The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

"Abby, let's not mention the kidnapping at the hospital. This wasn't Foreman's fault."

At Stella's words, Abby's eyes turned red again.

Even now, Stella was still thinking of others.

Abby knew exactly why-Stella didn't want anyone blaming Foreman for failing to protect them.

Choking back her tears, Abby managed to say, "Okay. I understand."

As she pushed open the hospital room door, Abby saw four figures waiting outside.

Neville, Foreman, Haynes, and Joshua.noveldrama

All of them wanted to know what had really happened to Stella and Abby yesterday.

Neville and Foreman had rushed over the moment they learned Stella was awake.

Stella's hand was badly hurt, and the doctors had already given them a rough idea of her condition.

But none of them dared bring it up, afraid to touch Stella's rawest wound.

The doctors had made it clear-Stella's career was most likely over.

At best, her hand would still function for daily life and work, but her fingers would never be as nimble as before.

No surgeon in the world could reverse damage like this.

Abby understood what they wanted to ask. "Let's talk in my room," she said.

Inside, Abby recounted everything that had happened the previous day.

From the moment she began speaking, tears streamed down her face and didn't stop.

It was as if she'd cried away every tear she had left in a single day.

She left out the part about the kidnapping at the hospital, starting her story from when she regained consciousness.

The group was so drawn into Abby's and Stella's ordeal that they never noticed the omission.

Only Foreman, standing at the back, clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white, jaw set.

He'd thought he avenged Stella, but all he'd done was stoke Leonard's fury.

He'd wanted to get closer to Stella, but instead, Leonard's revenge had fallen on her-she'd suffered for his actions.

He wanted nothing more than to slap himself for it.

When Abby finished, the room seemed to freeze.

Everyone's expression darkened.

Leonard had gone too far-he was completely out of control.

Suddenly, a thought struck Neville. He turned to Foreman. "Is Sellers still with you?"

Foreman lowered his gaze to hide the storm in his eyes. "I already let him go."

Neville frowned. "That fast?"

He hadn't

cared for Sellers either,

bet

and had been hoping to rough him up a

even if just Stella.

so-make him pay, , for what happened 1)

Foreman's voice was low. "He's the head of the Burton family. We couldn't keep him too long. Besides, Mr. Burton is coming this afternoon

to see Stella. If he found out we were holding Sellers, he might refuse to treat her."

Foreman paused. "Sellers was just a minor accomplice in all this. If we want justice, we have to catch Leonard."

"I've already got people on it," Haynes said.

Just then, the door opened. Benson stepped inside, his expression grim.

"Mr. O'Brien, we've located the car Leonard used to escape. It was empty-only a few bloodstains left behind."

He hesitated, then added, "There are signs a helicopter landed nearby. It's likely Leonard got away by helicopter."

Haynes's frown deepened. As soon as he'd learned what happened to Stella, he'd arranged for a plane to fly him to Sandford and ordered Benson to track Leonard's whereabouts without delay.