’s when her eyes widened in shock. Out of nowhere, a pedestrian darted across the road, jaywalking right as the light changed.

Stella’s foot slammed down on the brakes, instinct taking over.

But she was too late—the car clipped the man squarely.

Thankfully, she hadn’t been speeding, and her quick reaction had slowed the impact. Even so, the man crumpled to the ground and lay motionless—out cold.

Heart pounding, Stella rushed from the car to check on him, her hands shaking as she dialed for an ambulance.

***

At the hospital, Stella waited anxiously outside the emergency room.

A few minutes later, a doctor emerged, addressing her in a calm, professional tone. “The patient has a minor concussion, but he’s stable now. He should wake up soon.”

Stella exhaled, relief washing over her. It wasn’t her fault—he’d crossed on a red light—but she’d still been terrified something worse might happen to him.

She softened her tone. “Still, I did hit you. I’ve already covered your hospital bills, and you don’t need to pay me back. If you need anything else, you can contact me through the police.”

Better to get everything out in the open. If he tried to claim damages or cause trouble, she didn’t want to be dragged into a messy dispute. She’d already called the police, and had handed over dashcam footage to clear her name. Covering his medical expenses was just a gesture of guilt for being involved at all.

The man said nothing, just stared at her in silence.

Stella checked the time. “It’s getting late. I should go. You should call your family—have someone come look after you.”

She turned to leave, but his voice suddenly stopped her.

“I was… hit by a car?”

Stella paused mid-step, turning back in disbelief. “You don’t remember?”